The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-05-12
DRAMATIC DOINGS
Amusements Past and yet
to come.
General News Concerning
the Profession.

Only small-sized audience was assem-
bled at Harper's Theatre on the occasion of
the appearance of Haverly's colored min
| strels.
The performance was not up to the
standard, and the conclusion is slowly but
surely forming that white men can excel
the NEGRO even in delineation of the latter's
own comic character.
AS long as the different performers re-
manned in the vocal or dancing depart
ments they acquitted themselves creditab-
". Int the introduction of too many
sketches was an unfortunate departure.
Among the members deserving special no
tice were Dick Little, the Bohee Brothers,
and Alex Hunter. The first named still
possesses a voice of great power and ex-
preston. His singing was quite good.
| The Rohee brothers with their banjoes
formed one of the taking features of the
evening entertainment. Hunter in his
imitation of different sounds and things
was good. His stage presence however is
notably bad, giving the impression that he
| is new to the business.
Mr.. Haverly has secured some of the
best talent afforded by the colOred race
but the fact still remains the imitators in
the shape of white men are superior in
every respect to the genuine simon pure
colored MINISTRIES,
| BwP &W
Next Monday evening Barlow, Wilson,
Primrose and Vests minstrel party, con
sisting of forty members, will give one of
their unique entertainments at Harper's
Theatre The programme introduces Milt
Barlow and George Wilson in their special
| ties, and also the broad sword combat Clay
with calcium light effect rs arranged by
Primrose and West and assisted by corps
of dancers. The performance closes with
burlesque on "Ollvitte" which is styled
''All-Tve-eat."
The sale of seats has commenced at Mar
shalrs drug store under the Harper House.
COMING EVENTS.
Hazel Kirke" will be given on the 10Th.
pers Theatre on the 30th.
s'Olivitte" will be given on the 18th of
June.
Minnie Palmer with her Board school
party" appear at Timms Hall, Moline, this
evening.
Uncle Bill" is the name of play that
company desire to produce in this city at
an early day.
Nat Goodwin in Hobbies may possibly
visit Rock Island about the 25th of the
present month.
Sells circus comes in the early part of
June
Forepaugh will also bring his circus to
the city during the month of June.
ACTING TURNED TO REALITY.
Charles Rolfe, an actor in the 100
wives party. had a fellow actor-Wm.
Harris-who will be remembered in Rock
Island as the leading man in the Maggie
Mitchell company, arrested in Chicago,
few days ago. The charge was assault and
battery, and Harris was fined S25.
Harris takes the part of Bradford in the
play, while Rolfe assumes the role of the
leading DANTE Since the affair at Mont
gomery, Ala, where Harris sprained his
ankle during the leap, a super numerary,
dressed as Bradford, is thrown off the
cliff. Harris, as he runs up to the edge of
the cliff, says his part; and then discharges
his pistol at the DANTE who is following
closely, They grapple and have a tussle,
disappearing behind the flies. There it is
that the ''supe" takes Harris place, and,
reappearing to the view of the audience, is
supposed to be thrown over. Though
meeting nightly in these ktusslcs, the two
men have nevertheless not spoken friend
ly word to each other outside of the play
nor, for that matter, in the play, the parts
being antagonistic.
Harris imagined that Rolfe injured him
purposely at Montgomery and never for
gave him. The two men met in a dressing
room and comtoe blows, with the above
result.
AGED ACTORS.
Actors are, as general rule, a long-liv
ed race. This is owing, in all probability
to the fact that the profession they pursue
involves thBt combination of mental with
bodily activity which the personal exper
fence of good many of us has proved to-
be Que of the essential conditions of health
and happiness. Charles Macklin, of whom
as Shylock Pope said that tt was 'the Jew
and he appeared upon the stage after he
was 80. 1t is true that by this time he
had lost most of his physical energy, but
tradition reports that when he was about
to rush on the scene, prior to his vehement
colloquy with Tubal, he used to call out to
the prompter. "Kick my shins, kick my
shinsY and that the real pain that this oc
casioned him inspired him with the neces
sary passion. Thomas Gray, the clown
par excellence, of the days of Queen Anne,
died at the age of 100. The charming Mrs
Bracegirdle, whose Intelligence was equal
to her beauty, and whose goodness exceed
ed both, spent 81 years upon the boards,
and died at S. David Garricks wife,
who turned the heads of all the young
fellows about town by her dancing in her
young days, and who lived to witness the
performances of Edmund Kean, reached
the age of 81. Dowton of whom I once
heard Blackstone say that he had a five
act comedy in each eye," retained his frolic
spirit until he was SO. Fannie Abingdon,
whom Reynolds anointed as the Comic
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