Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-04-03
Clunie Opera House.

Hoyt's farce comedy" entitled "a
Hole in the Ground " was played last night
The opera-house was packed in every seat
ing part and many were compelled to
stand during the entire evening. The
play, If it can be dignified by such term,
is the veriest trash. 1t has not even the
merit of so much of plot as distinguished
that other absurdity, "a Rag Baby" and
was not nearly so definite a plan of action
as the " Tin Soldier" All of these aim to
caricature men and women, to take off I"
follies TO burlesque queer people, and by
exaggeration OF shams and eccentricities
and impositions upon the public, to read
people corrective lessons. Bnt the method
employed does not justify the ends. The
Hole in the Ground u evokes laughter
simply because of the great good nature of
the public and its readiness to enjoy
good laugh even at the expense of its good
judgment. But no person present last
night who values his or her own opinion
will venture to say that the pro-
ductlon was up TO the level
of satire or entitled to rank
in any sense as comedy. Why Mr.. Hoyt
should call it farce-comedy," or Just
precisely what that means, unless he in
tends to express the idea that it is some
thing below the level of low comedy, we
do not understand. 1t certainly is beneath
the rank of a genuine farce and is not to
be mentioned in the same moment with a
comedy of any description. 1t introduces
seven pretty women, two less comely and
lot of men, but two of whom can lay any
claims justly 10 ability to give even fair
character impersonation. One is a comed-
ian and has the mimetic art largely-in-
deed, the performance of Mr.. Richards
evidences fine capabilities. The women
dress nattily, dance little, sing some, and
are as slangy as the most morbid appetite
for that sort of thing can wish. The pre-
tense of plot hinges upon the lonesome
ness of a country railroad station, the in
science of a station agent and the bold
ness of bevy of fun-loving girls. If the
laughter of the audience is the measure of
success, then Mr.. Hoyts trashy, plotless
and altogether witless production
achieved a splendid success. If the
meaningless character of a play, its
disconnected and methodless action,
and its coarse absurdity are elements of its
taking" quality, then Hoyt's latest pro-
auction is marvellous success. 1t is true
that people love to be amused, but such
amusement as that of last night does not
satisfy skin deep and addresses only the
sense of the ridiculous momentarily. :" A
Hole in the Ground" will be repeated to-
night-it were better for the public taste if
it were buried in hole in the ground so
deep that no theatrical management could
resurrect it. There was great deal of con-
fusion and contention about seats in the
parquet last night. Several parties claimed
the same seats, and asserted there had
been duplication ofsales. Chief Usher Bate
man and Treasurer Henry were asked
what it meant, and stoutly denied that
any sale of reserved seats had been
duplicated, or any made, except legiti-
mately and prior to the opening of the
house. They both lay the blame upon
those who take seats and refuse to yield
them to holders of reserve coupons. "A
Hole in the Ground" will be repeated to-
| night. A saving element of the entertain
ment last ght was the COED orchestration
between acts under the direction of s. ].
Won Hirsch