The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-12

Il dEdbtnt WIZ, tDBttuII
I'm the star, furnished good evenings enter
tslnmenf The realistic scenery proved the
strongest feature of the "waifs" On Thursday
evening the Charles Frohman company gave
arer and Women" which proved 10 be the
sfronrsst modern play, beyond any question,
ehaf has ever been given in Seattle. The COM
snny. in all respects, does not quite equal the
ixoe1m organization, but the play itself is ADLER
from distinctiveiy dramatic point of view
than any work in the repertoire Of the latter ag
,reestiof OF players. "Men and Women is q
mssterpiece of dramatic instruction. Its
etreukth lies in clear character formation, won
derfnl plot and in the amazing number of strong
peryonages who tell the playwright's remark
able story, and in q series o. climaxes, each of
which standing alone would be sufficient to
make the reputation OF any play. It's wonderful
run Of nearly an uninterrupted year in New
York can be understood here when 1t is known
thst when IL was first produced in the
East there was q frightful epidemic of
bank and other corporate deialcations
sNen and Women" teaches strongly moral
Iesson, and amuses while the lesson is incul-
Gated Through brave and noble lives Ii dares
b stand between society's cruel finger of seorn
and the man who, though once guilty, has
sought to raise his head again by noble and
heroic behavior. The play presents a num-
Der OF noble-hearted men, lovely and
WHY WUmtus WHO make you laQRn anu
weep and linger with GREATNESS surprise at
rights and wrongs that live and move.
mot Guilty" at Cordray's theater drew spien-
did and appreciative audiences every night dur
ing the week. Clay Clement played double role,
and made the changes with rapid cleverness.
Ass change he enacted the part of villain. The
part scarcely fitted him. His voice and form
are suited to the heroic, thus he did enter into
the work with his usual life and enthusiasm.
Ais Lane had small part, but did well with it.
Little Stage Pets.
The thousands who have fingered over the
quaint conceit OF Swift and in Imagination trav-
eled with Guliver to the land OF the Llliputians,
win have an opportunity of seeing q practical
embodiment of their dreams on the stage. Guilt
yer will not be there, nor will his marvellous ad-
natures again carry us back to the days OF child
nod when swift's keen satire impaired that
dsiight which only in childhood pertains to the
marvellous. The dreams OF the Lilliputians will,
however, be realized by ten wee TLespians, who
are supported In their histrionic work by COM
pany OF more than a hundred tall actors, singers.
ballet and grotesque dancers, all of whom will
come to Seattle soon The company 10 an i'm
portation from Europe, where, eight years ago,
two energetic and experienced theatrical man
ayers, the brothers Carl and Theodore RosenfeId
having, as they thought, exhausted the entire
range of the ordinary drama, and knowing by
experience the rich reward which awaits the
theatrical manager who succeeds in gratifying
the public's ceaseless craving for the new, hi,
upon the idea of forming dramatic company oil
dwarfs. The difficulty of finding ten midgets,
who should not only possess comedy shapes and
perfectly symmetrical limbs, but also a
high order of intelligence and his
trionic talent, can readily be imagined.
Their search led them from the bleak steppes of
Russia TO the vine-clad banks OF the poetic
Rhine, and extended over period of two years
Then came years of bodily and mental training
under the most experienced tutors, until real
artists were evolved out of the little people who
had, at first, only natural gifts to recommend
them. The enterprise seems to have been sue
cessful from the start The plays in which they
appeared were written expressly for them, SO
that every performer was fitted with a part
suited to his or her personality. The YER
satility OF the different artists was illustrated
by the fact that they appeared in comedies, in
farces, In opera and burlesque performances.
The name Lilliputians, by which they have
since been known, was given them by the pres
ent emperor of Russia, before whose court the
company played in the imperial palace OF
Ga,schina March 10. 1882 While there are no
stars among the Lilliputians, there are, of
couse, prominent ones among the midgets.
Franz Ebert, the principal comedian, enjoys the
distinction OF being the foremost male member
Of ias organization. He is % years old, was
born near Berlin and Is twenty-eight inches
nl- He has sort OF Coquelin face aud is often
compared in his comedy work TO that
famous French actor II is said that
wherever the Lilliputians have appeared this
little mirth-maker has taken rank with
the very foremost comedians of our
tine. Miss Selma Goerner is the little lady who
shares the stellar distinction with Mr. Ebert
She was born in Silesia., is IS years old and il
shifty-one inches tall, towering over Mr. Ebert
three long inches. She is said to be exceedingly
talented and to be singer of real power. She
assumes male roles almost exclusively, and cuts
quite gay figure in the apparel OF man. This
remarkable company has appeared in every city
IN Europe, and during the present season in
New York, Philadelphia, Washington and other
large cities of our country. In the latter city
PRESIDENT Harrison and the entire cabinet and
diplomatic staff attended the performance and
greatly enjoyed the work OF these comic beings
In miniature
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