Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-08
ADJUSTMENTS.

Our old friends are back on the opera
house stage. The demon of evil, who
turns handsprings and disappears
through traps with red-fre trimmings; !;
the spirit of good, IA the form of a hum
dred-and-fifty- pound damsel dressed in
a corsage and some spangles; the beau
teous maiden, her true lover, his hated
rival, the singing kitchen maid, the
testy old father, thin, fat, pretty and
homely girls dressed decollete above
and below, scenery that changes
by the effect of boatswain's
whistle, and any quantity Of the
marvellous things which go to make up
a spectacle are all here, and are called,
The DEVILS Auction. The Auction has
been held here before, but this time it,
is in many ways improved.
None of the acting calls for mention,
except perhaps the Janet of Miss Vici
toria Walters, in which she showed
considerable soubrette talent. 81
The scenery is good, though it did not
always work smoothly in the changes
last night, and Crystalline and Carlos
were kept in a tableau for about five
minutes waiting for refractory drop to
fall. Doubtless this evening all will 90
smoothly.
A spectacle is chiefly an excuse for
putting lot of girls on the stage to
dance and posture. While the young
women in the Auction are by no means
all models of figure and grace, there are
a number who are what the chappes
call fetching, and more of them who
dance we'll.
The specialties are all excellent,
particularly those done by the
Lorellas and the Bosbobes. The only
really wearisome feature of the
affair is Miss Dempsey's topical song in
which she asks for time; it is not the
singers fault probably that the verses
are phenomenally stupid.
All in all the performance is worth
seeing; it is an affair which will par
ticularly delight the youngsters, and
which will amuse those oldsters who do
not take their pleasure too seriously. X
gH x*x
John T. Kelly, one of the best of stage
Irishmen, supported by Geo. w. Led
erer's comic players, will present the
well-known farce comedy y & at the
Grand opera house for three nights, COM
mencing Thursday, January 14th. This
bright affair has just finished success
full two-weeks' engagement at the Bush
street theater, San Francisco. Mr..
Kelly's supporting company includes
Dutch DAILY, Florrie West, Harry Kelly,
Flora Veldran, Chas. f. Walton, Lizzie
Ennis and many other equally capable
people.
Miss West is the very English SOU
brette who first sang Won't You Come
Out To Play in this city when U & / was
last here; when she wiggled her little
forefnger at the gallery and with wink
invited them down to play, for time
there was danger of a stampede towards
the stage door.
x*x
The announcement of concert to be
given last night by William H. Sher-
wood, assisted by local musical celebri-
ties, proved sufficient to fill the Y. M.
@. A. auditorium as full as was con-.
sistent with comfort and rather beyond
its seating capacity. The concert was a
piano recital by Mr.. Sherwood, with
just sufficient vocal music to avoid the
danger of monotony. Mrs. Modini-
Wood contributed, not, however, with
her usual strength, sweetness and fer
vor. Just when cold gets bad enough
to be called la grippe, is a problem
many have tried to solve last evening
Mrs. Modini- Wood was evidently study
ing the question, to the detriment of her
performance. Notwithstanding which
fact neither the lady nor her friends
need mourn greatly, for little time
and little sunshine will cure colds and
bring back the strength and sweetness
OF voice, in which musical AngelefIos
have heretofore delighted.
Mr.. Coggswell, baritone, has not made
friends with the prevailing influenza.
His singing last evening was unsatisiac-
tory only to his enemies, and to Judge
from his reception by the audience, none
of his enemies were there to hear. Mr..
Coggswell is not only trained singer,
accurate in time and pitch and holding
his voice under easy management as to
strength Of tone, but he also possesses
that indescribable something which
brings his audience into sympathy with
him and makes them his friends. Per-
haps it is a lack of art, maybe it is the
refinement OF art; at any rate that mag
netic quality and smooth, strong, well
trained voice make Mr.. w. Gardner
i