St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-09-11
IN THE THEATERs.

EuWiu MlllON nOyI6 anu his eXcelient
company were seen at the Metropolitan
opera house last night in Friends a
colnedy-drama of which Mr.. Royle is
the author, and in whieh Miss Selena
Fetter plays the leading part: Very
little need be said by way of Intro;
ducing this charming actress. as she
became very popular during her stay in
this city last year. The company pre-
senting Friends this year is about
the same as that of last year, and, be-
sides Mr.. Royle and Miss Fetter, the
work of Harry Allen as John Paden
ST., as we'll as Z. d. Lyons
impersonating Hans Otto (the dis,
sipated old father of Marguerite) lis
particularly worthy of note. Henry
Bergman. as Harold Hunting. acquitted
himself very creditabIy. Carrie Berg.
who takes the part of Jennie Merry
weather, is charming little specimen
of bon camarade. and quite as much of.
FRIEND as either of. her "boys.r'
Lueius Henderson as Adrian karje, the
pianist, displays vast amount of
ability as musician when he appears
in the musicale at Marguerite's house,
which occurs in the second act, but as
an actor he does not appear very brill
iantly. These are the principals, and
as whole all the parts were very we'll
taken, as well as the minor ones, Miss
Wolfe, Miss Hartman and Henry (the
seryanD, taken respectively by Louise
Wakelee. NeIleIe Reed and Fred Chan
der
The scenery is very pretty. and in the
second act quite deliberately beautiful,
while the costumes worn in the draw
ing room scenes were very gorgeous.
In the second act Lucius Henderson's
playing on the piano was partic ularly
well received, he having to respond to
TIVE encores. After the scene in Har-
old Hunting'S appointments, in the third
act. where Marguerite RECEIVERS her
father. the audience absolutely demand
ed areappearance of the principals, to
which they very gracefully responded.
The scene in the greenroom leading to
Margueritc's dressing room in the opera
house, where old John Paden first offers
his son Jack to the charming actress,
and after she refuses to accept him,
telling his father that she is very fond
of him, that they are very good friends,
etc, but that she does nut love him, the
old man promptly Offers himself, think
ing thatthe girl aSpireS higher than that
'gOodfor-nOtliing jack" is almost
tragic, for tie audience knows all the
time that Notwithstanding her mis-
understanding with Adrian that of tie
cessIty reconciliation must be effected
before the curtain falls for the last time.
In the grand finale, the scene where
Adrian, who has been very ill and re-
covers only to find that his sight is
gone. is brought into the presence of
Marguerite by his friend Jack. (who all
this time is desperately in love with the
fair actress himself. but dares not show
his feelings on account of his great
friendship for Adrian) is very affecting
But the whole thing is perfectly natural
and all comes out just as we hope iU
will, and being SO true to life, Friends
Is very much appreciated by lovers of
drama with just little comedy running
through IL. Same bill all the week
with the usual matiuee5.
~
'''Fhe Dark Continent, or Hypnotisin'
at the Grand last evening proved to be
very satisfactory To the audience. 1t is
a play full of exciting incidents. and
this is its chief merit. with the eXcep-
ton that it presents new and very
novel idea, as to the villainy which
might be accomplished through hypno-
tisrn. were it possible instrument in
the hands of designing people. Aoolpi
DaSant, the villain, has learned hyp-
notiSm from DIR. Michot, master of
hypnotism, who is honest. john Roy
is the owner of a diamond mine in
Africa, and has secured from it a tila<
mond valued at fabulous sum. The
villain plots 10 secure all the property.
of Roy, including the diamond, which
he is 10 turn over to Solomon Gartlnan,
an illicit diamond buyer, who FURNISHES
the money FOR the Undertaking. Through
a peculiar and interesting combination
of circumstances DaSant secures an OPP
portunitv, hypnotiZeS Roy. secures his
signature to will OF all his property TO
himself, but is astonished to find that
the diamond has been stolen from Roy.
After securing the will he causes Roy TO
die through the influence of hYpnoti5In.
The diamond has been taken by Willie
Bowie, an Irish boy in the employ of
Roy, and concealed in the mine to he
turned over TO Lionel, the son of Roy.
Lionel is engaged to Grace Harrison,
the daughter of Sir Reg nali Harrison,
chairman OF the kellheim mine. Hy-
patia Gartman, daughter of the diamond
dealer, and a girl of the period, has
fallen in Iofe with Lionel, and eitters
into a plot with the villain whereby
she is TO secure Lionel by assisting him
to secure Grace Harrison. The villain
proceeds TO hypnotiZe Grace an make
her tell Lionel that she does not love
him any more, but is devoted to Ddsant.
By these means matters are led Into
very complicated situation. 1t comes
out ali right i'll the last act, however,
when Dir. Michot suddenly appears
upon The scene. hypnotlZes the villain
and makes him confess to the securing
of the will, the murder, and to the pos
session of the diamond. And TO make
matters more satisfactory, the villain is
killed by Willie Boyle.
The jubilee singers opened their en-
gagement at the Auditorium last night.
There are about three dozen singers in
the company, which gives a rafting
good rendition of the sacred melodies
peculiar to the colored people. In their
own peculiar forte, plantation songs
and fun-laden dittieS, the singers are
capital. SOloists and quartettes alike
were meritorious and pleasing to all
who went, knowing what they were TO
hear and not expecting operate se.ec-
tionS in operate style.
The cake-walkerS will be the attrac-
ton tonight. when the military band.
which has been detained through a
miscalculation in train time, will beon
hand. Last evening was rather an un-
fortunate one for the company, as in
addition to the delay of the band. Miss
IdaIine Deltour, the prlma donna. was
too indisposed to appear. Tonight the
whole troupe will be on hand, including
twenty-eight cake-walkers aud the mill
tary band.