The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-12-24
THB THEATRICAL WORLD.
Charley Hoyt's "Trip to China
town" and Other Skits.
THE COMING ATTRACTIONS.
FANNY DAVENPORT IN "cLEoPA-
IRA. AND sARDoU's "FEDoRA.,
of tho Home Stock
City, Commencing Christmas
Nfght-Ned ROyIe's Poem-Gossip
of Players.

Nfght-Ned ROyIe's Poen-Gossip
of Players.
There was a time, some years ago,
when it was the habit among many of
the critics, and among a certain class
of people who affected a dramatic cult.
to assume a great contempt for Hoyt's
slzits, and to sadly deplore the fact
that the vulgar public would pay their
good money in large quantities to see
the new style of play which was labeled
farce-comedy." Without taking any
especial credit on myself. from the
days of "A Bunch of Keys' to the
present. 1 have heartily liked Hoyts
efforts and haven't hesitated to say so.
couldn't see anything vicious or
harmful, and while they were always
light, so was whipped cream, and 1 en-
joyed both. But in the last two or
three years, especially since Hoyt Sc
cured a New York theatre and made
his productions the best drawing plays
of that city, the protest against his
plays has almost entirely died out. In
fact, there are some good folk l could
name who only a very few years ago
were loud and bitter in denouncing
Hoyt's plays, are now in the front
ranks Of those singing his praise.
Our people have had good opportu-
nifty to see how Hoyt builds up plays
after they are written On its first pro-
duction here, "A Trip to Chinatown"
was the poorest of his productions.
For months he changed it every night
in some particulars, and its production
as it stands today is one of his bright
est efforts
James Jay Brady has a bright de-
Tense of farce comedy in the Christmas
Mirror. A few paragraphs from which
I will quote:
The playhouse is the proper scene
for cheerful thoughts and feelings.
Plays Of lofty purpose and refined text
are all right for those who have the
knowledge and experience TO appre
ciate them. This big world Of
ours is packed full of people who have
so hard time to get along in a. bread
and butter way, that they have no
time or heart to look pleasures over
too closely, but grab them whenever
offered Their enjoyments are too few
and far between to permit of doubt or
study. Why, in natures name should
a man who is better provided quarrel
with these simple pleasures, which
are within the reach of so many.
and serve to brush away the shadows
that overhang their lives. There is no
reason why this amSement should be
judged so harshIy, simply because a
few appetites are too delicate to eniov
it How would it look if this rule were
brought to bear on the newspapers. and
books and pictures and food, and other
things about which people differ, jump
ing most heartily upon that or those
Which the largest number fancy most?
II IS well enough 10 hold up a lofty
ideal, and to try to educate others up
to lively appreciation of it, but some
people, if not many people, may not
nave the time or mind, or study. To
get near enough to a, fair understand
ing of the beauty you cherish. Why
scold them for making the most of
what is within the range of their Iifni-
tations, so long as enjoyment is not
hurtful or vulgarly bent?" 4,
All Of which is full of wisdom. Mr..
Brady goes on to point out that in
this season, when people are scanning
their amusements closely. being linn
tied in numbers. musical farce comedy
is prospering beyond any other form
of play.
In the Christmas Mirror the Salt Lake
boy, Edwin Milton Royle, author of
Friends" has a poem called 1.-THE
Awakening City" 1t is brilliant, and
successful plays are not the only thing
Royle can write.
The Juvenile Instructor will publish
in its Christmas edition the words and
music of Mrs. Shows hymn, 30 NV
Father" the music composed by Frank
W. Merrill. Mr.. Merrilrs ARRANGEMENT
is the one sung by Mr. r. c. Easton
at the dedication of the Temple and
at the Worlds fair.
Shadows of Great City" is the
next bill at the Salt Lake theatre.
This strong melodrama will be uro-
decd by the Salt Lake Stock comuanv
for three nights, beginning tomorrow.
Christmas night at popular prices. A
holiday matinee will be given tomorrow
afternoon, at which a Christmas pres
ent of an onyx clock will be given IN
the holder of the lucky coupon. The
cast has been strengthened by the adj
ditiOn Of the we'll known member III
the old Home Dramatic company. Mr.
B. S. Young The advertising of ''Shad
ows of Great City is unique and ar
tistic. The engagement promises to
be as successful as the past efforts of
A letter from Ben Stern states that
Fanny Davenport's "Cleopatr is pro-
duced this year on scale of scenic
granduer even greater than when she
first presented Sardou's play to us,
and Ben Stern is in a position to know.
being manager, and Ben Stern is q
rara avis among managers, who sticks
Ito facts
Miss Davenport will appear at the
theatre on the evening of the first
day of the year 1894 She will present
on that evening her great creation of
Sardous Fedora. For four nights
succeeding she viii present ssCleona-
ira" The cast includes Melbourne Nc
Dowall and the other members of the
company are nearly Identical with the
cast of the play when it was first pro-
duced here.
The members of "a Trip to China
town" company had little experience
Friday night at the theatre which thew
will long remember with SILVER of
fear. Mr.. Oscar B. Young. who is nm
sound or mind, broke into the theatre
and rushed to the stage. where he
created great havoc acting like Abe
star boaTder of an insane ASYLUM ont
for lark. Miss Bessie Clayton tainted
and the other ladies of the COMPANY
ran about shrieking for succor. Succor
came in the shane Of Mazzansvitch.
the stage manager. a powerful man.
VINO managed TO get hold of Young and
hang on to him untsl more HELM AR.
rived. Harry Conner had a narrow es
cape.
All in all fl was pretty exciting for
about 5 minutes.