The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-02-23
AMUSEMENTS.
Of Music.

The coming engagement of Hoyts ga
Temperance Town that merry satire on
prohibition is awaited with interest. II will
be seen here at the Academy of Music, on
Monday, the 18th inst, the production be-
ing identical with the memorable one OF six
months last season, both as regards scenery
and the cast. The fact that the piece is
founded ON facts and Mr.. Hoyt In evolving
his story has kept closely TO the text fur
nished him by an actual occurrence, that OF
the Vermont liquor dealer in q country town,
who is sentenced to sixty years in prison for
selling an ordinary number of glasses OF
LIQUOR. because be could not pay the fine or
the cost, which was 81, 600, excites a curios-
ity in itself that theatre goers cannot resist.
In addition to this, the story Is closed in such
a merry ~satirical manner with that Hoyt
stamp that no one seems able TO copy, that
the fun is supreme throughout the entire
performance. The production will be under
the personal direction of Mr.. Hoyt and will
be staged in the same elaborate manner as
that of Hoyts Madison Square Theatre en-
gagement this season.
The New Opera House.
One of the very funniest plays that ever
came to Jersey City opened yesterday at the
New Opera House, with a matinee and an
evening performance, both to full houses.
It is CDR. Bill" The play is its W best
advertisement: few people ever saw 1t With
out advising some one else to see it, too.
William Brown, NJ. D., has had a most
successful practice, which has led him into
some pretty frisky ways. All the ladies OF
the corps de ballet used to get him TO make
out their certificates for them when they
had to prove by a physician they were too
i'll to appear, and all that sort of thing.
Among this set he is known as Oh Bill"
Falling heir to a fortune, and IN love, at the
same time, he marries and retlres from prac
tice. convinced that that is the only way to
get clear of the past and really settle down.
But his papa is law, who believes id1eness is
the mother of mischief, finally hangs out his
old sign on the door. and sends out cards to
all his old friends. They come back in
crowds, and the doctor finds himself pushed
into his former habits again. He refuses to
attend Bella Horton, ex-queen OF the ballet,
now married to the Inspector of Police, but
George Winchester, an anglomaniac, inn
personates him. By a deliciously funny
series of circumstances Bella gets the bogus
doctor locked up in one room with Browns
wife, Brown himself in another with his
mother-in-law, and the key down her
back, where her maid was put it to bring
her out of a faint. Then her jealous husband
appears on the scene. The plot finally gets
straightened. but not until everyone in the
audience is tired out with laughing. There
is absolutely not one dull line in the play.
~SOf the cast, the best actress was Florence
Foster as Mrs. Horton. She is vivacious,
graceful, always interesting. always natural,
and plays to the life the thoroughly sophisti-
Gated but good-hearted woman of the world.
She has a pretty voice, which she uses well.
The most attractive member of the cast was
Gertrude Stanwood, as a variety actress, who
dances the famous kangaroo dance She is
uncommonly pretty, with the invincible
charm of youth, and graceful as a fairy. She
looks a great deal like Virginia Earl, who
PLAYS Della Fox's old part in wang" Celia
Clay made a success with the part of the con-
fding wife, and Marie Bingham lid good
work as the mamlna-in-law. Minna Gunnett
played two parts, a debutante and waiting
maid.
Eugene Sweetland, the gay doctor, is adj
mirably adoped to the part. He was es-
uecially clever in his scene with the key.
Sidney Wilmer brought down the house, as
George Webster, the dude. Ernest Bartram,
a clever actor, as the meddlesonae father-in-
law and Edward Grace as Horton and as a
butler, completed an excellent cast.
During the evening Mr.. Otto Vogler and
his musicians played appropriate patriotic
airs. CDR. Billo will continue during the
week with Saturday matinee.
Hoboken Theatre.
That familiar m~elodrama, THE Struggle
of Life.n was given before crowded houses at
the Hoboken Theatre yesterday. Too much
praise cannot be extended the members of
this truly excellent company in their SPLEEN
did presentation of the PLAZA. 1t is altogether
| too well known to require any detailed
description. Dealing as it does with life
daily enacted in New York City, strengthen
| ed considerably by a faithful portrayal of
! familiar scenes, the piece strikes a sympa-
| thetic chord in the heart of the public. The
presentation of the play is faultless, every
member of the troupe fully knowing the
lines.
Mabel Florence, the heiress, is truly an
| artistic. David Murdoch and Edwar Brock
| ton in their roles also deserve mention, in
fact notice should be given each member of
the ~npan The play closes the engage
ment at this theatre on Saturday night, with
| matinee tomorrow.