The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-05-01
The THEATERS.
A MirthfuI Start-off at the
PIayhouses.


1iinstreIs at Providence Opera House.
The Al. G.. Field Columbian Minstrel
Show won its way promptly 10 the hearts
of the audience in the Providence opera
House last evening when II INTRODUCED =
mighty tuneful chorus which sang we
Never Speak as We Pass By the while
q figure in black labelled I'D. b. Jill"
and another figure in black labelled
a. Grover Cleveland sauntered across the
stage. The counterfeit Hill carried a
grip sack on which was painted the iamil-
lar caption am Democrat" while the
Cleveland grip bore the sentiment, ~ am
a conundrnm.n Cleveland carried pre-
tentious fish pole over his shoulder
Then one OF the end men sprang the
following:
''Say, Mr.. Mack, saw man uowh IN
Boston de udder day an he had basket
full of Democratic puppies which he Wuz
selling at ibe dollars apiece"
Democratic puppies!" calculated the
middle man.
"Yis. sab; Democratic puppies. An
when arroye in Providence / saw dat
berry same man wifi dat berry same
basket full oh dem berry same puppies, an
he wuz singin' out: 'Republican puppies,
fibe dollars apiecev"
aWhy, sir,d exclaimed the middle man,
ssHow could they be Republican puppies
foref'
aEasy 'nuf. sah," replied the end man.
"Easy 'nuf--de puppies had done got DER
eyes openi"
That brought down yhe house and evil
denced that AL. q. Fields Minstrels,
though practically unknown to
Providence, was distinctly up
to the demands OF the public in
this part of the country. Some OF the
jokes that We're not so new were cheerfully
song full of local names, evidently writ
ten for the occasion and while there was
nothing particularly new about that the
fact that he got such localities as Olney-
VILE, Riverside. Fox Point and Federal
Hill, all straight was decidedly new
ice nativity. The olio comprised
lnlny old-time features that have
been sadly wanting in modern minstrelsy
and were cordially greeted like the good old
friends they were. For instance there was a
s'double song and dance" that was well
done, a clog dance that was exceptionally
fine and "banjo monologue,n
that was about the apotheosis OF banjo
playing. Other attractive features
were an effective and novel
march called the Contmentals, the
Alvarez family in a musical act that
was above the ordinary and decidedly
novel, good horizontal bar work
by Napier and Marzello, and Cradoc,
who gave a new and sensational juggling
act with Roman battle axes. Al q. Field,
u. M. Hall, Eddie Horan. Tommy DON
nelly, and others of the principals
proved TO be conspicuous exponents of
tirst class minstrelsy in variety of roles.
ssAfrica" at Keith's Opera House.
When that prince of entertainers,
George Thatcher, foresaw the decline Of
old-time minstrelsy he did not cry out
"Othello's occupations gone,' for he
realized that the great American public
would demand that its place be filed, and
Ae0Qpceiypd . way of filling it that makes
npe TeGr9k that the old semi-circle did
bot paae away before 1t did.
The change from blackfaced minstrelsy
y bomedy was marked, and noae but
most versatile actor would
q rkdlcsls departure. He had won the
RiGheot pace as the exponent of black
laco1 minstrelsy. He was to try to secure
a equally high place in totally different
Ths sast audience which greeted
A&jcan last night showed that he had
kaScssssgi|y gaugsd the public public
% ono powers Of amusement.
IIhotcher, the minstrel, has disappear
- apq Tkstchcr, the comedian, more than
nuo 81 tlece. Two separate individuals
Bels Thstcher the comedian is perfect i'll
p1ttttion Of the survival OF the fittest.
I~AfyScs" has been altered somewhat in
tent and cast since il was seen here last,
but thochanges in the former are i'm the
e{nQ Of improvement, while in the latter
The Absence of Raymon Moore was
perhaps most noticeable, but even this was
bf minor consequence, when all was SO
nxcellent.
vGeorgs Thatcher as DIR. Medicus grows
f anything funnier at every performance
r. L.. -
several hours of continuous laughter bet
Ter not attend Keiths this week. To
describe his humor, his inimitable facial
expressions, his mirth-p provoking powers,
il as impossible as to describe the sun
light, to convey in words any adequate
idea OF the fragrance of the flowers
or the delightful notes of the song birds
Job~ A. Coleman as Maurice Merrill re-
peated his former successes, and his in
imitable dancing specialties won for
him the most enthusiastic applause
Of the evening. The singing was OF course
afeature OF the entertainment, Il. j. Jose's
remarkable tenor being in exceptionally
fine condition. He sang several new bal
lards to the great satisfaction of the
house. III. w. Frillman's basso and Thomas
Lewis, baritone, and Charles III. Hopper
tenor. all contributed their share To the
evenings melody and mirth. The ladies
IN the piece were all good, although Miss
Hilds Hollins. was suffering from a
severe cold which did not interfere much,
however, with her charming voice. John
Z. Rice as Mark Mansfield was an improve
ment over the former conception of the
part, which fitted him like a glove, and he
was among the new comers who lend
strength TO the piece. The rest of the
cast was up to grade. The piece runs
during the week.
Lothrop's Opera House.
"The Pearl OF Savoy" is played in a
superior noanner in Lothrop's Opera House
this week by Miss Katherine Rober. Justin
Paige, Mrs. Julia Porter, Miss Lillian
Mortimer, Miss Helen V. Linde. Miss
Ellen Mortimer, Miss Nellie Gordon. Miss