Birmingham age-herald., 1895-03-16
THINGS DRAMATIC.

Ezra Kendall's "A Pair of Kids'' was the attraction at O'Brien's opera house last night, and fair audience enjoyed an immense amount of fun. The performance was splendid, and there has not been performance of the kind in Birmingham this season that was enjoyed more by those who witnessed it. In fact, everybody got the worth of their money in iun. The company is strong one and above the average of the kind. Ezra Kendall s the same old funny hayseed, and as Jiles Bat ton be made a nun Der of hits.
 Perkins D. Fisher as Doc Du Funny was also good.
 Misses Jennie Dunn and Jennie Bertman were also very clever.
 The other members Of the company made good support.
 The St. Louis Critic had this to say of .sCoon Hollow," which will be seen here next Monday, March IS, at the opera house:
 Tie Hagan this week will have an eu tirely new play, 'sCoon Hollow,n New York suct ess, by Charles E. Callahan, well known to every theater-goer ss the mana ger 0, l. zze Evans and author of 'Fogg's Feriy,'' "Our Angels, tlhe Buckeye' and other successful plays.
 l say ''a New York success, '' for which have heretofore expressed more or less disregard; but of the New York press, do feel a little interest in the case. When he went before it Mr. Callahan did so on the merits of his play. There wasn't barrel to be opened, and he didn' | see a critic dur ing the whole of his stay; yet be received good notices straiRh ht dow n the line.
 Alan Dale of the World, probably the most cynical critic in New York, gave the Fourteenth street production hall col 'umn, describing the realistic features, the buIsted dam, the explosion, the historical hafU ha Iaau n nA that, but, as he says, the strength Of the play is mol in it's realism, but In it's human ity. This, Mir. Callahan says, is correct. While he carries two carloads of scenery, he relies on the humansm of the story to carry it. "Another thing am glad of," Mir. Dale says, and l have the original notice before me. "the play IS admirably acted by people. unknown to New York, state of things that is unusual. We have teen done 10 death by people who have lived of of New Yerk reputations."
 Mir. Callahan has searched the country for splendid company, and he seems to have gotten it according to this testimony.
 s.Ihe Fast Mail,'' which appears at O'Brien s Tuesday night next, is not un- known to this city, having been seen here before, and is one of the most successful railroad and scenic melodrama on the road this seahon. Mir. l.. J. Carter, the author and manager, has contrived 10 weave into consistent story nearly all the good points of the sensational drama. The climax of each act is strong enough to sustain whole play, yet so well graded are the features of the piece that one views with increasing interest through the five acts, the muruer and tue clever trick with the grapdfather's clock in the first act; the Mississippi river steamer, its engine room showing a practical furnace, and the explo- sion with "ct mplete change of scene be- hind a curtain of rising smoke," behind which is seen the wreck, as the curtain falls op the second Lct; the 'life- size" freight train, with it's realistic engine and sixteen box cars, with their familiar letter. ing, follow ed, al the close of the third act, by "The Fast Mail;' the dago dive of the fourth act and the thrilling incidents and hair breadth escapes which take place there; and then the :full front view of Niagara Falls as seen from the center of suspension bridge,o upon which the final curtain descends.
 A few words about Fannie Rice, who is to appear shortly at the opera house in her great success, "Nancy," would not be amiss. This clever woman has made a wonderful record through her charming mannerisms and has won the title, "Amer- ica's queen of mirth and musc.' Some Of tue AGE HERALD readers will recall her . only appearance in this city with the cele- brated Carleton Opera company. AS Nanon she made favorable impression and also did she in the character of Jovotte. Since then she has starred successfully on her own account, and today deserves the title given her by tue most severe critics.