St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-07-16
AT THE THEATERS.
Grand-sEThe ,JiIt,17

The complimentary benefit rendered
good-natured and genial Jim Neill and
studious and methodical Larry Giffen
at the Grand last night was the oc-
caSion for one of the handSomeSt and
largest audiences ever assembled under
the roof of Jacob Lifts popular play
house. 1t was strictly a dress affair
and most complimentary in every way
to the painstaking and hard working
gentlemen who have done so much to
entertain the st. Paul public for the
past thirteen weeks. 1t was a COM
pliment that Messrs. Neill and Giffen
will not soon forget. The wealth.
beauty and fashion of the Sanity City
constituted the audience, and at no time
since the beginning of the engagement
here have the members of the company
played with such inspiratio and ac-
complished so much.
Last nights performance was in the
nature of farewell to the company
and it must be confessed that this ar
ray of talent leaves st. Paul much to
the regret of the amusement lovers
who have been charmingly entertain
ed during the summer season. Each
individual member as he or she stepped
upon the stage last night, was received
with a heartiness that left no doubt
as to the standing of the members of
this excellent company in this city,
Their performance of Dion Boucicault's
exquisite comedy 1.-The Jilt' was as
near perfect as it was possible to get it,
and the audience was so enthusiastic
that there were numerous curtain calls
at the close of every act. The theater
was handsomely decorat ted with plants
and through the air floated a delicate
perfume the gift of a well known drug
gist, who personally knew the members
of the company and desired to add his
mite to the success of the affair. And
it was a success, a thorough success in
all that the word implies. It was a
fitting finale to a successful engage
ment; or if not absolutely successful
from a financial point of view, it was
in an artistic sense. The Giffen and
Neill stock company is without ques-
ton one of the best ever seen in any
part of the West, and it would have
succeeded here in ST. Paul had it not
been for the financial depression.
There was little money to devote to
amusement and for this reason alone
the company is forced to disband.
They have been together for many
weeks. They have become a good
large family, as Mr.. Neill said in his
little speech before the curtain, and it
is with much regret that the city loses
this aggregation of talent, which in
turn regrets to lose st. Paul.
. Messrs Neill and Giffen appeared
before the curtain at the close of the
fourth act in response to persistent
calls from the enthusiastic audience
and both expressed their hearty
thanks as we'll as their thorough ap
probation of the honor and compli-
nent thus extended them in the pres
enee of one of the largest and most
fashionable audiences ever in the
Grand opera house. 1t was cordial
testimonial of appreciation. they saiGs
and they only wished that the day will
come soon when they may return to
Ste0Paul and feel assured of as cor
dial a welcome as last night, Mr..
Neill said farewell for the company,
and at the close of the performance
the audience IN it's own way said fare
well to the others for whom the cur
tain was raised.
1t is needless to enter into a descrip-
ton of the performance of ''The Jilt."
It was the first piece presented here
by this company in the opening week
of it's engagement, and last night the
presentation was faultless. Each and
every member of the company acquit-
ted himself and herself with great
credit ard each was given an individ-
Gal reception. The piece moved with
the smoothness and finish characters
tic CT all productions by this company,
and every act was a feature of decided
merit To all the members of the
company are due the thanks OF the