The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-01-29
At the GRIND.

Monday nights have not proved the
best in point of attendance at the
Grand Opera house, and last evening
was no exception to the rule. The ex-
citing drama of Capt. Swift" was the
attraction, and its presentation was an
occasion that had been long in prepara-
ton by this company. Indeed, it was
the original intention to open the
house with the piece, as its sterling
qualities were we'll known, and II
could be depended upon to draw for a
good week at least. The drama deals
With the ingenious maneuvres of Capt.
Swift, a former highWayman in Aus
traEa to escape detection and expos
ure in London, whittier he has retired
to live a life of honor and respectable
ity. The leading part was in the hancs
lof Mr.. FrawIey, who has evidently given
it much care and study and appeared
to great advantage in a character en-
tireIy different to any he has hitherto
ATTEMPTED. Mr.. FraWley mas not been
seen with such good effect as IN mis-
! forcible presentation of the daring ad-
venturer. His mannerisms, so appar-
emf in his former portrayals, had almost
entirely disappeared. He played the
part of a noble rogue SO we'll as to
soon secure the sympathy of che au-
dience and carry it with him TO the
end.
Mr.. Clarke had another excellent op-
| portunity TO enact the part of low
able country gentleman and in make
up, as in every other detail
was almost faultless. Mr.. Blake
more as the Juvenile, and
Jealous admirer of his fascinating
| cousin again revealed his original vein
of humor and furnished all the comedy
| element of the piece. Mr.. Howard Kyle
We'll impersonated the hearty and
! friendly squatter from Queensland,
| seeming to find in this part one that
! suited him better than anything he
! has so far done. This is more than
we can say of Mr.. Royce, who played
! the part of the detective in a. most col
| orless manner. Among the ladies, Miss
| Madge Cook maintained the high po-
! sition she has always held in this COM
| pany, giving to the part Of Mrs. Sea
| brook a degree of tenderness and pa
! thos Of which we scarcely believed she
| was capable. Having seen her play
only Termagants in the old pieces
! we were not prepared to see her render
| a role that depended largely on eX-
| preston of delicate maternal passion.
! 1t is probable that the engagement of
| the present company at the Grand will
1
! Rogers having served a notice on their
| manager to that effect. 1t has been
demonstrated that the receipts Of the
house will not justify the paying out
| of $500 per week to the company alone.
They are good people, but the manage
rnent think they can do better for the
| price elsewhere, as it is estimated that
! the members Of the company receive
| only about twolhirds of what the
house has to pay. just what it was TO
cost to put a frst-class company on
| the stage was not closely con-
! sidered at the opening Of the
| house, because the motto was "a Good
! Company and a Good Impression at any
| Price" But Mr. Rogers is too good a
| business man not to forsee whether both
ends will meet, and while he is determin-
| ed TO give the public good performances
| he viii not pay any fancy prices for
what can be had for less. He learned tina;
in the grocery business and his exper-
| fence is now standing him in good stead
He probably feels, also, that as manager
he is before the public and must be as
successful I'M his part as any Of the
| actors, and as the Opera House corpora
ton has put him In to guide and contro
the financial part of the enterprise hi;
first duty Is to those who. pay him his
salary. We suppose he thinks his mex