Birmingham age-herald., 1895-06-12
AcH|MES OF NORMANDY , That TunefuI, Beautiful Comic
 Opera a Great Success. BIRMINGHAM'S SOCIETY OUT To Witness the Beautiful Production for the Benefit of the Citizen Soldiery-The Cast
 Words for the Manageress.

A great treat had been expected, nor were the hundreds who gathered at O'Briens last night disappointed in their expectancy.
 Care had been taken by the accom- plished young woman who had under taken the monster task of putting on the attraction in the selection of her princi- pals and chorus, and her painstaking was amply rewarded by the performance of last night.
 The tuneful opera had been witnessed at O'Brien's many times, and oft before by professionals, but never was the pro- duction more fably rendered than on this particular occasion.
 The principal characters were in cap able hands, and each individual vied with the other in sustaining their roles. lis true that some of the more critical found flaws, yet the vast majority, by their hearty approval, voted it great and unqualified success.
 The cast was as follows:
 Serpolette, the good for nothing, Mrs. Ellie Shober.
 Germaine, the lost marchioness, Miss Pattie Ruffner.
 Margaret, Miss Mittie Sherrod.
 Gertrude, Miss Mamie Cleary.
 Manette, Miss Mary Virginia Graves
 Jeanne Miss Florrie Roden.
 Suzanne, Miss Ella Nolan.
 Henri, marquis of Bonneville, MT. Jo- seph Yeates.
 Jean Grenicheux, fsherman MT. w. H. Calder.
 Gaspard. the miser, MT. Hugh McNutt
 The Bailli MT Luman Handley.
 Notary, Mir Ben Carter.
 Registrar, MT. Ferd Putnam.
 Assessor, MT B. M. Allen.
 Village Maidens-Mrs. w. H. Jones, Miss Ola Roden, Miss Lila Smith, Miss Fannie Blackwood Miss Edna Smith, Miss Sallie Williams, Miss Louise Pat ton and little Elise McMillan.
 Villagers and Attendants of the Mar duis-Messrs. Sam Cowan, Owen Phelan, John Warren, Sale Phelan, Jim Johns, Tom Heflin, Lundy Sloss, Leon Britain, Arthur Adams, Ollie Miles, Charlie Plos- ser. Martin Billingsly, Sanders Scholar, Bain Thompson.
 The performance was under the man agement of Miss Momie Terrell and the musical director was MT. Edward E. Will liams The orchestra comprised the fol- lowing:
 First violin, MT. A. Alberto, Miss Flor rie Graves; second violin. MT. s. Jacobs, MT. Theo Koenig; flute, MT. F. Alberto; clarinet, MT. George Oppenshaw; cor nets, MT John Oppenshaw, MT. J. H, Por- tis; bass, MT. Chace; trombone, MT. J. E. Gillies; piano, MT. w. w. Newcomer Mrs. Shober as Serpolette, the good for nothing was bright, paquant and viva cious and was all that could be desired. Perhaps her best efforts were during the last act when she appeared as the sup posed Marchioness de Bonneville. In this part she was exceptionally clever and won the plaudits of all. Her solos were we'll rendered and her self-complaisance was wonderful.
 Mis- Pattie Ruffner as Germaine, the lost marchioness, shared honors with Mrs. Shober. All Birmingham knows Miss Ruffner as a vocalist, and words would be but idle praise in this particu lar instance. Suffice it to say she car ried out the fondest expectations of her friends.
 Misses Mittie Sherrod, Mamie Cleary, Mary Virginia Graves, Florrie Roden and Ella Nolen in their respective roles were decidedly clever.
 MT. Joseph Yeates as Henri, Marquis de Bonneville. was splendid. He acted and sang well and won well-merited ap- plause.
 MT w. H. Calder as Grenicheux. the fisherman, was very good. His sweet tenor voice only lacked strength to make it all that could be wished for His stage presence was admirable, and he richly deserved all the praise he re- ceived.
 MT Hugh McNutt as Gaspard, the miser. was at times little weak, yet in the exacting role he assumed, and being an amateur, he carried out the role superbly.
 Luman Handley was there. The bailli could not have been better placed.
 Messrs Ben Carter, Ferd Putnam and B. M. Allen were fully up to the require ments.
 The play was jnterspersed with spe- cialties, which, while they prolonged the hours. added much to the enjoyment of the evenings performance.
 l.. Loie Fuller as a skirt dancer, was be- yond description. Modest yet agile, she handled the filmy white garment in a manner to put many of the profession to blush.
 The ballet dance burlesquers were. to use the terms of the gallery gods, '.out O sight" They fairly brought down the house.
 Too much praise cannot be given that charming young tot, Elise McMilIan who gave most delightful example of fancy dancing. She was the very poetry or motion and earned every particle of the applause she received
 One of the most exciting vet pleasing specialties was the evolutions of the. Majors Awkward Squad" comprising Messrs. Lucien c. Brown, Henry T. Dean. Harry Mallette and Hale V Tar rant of Company. K. Second regiment commonly called the Birmingham Rifles T Charles Ledbetter. and although they used twelve pound guns, went through the manual, both verbal and silent, and the zouave drill with clock work precision. Round after round greeted them.
 The chimes used in the production were arranged by Harris & Williamson the Birmingham electricians, and so ad- mirably had they been rlaced that not an error occurred during their use. This was a marvellous electrical con- trivance and was a complete success. It was the first of the kind ever used and was of more than ordinary note
 To the people of Birmingham it is almost superfluous to speak in praise of Miss Momie Terrell. Since the presenta- tion of the "Kirmess" our people have surrendered heart and soul to this gifted child of genius. Nature has been so prodigal in her gifts to Miss Terrell that it seems almost unfair 10 her less talent ed sisters, who while possessing some talents and often many talents. do not unite the rare and wonderful combina- ton of gifts that are the natural birth right of this extraordinary young wo- man. A clever writer. a brilliant con- versationalst, an elocutionist of -unsur- passed power and ability is combined with most wonderful histrionic talent,