The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-18
BROWNIES DANCE
At THE BALDW| IN
Palmer Cox Production Re-
ceived by a Large
Audience.
"The Brownies" Proves to Be a
Glittering Pantomime Which
Wins Much Applause.
The Little Peoples Roles Are Taken
By Grown.Up Actors-Scme
Good Specislties.

An audience that filled the Baldwin and
over1owed into the foyer welcomed Palmer
Cox's Brownies" last night. A numb
of children were present. and the perform
arce seemed to give equal satisfaction to
the youngsters and the adults.
''The Brownies is scenic extravaganza,
something like an old-fashioEed English
pantomime, minus the harlequinade. 1t
abounds with glittering scenery and
costumes, pretty girls gorgeous light
effects; sprightIy dances and up-to-date
songs and jokes.
Taken altogether the large company
which interprets the Brownies is clever
and efficient. The music is light and
catchy and the story of how the demon
Dragon fel stole Queen Titania and how
the Brownies rescued her is effective for
extravaganza purposes.
The disappointment in the performance
lies in the Brownies themselves. The gen.
tlemen who enact their parts are life-size
actors, made up in imitation of Palmer
Cox's famous illustrations. but white
circles round their eyes, spindle
limbs and pumpkin like bodies
cannot give actors the quaint vivacity
and grotesqueness which mark every line
of Palmer Lox's illustrations and it would
be asking the impossible to expect that
mere makeup would produce a Brownie.
However. the gentlemen who essay the
difficult task of bringing Cox drawings
to life do their work as cleverly as could
be expected.
The dramatis persona are by no means
all Brownies. There are fairies, demons,
sprites and NEUROLOGICAL personages, but
no mortals stray into the extravaganza.
The first act shows how Dragonfel, an
evil spirit, enslaves and prevents the
marriage Of Titania, the fairy queen, with
FIorimel, the heir apparent to the Brownie
throne.
He inyokes the aid of Vulcan, and ac-
companied by sprites sent for the occa-
sion by the forger of Jove's thunderbolts,
he interrupts the wedding and carries off
the queen. The second act passes in
DragonfePs palace, where Titania, as
prisoner, is entertained by a number of
specalties.
Finally the Brownies obtain admission,
disguised as a German band, and are
about to receive the Queen, when Vulcan
comes to the rescue of his demon friend
and the Brownies have to remain in dur
ance vile till Russian anarchist Brownie
throws O bombsheli which destroys Drag
onfel. and the curtain drops at the end of
the third act on the happy union OF Flori-
mel and Titania.
Ida Mule as the spinster fairy is one
of the most fetching" characters in the
performance. She is quaint enough 10 be
real Brownie. Frank Deshon make
fairly humorous Brownie King and his
song with the Ting ling" chorus was
encored repeatedly. Sol Solomon caused
plenty of mirth as the leader of the
Brownie 400.
The Prince and Titania were lacking in
the dash and vim that one generally assoc
eiates with roles such as these, but the utter
absence of the music hall style was COM
pensated for by repose and refinement
that are rarely found in princes and
princesses on the extravaganza stage
Titania's singing was encored.
Little Gertie Carlisle danced charmlngly
and sang with her usual spirit. She is the
premiere danseuse of the troupe. The
Brownies danced with vigor and the ladies
of the Oriental ballet posed prettily, but
toey did not dance much.
Tie aerial ballet was picturesque pro-
duction, in which fairies did sort of Loie
Fuller turn in midair.
The Brownie German band aroused
roars of laughter and Newhouse and
Waffle as Ministries played the mandolin
and guitar excellen.y.
Taken altogether 1.-THE Brownies" was a
decided success