The record-union., 1896-03-11
ADJUSTMENTS.


At the Clunie Opera house this even
ing Milton Mobiles and Dollie Mobiles
in his play, "A Man of the People" !"
This comedy-drama is full of human
interest, is well played throughout and
is excellently mounted. Mr.. Mobiles
versatility is something phenomenal
and entities him to credit that very few
others can have, being both playwright
and actor, and original as one and YER
satile and competent as the other, and
in both vocations he knows how to
play upon the popular taste.
The entertainment by Spedon, the
humorist and delineator, given last
night at the Congregational Church
for the Lecture Association, drew q
crowded house and created more en-
thusiasm than any previous enter
tainment by the association this season.
Both the talking and the sketching
possessed a dash that caught the audi
ence like a flash and kept them under
full head to the end. While not pos
seSsing a particularly well modulated
voice. Spedon's enthusiasm by it's very
extravaganza, coupled with his good
humor and brilliant sketching, left no
one tired at the end of his hour and
forty minutes.
The sour old man, determined not to
smile, was first dashed on the board
with the utmost abandon, softened rap
idly under the artists facile hand,
spread out. grinned and finally broke
down utterly in open -mouthed delight.
Then spread of color on fresh canvas,
a sweep of the hand, a bald back head,
a few strokes and punches and ludic-
rous front face appeared, running rap
idly from old age to youth flashing
then into the youths grandmother and
turned aside.
Now the "high hat set the audience
in a roar and the grotesque was laid
aside for a bit of serious landscape
work, accompanied by running COM
ment in explanation of methods in art,
by which it is possible to illustrate
daily papers with pictures of events
occurring on the day of issue. Here Mr..
Spedon proposed to himself and his
audience a rest, and for a few minutes
abandoned the crayon and gave him
self up to impersonation, in which lu-
dicrous stories, pathetic recitations and
accomplished ventriloquism were the
constituents. Returning to his easel two
pear-shaped forms flowed from his
fingers, which he hastened to fill up
with caricatures of President Cleve-
land and John Bull in hostile attitude.
Grandfathers' hat, with the suggestion
of wedding ring on the finger, brought
down the house in prompt recognition
Of ex-President Harrison. Local car
toons of an old real estate man, a
1-.,~
clergyman heightened the interest and
attention of the audience for little
while, when Mr.. Spedon closed the en-
tertainment with an elaborate marine
sketch and further interesting and in
sfructive explanations of art methods
and processes in connection with the
periodical press. If applause, frequent,
spontaneous and hearty, counts for
anything, Mr.. Spedon should be ex-
tremely gratified by his reception.
The Nellie McHenry company had a
large audience at the metropolitan
Theater last evening. "The Bicycle
Girl is the weakest satire ever in
f1icted upon an audience. 1t is an impo-
tent attempt to show the new woman
of one order-that she is unwomanly.
L
ard employ satire and wit in good Of
fees. But in the case in hand it does
neither. Indeed, pity is excited in the
rational mind for the intelligence that
so unblushingly puts on view its incom-
potency and ignorance. AS to the peo-
pie Of the play, they are only a notch
above mediocrity. Deprive Nellie of
her "hitch and fetch step, her stride
and her gurgle in laughter, and there
is left very little except a plump little
body and ability to mimic that has not
in ten years advanced a single notch.
I'd the general tone of Stiffness and alb
solute vacuity as to wit, there are two
exceptions in the company, and one of
these is not dramatic, but athletic. Miss
Laura Bennett is a phenomenal con-
tralto and as a singer of negro melo-
dies of the better order is a pronounced
success. She accompanies herself upon
the guitar and sings with a plantation
accent distinctness of enunciation.
depth of feeling and melodious into
nation and expression that are refresh
ing, delightful. She is equally good in
Dutch songs, which she gave in a
quaint and pretty costume. The other
| exception-and these two are the saliva
ton of the McHenry company-is w. E.
Ritchie, a trick rider upon the bicycle.
He appears as a tramp, who appro-
| PIRATES wheel and proceeds to learn
to ride. He accomplishes the task and
| rapidly develops as the most eccentric
! rider ever seen here. He tangles up
with the machine indescribably, rides it
in all possible ways and does feats with
| it that provoke laughter and excite
wonder that his bones are not broken
and his head cracked in the work
| March 18th Katie Putnam will ap-
pear at the Metropolitan Theater in
her new play, THE Old Lime Kiln" II
is a scenic production upon which Miss
| Putnam says she has expended some
| thousands of dollars. The play is by
the author of I'm Old Kentucky"