St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-09
AT The THEATERs.

The trained elephants were the star per-
formers at the opening performance of Lock-
hart's Vaudevilles at the Grand last night.
They were the stars because it Is a novelty
to see such beasts exhibit so much intel
ligence. The programme included an attract
i've list Of specialties, and each number is
worthy Of special mention Although the
performance Is intended especially to de-
nght the children, the older people who
were in the audience last night were well
pleased.
The burlesque magician performance by
Johnny Williams opens the ball and keeps the
audience In roar until he gives way to
the McNulty sisters, clever song and dance
artists. The Lorretts in their finger shadow
graph performance present another laugh
able novelty. The Collins song and dance
team are succeeded by Dare brothers, who
do some exceedingly clever work on the
horizontal bar. One of the brothers is
minus a leg, but 1t does not interfere in
the least with his part of the performance,
which includes some amusing pantomime
acting. Carrie Scott had the house with her
when she sang several topical songs. Wal
ter Leroy and Florence Clayton give INC
Gowan's Visit" Alice Raymond rendered
several cornet selections, and was repeatedly
encored.
trained elephants. Their wonderful work
must be seen to be appreciated, for 1t does
not seem possible that such ponderous and
ungainly animals can do SO many clever
tricks as were done by them last night The
trainer has them completely at his COM
mand. and treats them as pets, ruling them
with kindness. They are remarkably intelli-
gent and are as docile as kittens The clev-
crest act Is the see-saw, where two Of the
animals balance and rock each other, while
the audience is fearful that they will lose
control Of the machine and fall upon the
stage. They build pyramids, balance on hind
and fore legs. dance and do lot of other
ridiculous things. Two of them sit down
to supper, ind the gentleman deports him
self very much as human animals sometimes
do. When the waiter is tardy he repeatedly
rings bell and insists upon having a SEQ
ond bottle. This proves too much for his
elephantship, and the services OF fly ele-
phantine copper are invoked before he can
be aroused from his drunken stupor. and be
induced to pay for the supper.
OF all the most typical plays Of romance,
that which Is pitched in the joiliest, most
genial key Ia by all odds D'Ennery's fasci-
mating, II fantastic, drama Of Don Caesar
de Bazan," IT has been immortalized in
opera in the shape of Mariana" but there
is little doubt that no one in the memory
of the present generation of theater-go
has given such vivid, inspiriting portraiture
of the registering adventurer as Alexander
Salvini. That the play mas not been seen
more often in recent years is probably not
so much because there is a lack Of taste for
the drama of romance as because there has
been no actor who possessed the youth and
the fire of Salvini. 1t is a part that calls
for robust style and the compIetest self
absorption, IT can no more be handled
with gloves or tempered to modern dandy
ism than De Bazan himself could be tied
with silken fetters. We may or may not
have taken to novels and plays that de-
scribe the drinking of tea and the plati-
tudes of afternoon calls, but from the pop
ularity Salvini has attained in this role it
would seem that there still are people who
like their heroes to do something. Don
Caesar was by no means an exemplary char
acter but he was his own worst enemy and
the unfolding OF his character exerts an in
huence for good despite his questionable
deeds, AS SalYini presents him, he is
rascal that every one loves. for he was at
least a gentleman, and honor was thing
of far more moment with him than it is with
most of his prototypes of today. Salvini
will have to search far and long for a play
that Is better suited to his massive methods
his appearance III lnls pay Oh wednesday,
evening next will probably be his last in
this city, as he is to conlne himself in the
future almost exclusively to the tragic roles
of Shakespeare The Metropolitan manage
ment notifies tts patrons that this evening
when Mr., Saivini makes his first appearance
as Hamlet. the performance will begin at 8
o'clock sharp, q necessary announcement, in
view Of the elaborate nature of the produc-
ton and the length of the play.
The advance sale of seats will open this
morning at the Metropolitan opera house
for the engagement Of Francis Wilson and
his company, who will, on Thursday night
present for the first time in this city Sir
Arthus Sullivans latest comic opera, 1.-The
Chieftain.' This will be Mr.. Wilson's first
appearance in st. Paul for period of five
years,