The evening times., 1896-11-18
FREGOLI APPEARS.

Back of the wings and drops, his Italian
assistants busted themselves with the
next dress to be worn, the stage hands
grouped in the entrance and wondered at
the genius OF the artist, and the pianist
from distant Italy, a dapper little fellow,
sat on a set rock far back and peace
fully dozed.
FreGoli twisted his body, showing first
the woman, then the man, making gestures
appropriate to each and singing for the
male clear barytone and for the female in
a shrill, but agreeable, falsctto-
The disguise was so apparent that the
audience yawned little bit and wondered
why Fregoli is called wonderful, astOnish-
ing, remar kable, and that New York, Bus-
ton and Philadelphia raved over him.
The alternating tones Of barytone and
falsetto continued in characteristic Ital-
ian song. the attendants at the back have
flung a black cloth over the piano player,
whose head was hung down upon his chest
for many minutes, a lady with chewing gum
tiptoed around the wings, and Fregoli was
Off.
THE sKINNING PROCESS.
a drop was pulled up, an interior or
room set shown and then-in Just ten sec
onds Fregoli passed through what seems
a skinnng process Four attendants jump
ell on him when he left the stage, there was
a football rush, then a vision of bare arms,
"A white shirt, knee trousers and Fregoli
was half way through the change with five
seconds gone. lie turned. a red coat was
thrust upon him; he walked. a cane was
handed To him; he neared the entrance, a
red high hat was placed in his hand; he
never stopped moving, and in five seconds
more he was bowling again To the applause.
Then he sang comic songs and well, too,
with such ''patter" OF lips and tongue.
what voluble creatures the Italians are!
The piano player in the back of the
stage walked up, struggled for a moment
with the cloth over his head and then
emerged from its fOldswith smile. He
was dreaming OF Italy, maybe, but awakes
in America. Even SO, not a bad country.
rs Fresoli ever sick?' was asked an
attendant.
Ma" with shrug.
"Is he ever intoxicated"
A quick smile, a sparkle of the eyes, an
other shrug, and "Somatime. but nota
what YOU Gala drunk. He eXhilarated, no
more Italian do so, but cannot getta full.
Cost too much, en-? 81. ma be. HI. ha ha
We drink lOtta, but no getta drunk"
A QUICK CHANGE.
Fregoli sprang through the curtains in
the center, dashed toward the left; a char
acter wig was cast upon him, black coat
thrown over him, side whiskers inserted
over his ears, and without stopping he re-
u.
The audience broke into long and loud
p!audits. 1t was remarkable change, COM
plete in dress, and the atmosphere" or,
better, the individuality, of the part was
distinct from the others.
A few notes were sung, and then the
music master went behind piano at the
scene, and-can it be possible? Fregol as
a woman enters the middle door and began
TO sing.
1t was fact made so by n dummy cos
tuned like Fregoli seated at the piano,
while the actor slipped through a hole in
the scene and was skinned and dressed by
his attendants.
The piano pla yer was full y awake by this
time, seated a a piano, and he was earning
his salary and supporting big diamond
ring.
HIS ASSISTANTS
The man out front, at the footlights,
while assuming as many parts as there are
usually in plays, is really giving what
amounts to a regular production.
Fregoli plays many parts, but 1t takes
many men to play Fregoli Fully ten men
work the dresses, scenery, lights, proper
ties and other effects used by the ''star."
SO it went Fregoli darted in and out,
assuming as many shapes as the devil is
supposed to require in his everyday work,
and the audience grew open-nouthed, big
eyed and red-handed.
The piano player finished his ten-mnutes-
in-one night hard days labor and van
ished. An hour later he was prornenading
the Avenue alone, with his diamond and
plug hat.
FregoH makes an easy living for every
body but himself,
What worker and wonder he is! A
dancer, singer, ventriloquist, a Jug