The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-09-26
LOOKED LIKE A PANIC.
CRY Of FIRE AT THE THEATRE
LAST EVENING.
There Was Not the Least Occasion
For It-A Fine Performance By
the Frohman Company.

OF all the rollicking and hilarious bits
Of nonsense that have been seen on the
Salt Lake stage in recent seasons, few
have been more laughabie and none have
been better played than the three act
farce presented last evening. 1t is fash
tened after two well known comedies,
Pink DOminoes'' and 1.-THE Magistrate"
and while it is more of farce than
either, it is simply irresistible in its drol-
lery, and the whole audience laughed so
immoderately that a great part of the
piece was lost. Of course a great part
of the laughter was due to the admirable
company of players Mr.. Frohman has put
into the piece. ". ]. Ferguson. in the
leading role, is most unique and original;
always quiet. unctiOus and repussed he
suggests the legitimate even in his broad
est moments, and his facial makeup in
the hotel scene, was intensely funny; he
IS admirable throughout James o. Bar
rows caused scarcely less laughter as the
suffering father, and the veteran Mrs
Philips, who got round of applause on
her entrance and Sadie Martinot who
worked earnestly in some very pretty
gowns. were very capable aids in carry
ing off the main weight of the play Mr..
Willis was fair. Miss Gordon quite charm
ing as the maid, and Mr.. Shirley A very
clever companion 20 her. Ali the other
roles were brightly portrayed. The au-
dIence was large. brilliant and fashion,
able, the turnout being the handsomest
the theatre has gathered within It's walls
for many months past. The Gay Parf-
slams concludes its engagement tonight.
ALMOST A PANIC.
For fifteen seconds in the Salt Lakk
theatre last night it looked like The city
might see an appalling tragedy. That It
was averted is almost miraculous. and is
due solely to the cool heads of a good
portion of the audience and Of the people
on the stage. 1t was in the middle Of the
last act, at one Of the most laughable
episodes, when puff of smoke was seen
to watt itself out from the second gallery
on the west side. Some one foOlishly
yelled "Firei" In an instant there was
the roar of hundred pairs OF feet
clambering pell nell down the gallery
stairs, and n the next instant nearly
every one in the house was on his or her
feet in alarm. Fifty people had started
up the aisies. as many more completely
lost their heads, and had started to climb
over the backs of the chairs in the per
quet. The players all stood STILL dumb
founded, and the galleries seemed to be in
uproar when number Of gentlemen with
admirable presence Of mind stood I'D
on the seats in various parts of the house
and voctferouSly yelled sit DOWN.
Keep your seatsi Governor Wells. who
sat with party in the stage box, stepped
upon the stage and shouted for the people
10 keep cool, and for the players to go
on The actors caught the idea and took
up the dialogue. Con luctor Weihe, with
d view 20 QuleIlnS the excitement, mad the
orchestra strike up The Sta Spangled
Banner" but before they had played a
strain, people began to resume their seats.
and in a quarter of a minute the tumult
was over, and the play was finished with
out further incident.
1t was learned afterwards that the
smoke which caused the alarm came from
a neighbOring chimney. The second gal
lery window had been opened owing to
the heat and a gust of wind blew a puff
OF smoke into the house. 1t was narrow
escape from a terrible panic and the au-
dience may congratulate itself on its ex-
ercise Of presence of mind and cooIhead-
eGness.