The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-21
AT THE THEATERS.


not the reward Of his achievements though IL
IT. were, his mission would be we'll recon-
pensed. The tragedy OF real life cannot be
forgotten too often in the mimic world. There
Is no Held OF study so rich, so fruitful, SO in
exnaustibie as human nature. So eminent
hater OF his kind as Alexander Pope once
recorded his opinion that the proper study
OF mankind is man." Chevalier has followed
the poets suggestion. He has studied man
kind. 1t SO happens that he has selected the
costermonger sa type, but that has not
restricted the scope Of his art. The coster-
monger is a human being. He has his joys
and sorrows his loves and his hates, his
wrongs and his revenges. Chevalier has not
chosen, however. to depict these darker pas
sions OF the human heart. The contempla-
ton of them is not pleasing profitable
study. Instead, he gives a panorama or
better still, procession Of living pictures
glowing with the warmth of life, sensate
with the impulses we cherish and love, bright
with the dashes of wit and humer that make
life worth the living and always animated
with the touch of nature that makes the
whole world kin" Therefore Chevalier is
benefactor. Not to see him is to miss
wholesome and invigorating exercise of the
intellect and the sympathies. Not to see him
is to lose something. This may sound ex-
travagant to those who have not witnessed
his portrayals, but surely no one who at
tended the Metropolitan opera house last
night will gainsay the assertion
Excellent as the entire entertainment was
for Chevalier has not surrounded himself
with an aggregation OF sticks to fill in the
time between his appearances-yet the
achievements of this remarkable man shoue
with undfmmed briliancy. 1t goes without
saying that he possesses a rare personality.
That is the sine qua non of all artistic SUI
premacy. No commonplace man with ordi-
nary features and voice can make the Prince
of Denmark interesting gentleman. THE
glass of fashion and the mould of form
must be visible. The imagination must not
be overtaxed. One cannot live upon "bare
imagination of a feast" Chevalier's power
is in his face. Not once in all his inter
pretations of widely different types did he re-
sort TO the device of a beard or other hir-
suite trimmings to aid in the deception. His
own features, mobile they and capable
of infinite expression. accomplished the de-
fusion. This power was strikingy demon
strated. at the close OF the performance
when by request, Chevalier gave that ia
nous characterization known as MY Old
Dutch" The old eestermonger has been
married for forty years. The theme OF his
song is his wife, the most inspiring theme q
man have. gray wig, a stub of a
alters only tangible aids. But who shall say
where he found and how he assumed the
inimitable expression that settles upon his
features? The lack-Iuster eye of the cid
man. that nevertheless lights up as he fondly
fingers the words, My Old Dutch
grease paint cannot furnish the inspiration.
The genius of a Hogarth was stamped in
every stroke of the picture.
Chevalier's features are large and we'll
formed. his voice fndescribably sympathetic
yet without trace of the sepulchral. A triffe
under the medium height his form is sub
stantial and well knit, and responsive on
the instant to every impulse and emotion. II
he spoke not word his meaning would be
clear, for Chevalier is a pantomimist of
rare attachments.
That an artist who surrounds himself with
artists receives prompt credit for so doing
was convincingiy demonstrated by the COM
ments OF the people as they were leaving the
theater They were enthusiastic in their
praise of the whole entertainment Half an
hour was occupied by Charles Bertram, an
exponent Of the magic art, who performed
several novel feats in a surprisingly clever
manner. Cyrus Dare contributed a unique
speciality, representing the efforts of a child
/ to sing, and the Abbott sisters two young
women Of pronounced beauty and grace
sang duets to a banjo and mandolin accom-
paniment furnished by themselves and were
deservediy awarded a triple encore. An
other exceedingly clever speciality was offered
by Harry Atkinson, who initiated nearly all
the instruments in an orchestra and out
Of it.
Charles Frohman. under whose manage
ment Cheyalier is travelling, has atoned for
some OF the Number companies with
which he has favored the public in the past.
The bill changes to "Dr. Bill Thursday
night.
Pictorially the play at the Grand this week
is superb. Siberia" BARLEY Campben's ia
nous melodrama, has been recreated by the
brush of the scenic artist and the ingenuity
of the stage manager. 1t Is doubtful if the
play ever had d production comparable to
the present one in point Of scenic investiture.
An excellent company is presenting the
play though the conspicuous merit OF the
performance lies in the ensemble. The stage
management is admirable, shown in the
conduct of the mob and soldiery.
The drama. which has been arranged in six
acts. offers four striking pictures of Russian
Hfe-the Jewish quarter and the market
place, with view of Moscow in the back
ground; the interior of a Russian palace; the
court yard of the palace of justice and the
Siberian mines. The stage pictures are rich
and elaborate. Nothing to excel the splendid
perspective of the hallway in the Russian
palace has ever been witnessed on the local
stage.
In extensive cast, including ten or
twelve important roles, Jennie Remark wins
unquestionabie distinction. True her role,
that of the Jewess Sara, offers the best op-
portunities. That Miss Remark is adequate
in the crucial scenes of the drama renders
it a pleasing duty to commend her excellent
performance. If Miss Remark appeared as
the central figure of an operate extravaganza
it would be in order to laud her personal
charms, but 1t is sufficient to say that as the
heroine of BARLEY CampbelRs picturesque
melodrama she gave vivid portrayal OF the
prosecuted Jewess, intelligent and natural
it was intense.
Miss Margaret May, who in1personated Ma
RE. the sister of Sara, brought to the role a
refinement and delicacy OF treatment alto
gether praiseworthy.
William Culiington invested the role OF
Michael Trolsky with the dry humor and
pointed wit that the dramatist must have
had in mind. and Miss frankie Mcclellan
proved excellent foil in the scenes be-
tween the two. James Horne contributed a
vigorous impersonation of Nicolai Naigoff, the
young student. and William Stafford succeed
ed in making Prince Jarakoff as detestable a
scoundrel as the Russian empire ever en-
ployed.
The house was crowded and the curtain
calls numerous.
Tonight will be seen the first of the series
of Oriental entertainments to be given in
the Peoples church by Lydia Won Finkel-
stein Mountfort- The subject Is Village Life
of Palestine" Mrs. Mountfort (nee FinkeI-
stein) who personally is one OF the most
Magnetic women before the public will be