The Saint Paul globe., 1897-11-05
SCROOGE AND THE FEZZIWIGS'
BALL is PRESENTED IN ORA
MATIC FORM
FOR THE FREE DlSPENSARY.
RENDITION OF MRS. HAMLIN'S
DRAMATIZATION
SOCIETY LENT WARM SUPPORT
Artistic Event of the Season
of 81.

The world loves success. 1t may be
lenient toward and sympathetic with
those who fail, but after all the sue
Cessful enterprise and those who
achieve it excite in men and women
an enthusiasm and admiration akin to
affection. 1t was with such feelings that
the large and representative audience,
gathered in the Metropolitan opera
house last night, seemed to regard the
amateur performers who gave a dra-
matte Interpretation of Dickens
christmas Carol" To arrange that
inimitable picture of human sorrow
and joy, kindness and harshness, no
bility and Sordidness, and last Of all
of timely repentance, without doing
violence to the marked spirit of hu-
morous pathos and pathetic humor, is
the work of an artist and was accom-
plished with remarkable success by
Mrs. Conde Hamlin. The unity and
proportion of this was maintained,
while the parts incapable Of draIniti-
zation were cut out, other parts alter
ed and still others transposed with
mastery independence, and yet with
faithful regard for the spirit of the
work. Charles w. Farnham, as Eben-
the squeezing, grasping, clutching,
covetous'' old sinner-like qualities of his
role. To give dramatic expression to
all the varied characteristics that pro-
woke laughter and pity, contempt and
sympathy, demanded much dramatic
talent, and Mr. Farnham proved him
self equal to the demand. John ID.
Miller. as Bob Cratchit, the fifteen
shilling g-a-week clerk, did his part
so we'll that it made one hungry
and cold to look at him, except
when he was with his numerous
never-still children, and especlaly
when he was with the pathetic Tiny
Tim did one lose all thought save of
gentlemen. The childish God bless
us every one from the little lame
boy. was delicate touch OF genuine
Dickens pathos. The part was taken
by Irene ORegan. The gracious, gen
erous. large-hearted, well-balanced
nephew, found faithful Interpretation
in the person of Harry l.. Davis. The
Ghost of Marley, by Leavitt Corning,
and the Spirit of Christmas, by
Charles r. Corning, were ghastly
enough for the most hardened ghost
story monger. Especially was LeaVltt
Ccrning's nightmare whoop effective
how good it was to go from this scene
into the dreamland Fezziwig ball!
The staye was the hit of the evening,
and excited roars of laughter and
foot tatoos, while the fiddler In the
person of Rukard Hurd, made an or
chestra of his fiddle and tuned like
fifty stomachaches." 1t was not hard
to supply in imagination the 'rich,
fat oily voice of Mr. FeZziwig, whose
character was interpreted by l.. d.
Wilkes. Miss Sturgis, as Mrs. FeZzi-
wig was a fitting mate for this jovial
host and aroused much enthusiasm.
The management of the whole ball
was in the hands of Miss Sturgis and
was a delightfully."- rollicking perform
ance. so much so in fact, that the
dancers were induced to respond to
an encore. Those who took part in
the famous ball were:
F'ezziwig, Scrooge's old employer
Mr.. Lou d. Wilkes
Mrs Fezziwig ............ Miss Mary p Sturgis
Three Misses Fezziwig, "beaming and
lOvable"-
Miss Vallee Gotzian
Miss Margaret Rugg
Miss Nan Newell
Followers, whose hearts they broke
Mr.. William Timberlake
Mr.. Walter Driscoll
Mr.. Lee McClung
The Girl from Over the Way
Miss Martha Gilflan
The Coachman .............. Mr.. James Elmer
The Shy Boy ............ Mr.. Morton Barrows
Cook . .............Mr. William l.. Banning
Milkmaid .... ..........M Miss Flora AudEbach
Housemaid Mrs. Archibald McLaren
Scullery Maid Miss Carrie Armstrong
Fiddler ......:..Mr Rukard Hurd
Dick Wilkin, apprentice. Mr.. Harvey Carr
Ebenezer Scrooge, apprentice. Louis Dousman
Miss Mabel Horn was a very taking
Mrs Cratchit and presided over her
boisterous household with just the fur
ry one would expect from the wife of
a fifteen shilling clerk. The fifth stave,
which pictures the merry making at
Fred's house, was mirth-provoking in
the extreme, and was a lively contrast
to the dreary scene which followed in
the sixth stave, where the pawnshop
was presented. Nobody blamed Top
per for seeing the plump sister right
through his handkerchief, or right un-
der it. The musical selections here
introduced added much to the scene.
The cast of characters in this stave
was as follows:
A merry-making at the house of Scrooges
nephew.
Time-Christmas Eve
Fred Scrooge's nephew MIR. Harry L. Davis
Scrooge's niece by marriage
Miss Alice Monfort
The plump Sister" 1879. Miss Alice Officer
Sister with the Roses''-
Miss Josephine Kalman
Topper "who always knew where the
plump sister was". Mr.. James B. Hubbell Jr
Nora ...............M Miss Lillian Lamprey
Edith ~ ............. Miss Celeste Coglan
McFarlane . .........D DR.. Harry P. Ritchie
In the ugly scene of the pawnbroker's shop
where the personal property stolen from the
dead man is sold, W. Oakley Stout as Pawn
broker joe Leavitt Corning Jake. the un-
dertaker; Miss Mabel Robinson as Charwoman,
and Miss Jane Clark as Mrs. Dilber. were
faithful to the sordidness Of the part. The
horrible scene was excellently given Every
one was glad when Scrooge awoke, and
laughed with him at the opportunity still
left him for repentance and reformation. The
able MANAGEMENT of the scenic effects by
Fred Powers gave a fitting setting to high
ly successful performance. That the venture
was a. financial success is beyond doubt
as every seat was occupied. Those in the
boxes were Mesdames w. f. Peet Rantoul
Thomson, H. P. Upham,- j. J. H. Field
Charles Spencer. Mr.. and Mrs. Floete, Judge
and Mrs Willis, Mr. and Mrs. Shipman, Dr.
and Mrs Stone Mr.. and Mrs. Auerbach, Mrs.
Furness Oscar NJ. Auerbach Miss Thomp-
son. Miss Auerbach Judge and Mrs. Young,
Mr. and Mrs Morris Misses Logan, Carey,
T:Iton. Stout Maj Tucker, Mrs. Greve. Miss
C,reye' Mr.. Surrill Mrs. Tarbox, Mrs. Porter
Mrs Jaggard Mr. Horn, Mrs. Allen, Miss
GiIillan and Col. Clough
The entertainment was given for the bene-
fit of the free dspensary
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