The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-04
AT THE THEATERS.

William Gillette's '"Too Much Johnson"
which was witnessed for the first time in
this city at the Metropolitan last night, 10
easily the funniest farce that has visited the
Northwest since "Mr. Wilkinson's Widows"
Such efforts to be funny as 'Charley's Aunt
or DIR. Bill'' are crude in comparison. TOO
Much Johnson is something a full grown
man can laugh at and tell why afterwards.
There are lines In the farce as we'll as situa-
tons-lines full of spontaneous wit and
repartee, not of the subtlest character, to be
sure. but nevertheless clever enough to pro-
woke the heartiest laughter. Mr.. Gillette has
likewise introduced three or four characters
recognizable as types of people met in every
day life, thus imparting the human interest
always awakened In the adventures of human
beings.
Briefly. the success OF "Too Much Johnson
| depends wAolly upon. the lying capacity OF
one Augu4tus Billings. AS that Is infinite
and as Mo Billings never gets caught. the
farce is series Of Triumphant clin,axes for
this modern Ananias. The masculine por-
ton OF the audience appeared, to keeniy sym.
pathize with Mr.. Billings. and manifested
| symptoms of boundless citation when ne dis
! armed his wife's suspicious with a bold
stroke OF mendacity and He'd his mother-in
| law out of countenance. Mr.. Billings MEM
| DRY is fearfully taxed from his first to his
| last lie. Unfortunately for him, one Of his
fables In which he creates man by the
name OF johnson, proves true. Instead OF
mythical johnson running a sugar plantation
/ in Cuba, Mr.. Billings and his wife and moth
er-in-law are confronted by real flesh and
blood Johnson when they visit the island,
] much to the discontinue of Billings, for
this Johnson is a fire-eating, blood-letting
planter, who won't be reasoned with. Mis-
taking Billings for agCanadian gentleman who
has promised to give his daughter in mar
rage to him, Johnson the Cuban planter,
| insists upon making love to Billings wife,
much to her CONSERVATION and the fierce
indignation of her mother. When Faddish,
the Canadian, and his daughter arrive, Bill
ings, never at loss, introduces them
poor relations Of his, and Johnson puts them
to work on the plantation. To further COM
p1cate matters, excitabIe Frenchman ap-
pears on the scene looking for Mr.. johnson"
the man who has been flirting with his wife.
| The Mr.. johnson in question is Mr.. Billings,
whom the Frenchman's wife knew by that
name, and believed to be a Cuban planter.
| The climax OF the plot comes when the real
| Mr.. Johnson receives a letter from the
| Frenchwoman enclosing Billings letter and
! half his photograph. The Frenchman has the
other half, and when Johnson puts them to-
gether the truth 'dawns upon him and the
| Frenchman. But it is too late Billings and
! family have gone.
The farce is In the hands OF a thoroughly
| capable company. The burden of it-that is
| the role OF the monumental and cheerful liar
-develVes upon George Backus. So we'll does
| he carry it that one is convinced that Mr..
| Backus would make shining success in Ger
tain other walks Of life if he felt so disposed.
| His was indeed a delightfully."- refreshing
| breezy piece Of acting. free from all trace of
! affectation. The role of Mrs. Billings was
entrusted to Maud Haslam, most attractive
and capable eomed:enne. while Kate Meek
| impersonated the mother in-law capitally The
irascibie Cuban, @Joseph Johnson was ex-
cellently portrayed by Eugene Jepson. The
other members Of the cast. were entirely sat
! isfactory.
I Black PATHS Troubadours gave an excel
| lent entertainment at the Grand opera house
| last night. The company contains goodIy
number of clevers performers, as well as
! full equipment of singers. In the latter re-
| spect it is especially strong, for besides the
star. there are other yocalists of merit, and
chorus that many an opera company would
be proud of.
Black Patti, whose appearance all await
ed with interest, did not come on until the
| third division Of the entertainment which
is styled THE operate Kaleidoscope which
consists of Selection CT gems from half a
J eGzsn or more standard operas, such as I'll
Trova-ofe, Bohemian Girl Carmen
Grand Duchess" Daughter of the Regi-
ment, 'Cavalfeffa Rustieana," Faust and
others. Black Patti sang Leonora's passion
| ate aria from II Trovatore." and afterwards
! gave the ''Miserere' from the same opera in
conjunction with Lloyd Gibbs, the tenor of
the organization This was the best num-
Der of the evening. Black Patti possesses a
wel-trained clear, ringing soprano voice re-
markably rich in the lower register and al
ways sympathetic and expressive. She was
| literally applauded.
CIV. Moore sang The Heart Bowed Down
with good voice and expression and Mr.
Gibbs. The tenor, proved entirely satisfactory
| in his operatic numbers. The chorus sang
! the operate selections In the most creditable
manner The voices are fresh round and
/ musical.
Inc hrst half OF the programme embracing
| farce comedy and vaudeville served to in
| troduce several clever and versatile people
| The performance opened with musical tray
esty entitled AT Jolly Coney Island in
which buck dances, cake walks and other
Ethiopian speeialties greatly amused the au
dlence. In the Clio that followed the De
WoHe sisters, ERosa and Sadie. sang duets,
Bob Cole and Stella Wiley contributed an in
| teresting terpsichorean speciality and Gogyin
and Davis introduced clever acrobatic turn.
| The march Of the toreadors, in which six
teen young ladies of the company participat
| ed was feature of the oIio
g..
The Corinne Extravaganza company, com
| posed OF sixty popular and well-known come
dians vocalsts and dancers, headed by the
| peerless little pfima donna danseuse -Coripne
| will present the operate extravaganza Hen
| dr1ck Hudson Jr." at the Metropolitan opera
! house for the first half of next week COM
mencing Sunday evening, Jan. TO- For the
! last half of the week the attraction at the
! Metropolitan will be the Schiller yaudeviIles
! and Lumieres einematograph
SPANIARDS INPATIENT.