The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-31
BLENHEIM IN A SOCIAL BLAZE.
THREE PERFORMANCES OF TAB<
LEAUX AND THEATRICALS.

The Entertainments in Aid of the
Fund for Church-The Parts in
the Entertainments Taken by the
Duke and Duchess of Marlborough,
Lady Randolph Churchill, Lady
BIanfOrd, Lady Curzon, Lady Sa-
Tah Wilson, Lord Chesterfield,
Lord CurzOn and Others of Equal
! Prominence.
London, Dec. S0.-In aid of the fund for
st. Mary's church. Woodstock, three per-
formances, consisting of tableaux and
theatricals, have been given at Blenheim
palace-last night by invitation to the
tenants of the Duke of Marlborough on
the estate; this afternoon for the country
families in the neghborhood, who paid
half a guinea a seat, and tonight for the
gentry who paid crown.
Special trains were run from Oxford and
the audiences were crowded, particularly
tonight.
The entertainment was given in the long
library of the palace. The heavily nodded
white ceiling electrically lit, the long rows
piped organ, made a fine setting for the
well-dressed crowd.
The stage. draped with red silk curtains,
was erected at the western end. the pro-
scenium, surmounted by the Marlborough
arms in a wreath of Christmas greenery,
which was also suspended from the cell
ing.
Vba
overture by Prof. Perkins of Birmingham,
who composed the, music for the musical
burlesque, with which it closed.
The participants in the performance
were the Duke and Duchess of Marlbor-
ough, Lady Lillian and Lady Nora Spenc-
er Churchill, Lady Randolph Churchill,
Lady Blanford Lady Curzon and Lady
Sarah Wilson, and Lord Chesterfield, Lord
Curzon, the Hon. Mrs. Bourke, Mr.. Henry
White, secretary to the United States en-
bassy, and Mrs. White Mr.. Henry Miner
and Mr. j. Churchill
The Duke of Marlborough appeared in
two tableaux as Louis XIV with the duch-
ess as court lady of the court of Louis
XIV. Both dressed the parts splendidly,
the duchess being particularly handsome.
Lady Randolph Churchill, in a most
superb costume, appeared as the Empress
Theodore.
Mr.. and Mrs. White appeared In a tab
leau entitled THE Eve of st. BartholoH
/ mew," Mr.. White as the Duke of Guise
The tableau won the heartest applause.
In the last Lord Curzon appeared as
Lord Nelson, the audience Joined in sing
ing Rule Britannia"
A tWO@apf "a lelo1 hva,, tto
performance to a conclusion. Its libret-
tist is Ian Malcolm, conservative member
of parliament for Suffolk and one of Lord
Salisbury's private secretaries. Ii is a
feeble piece with no plot TO speak of, but
with smart lines and songs
The characters were sustained by the
Duke of Marlborough, made up to repre-
sent Uncle Sam: the Duchess Of MarIbor-
ough, as the Countess of Klondike; Lady
Randolph Churchill, in the role Of a wo-
man reporterH j. Churchill as a China
man, and Lord Churchill, Ladies Lillian
and Nora Spencer-Churchill and Hon. AL
gernon Bourke in minor parts.
The piece contained many political allus-
ions to Mr.. Gladstone, Arthur Balfour,
Cecil Rhodes, Sims Reeves, Beerbohm
Tree, Emperor William and others
Here is specimen from the song of
Lady Randolph Churchill:
NO SUBJECT 100 private lot me,
I'd fall on a duchess at tea;
The felon in Jail.
The millionaires mail
They're matter and money foo me-"
Here are verses from the song of the
duchess:
"Of course I saw the jubilee.
1t was tirlng function:
saw the queen, the queen saw me,
And bowed with special unction"
"State concerts, operas and plays,
"Innumerable pleased, me,
'Tntermingled nights with days,
Until the megrims seized me,
Chorus =
IT am so tired,
Terribly, awfully tired,
81 think 1 shall die.
81 don't know why.
Except l am tired"
This she sang prettily, in a sweet, small
voice She was charmingly dressed and
radiant, and achieved a great success.
Lady Randolph Churchill showed Won
derful vivacity, acted cleverly and made
| a hit The artistic success of the bur-
lesque, which is entitled an idle Hour"
was achieved by Hon. Algeron Bourke as
Boots his topical song achieving triple
score.
The whole affair was very successful and
! netted a considerable sum for the charity.