The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-31
DUKE AND DUCHESS OF MARLBOR-
OUCH ACTORS IN A MUSICAL
BURLESQUE.
COUNTESS OF KLONDlKE.
AMERICAN HEIRESS, ALL THINGS
CONSIDERED, CAST FOR AN
APPROPRIATE ROLE.
Three Performances Given for q
Charity Fund, with Lords and
Ladies for Stars.

LONDON, Dec. 30.-In aid Of the re-
storation fund of St Mary's church,
Woodstock. three performances. con-
sisting 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 county
families in the neighborhood. who paid
half q guinea a seat, and tonight for
the gentry, who paid a 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
moulded white ceiling electrically lit,
the long rows of red draped book cases
and the silver piped organ. made fine
setting for the we'll dressed crowd. The
stage, draped with red silk curtains,
was erected at the western end, the
proscenium surmounted by the MARI
borough arms in wreath of Christmas
greenery, which also depended from
the ceiling.
The performance opened with an or
gan overture by Prof. Perkins, of Birm-
ingham, who composed the music for
the musical burlesque with which it
closed. The participants in the per-
Torrance were the Duke and Duchess
of Marlborough, Lady Lillian and Lady
Nora Spencer Churchill, Lady Ran
dolph Churchill, Lady Blandford, Lady
Curzon and Lady Sarah Wilson, and
Lord Chesterfield, Lord Curzon. the
Hon. Mrs. Bourke, Henry White, sec
rotary to the United States embassy,
and Mrs. White. Henry Miner and j..
Churchill. The Duke of Marlborough
appeared in two tableauX as Louis XIV.
with the duchess as a court lady of the
parts splendidly, the duchess being
particularly handsome. Lady Randolph
Churchill, in a most superb costume,
appeared as the Empress Theodore. 1t
was the same dress she wore at the
ball of the Duchess of Devonshire. Mr..
and Mrs. White appeared in a tableaux
entitled The Eve of st. Bartholo-
new" Mr.. White as the Duke of
Guise. In the last Lord Curzon ap-
pedEGu d5 lJOTu llle
Joining in singing Rule Britannia"
A two act musical burlesque brought
the performance to a conclusion. Its
librettist is Ian Malcolm, conservative
member of parliament for Suffolk, and
one Of Lord Salisbury's private secre-
taries. 1t is a feeble piece, with no
plot to speak of, but with some smart
lines and songs. The characters We're
sustained by the Duke of Marlborough.
made up to repreent Uncle Sam; the
Duchess of Marlborough, as the Coun-
tess of KlOndike; Lady Randolph
Churchill in the role of a woman re-
porter; J. Churchill, as a Chinaman,
and Lord e. Churchill, Ladies Lillian
and Nora Spencer-Churchill and Hon.
AIgernon Bourke in minor parts.
The piece contained many political
illusions to Mr.. Gladstone, Arthur Bal
four, Cecil Rhodes, Sims Reeves, Beer
bohm Tree, Emperor William and
others. Here is a specimen from the
song of Lady Randolph Churchill:
No subjects too private for me.
I'd fall a duchess at tea;
The felon in Jail
The mllicnaire's mail.
They're matter and money for me-.
Here are verses from the song OF tho
duchess:
Of course l saw the jubilee.
1t was a firing function;
| saw the queen the queen me,
And bowed with special JUNCTION.
This she sang prettily, in a sweet,
small voice. She was charmingly
dressed and radiant, and achieved a
great success. Lady Randolph Church
ill showed wonderful vivacity. acted
cleverly, and made a hit.
The artistic success of the burlesque,
which is entitled can Idle Hour" was
achieved by Hon. Algernon Bourke as
Boots, his capital song achieving a
triple encore The whole affair was
very successful and Melted consider
able sum for the charity.