Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-02-19
GAY PARIsIANs" TONIGHT.

''The Gay Parisians," which has been
more talked of than any or the recent
comedy successes, will be brought to the
opera house Friday February ~, by
Charles Frohman, who has the same eX-
cellent company concerned in its inter-
probation that kept Hoyt's theater, New
York crowded every one of the 200 nights
during which the comedy ran there. Man.
ager FrOhman is noted for the splendid
companies he selects for new predictions.
The usual excellence of the cast of The
Gay Parisians" caused comment how
ever, as of special merit in comparison
with other F'rohman organizations. the
same cast that appeared in New YORK
will be seen here. 1t includes w. j. Fer
guson, considered one OF the greatest
character actors on the American STAGE
charming Sadie Martinez, whose many
successes in stellar roles are too numer-
Gus to enumerate; James o. Barrows. VINO
has made splendid reputation as a stock
actor with MIR. Frohman'S forces; Mis-. e.
J. Phillips, prominent at the Union
Square theater in the heyday of its
prosperity: Charles d. Wells, who has
long been selected without hesitation as
an ideal gentleman" in society plays;
pretty Margaret Gordon, who in one year
on the stage has already gained foot
hold for herself; Louis Hendricks, who
presented such a striking figure and-acted
so forcibly as the general in "Shenan-
doah;" Virgie Graves, who played the
1nRenue IOleS Will Oibd INctHtlsOicy Ihi-
ly Marshall, for several seasons past
stage manager for Sothern; Marion Fair
fax, who has attracted much attention by
her personal beauty; w. r. Shirley.
whose amusing portrayal of the college
bully in THE New Boy" practically re-
deemed that comedy; Frank A Conner.
Percy S. Sharpe. Viva Ogden, Pearl
Dudley and Geraldine De Rohne. Mr..
Ferguson has in this play the happiest
role that has fallen to him in his long
and successful career, and is said to
make the most of it. 1t is the part OF
Architect Pinglet. who takes a friends
wife out to have pleasant time, the wife
being impersonated by Sadie Martinez
This brief hint at the plot Will suggest
the French origin of the play. 1t is an
adaptation-or, rather, pretty free
translation-of az Hotel du Libre Elk
change" which has been running sue
cessfully in Paris. 1t was recently pro-
duced in London under the title of "A
Night Out" and Is meeting. the cable
SAYS with favor. 1t seems that Mr.. Pail
lard is gentleman whose business is not
exactly understood by his wife. and keeps
him out all night He explains as best
he can, but Mrs. Paillard possesses only
womanly intelligence, and cannot grasp
all the points of his explanations. She
very foolishly arrives at the conclusion
that Mr. Paillard is doing wrong. and
that he is "ouI with the boys" at night
and that he is horrible mean and cruel
husband. She resolves to be revenged
on him. With the aid of Mr.. Pinglet
who is old enough to know better, and
who he's very jealous wife of his own
she arranges programme of very rash
and reckless conduct She will go cut
for an evening herself and see what this
thing of being with the boys" means.
Pingle4 agrees to chaperone her on this
desperate occasion, and succeeds in get
ting away from Mrs. Pinglet whom he
tells he has an extraordinary engagement
at the other end Of town. Mrs. Paillard
and her quaint knight. who is almost old
enough to be her father go to the theater
and later visit a restaurant, where they
order supper But they are not destined
to have an evening of unalloyed pleasure.