The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-10
TIE STAGE
:. :....: ~, 49,, PEOPLE
reE WEEKLY SEgE~
<1o roEESssT

Last week IT,. giren o-s- Electrically
a. ;oe opsrz housc 70 the isa-makers and
2iiexe-5 taI-zzkers. The standard was not
hlxh- Tie Minstrel Performance during
TIE earlier part @. tue wces was very poor
''E:Ysngeiirie" was good Of the KIND bu,
tie kid IS uot especially elevating or In
strset4ve and the farce comedy closing
the weeks engagements vas Ct an
extremely l!gat character. y series
Of dramatic performances were given
By the Schwartz company al the Audto-
riun- Trey WE'RE said TO DO fairly good,
but no; largely attended. The stage this
seazon IS oyerrun with the comedy elc-
tneat and specialtics. One almost signs
IN vain for even an occasional glimpse at
the old time romantic or society drama,
in The hands OF thoroughly good artists.
II 81 farce comedy generally, the greater
half Of which rs silly. But so a good laugh
is raised the end and purpose o. the acting
Of The time seems TO be accomplished.
Tastes like this change with the seasons.
One year II Is tragedy, then again comedy.
then the spectacular and next season
something else The public is largely re-
sDousibie for the character Of the pro
ductions from time TO time. Managers are
quick to catch the public taste and cater
accc-dingly. Possibly the caterers may
conclude by the time the season OF 81 81
is over that there has been 4 safety OF thc
present order Of machine made plays and
fun making attractions and provided some
thing Tor us pext year OF more suhstan-
tial character. il is about time for
general revival OF this higher class Gra-
matte entertainments, but the remainder
OF the country mast wait until New York
demands something else than the comic
and spectacular or the vaudeville. We, OF
the interior. have to be content as a gen
eral proposition with the warmed over
metropolitan dishes. The coming week
offers at least one first class attraction
hero. but still comedy. though Of the high
er class--stuart Robson IN Mrs Ponder
bury's Past" The other engagements for
the week arg The Fast Mail' ard "rhe
prcdigal Father"
Lincoln ]. Carters scenic melodrama.
''Tho Fast MAIL viii be the production
given at the opera house tomorrow night.
Monday. AS its name indicates. u letls
largely with the railroad In its incidents.
but 1t presents an Abundance Of effects
admirable In their execution. The steam
boat Ia said to be a wonder OF clever con.
ception and mechanical work, and the rail-
road scene. with its trains going at a
rapid rate OF speed. make the stage seen,
like piece OF reality. Tho Niagara FaUs
scene Is beautiful and is said to be moe
elaborate than anything Of the kind ever
before attempted In this city. There are
multitude OF minor effects that con-
tribute to make the performance a reycla-
ton of realism. The whistles. bells aud
splashing are heard as the boat leaves The
whaIf The sounds that tell us of an an
preaching train herald the approeh OF the
freight and the fast mail traln--ths latter
rushing by with people gazing from the
window at the heroine who has Just saved
her lovers life by fastening a letter IN thc
mail pouch. The roaring OF Niagara Fails
is heard. and the mist that rises from Il
Is shown. The play is under the personal
direction OF l.. j. Carter the author. The
cast is said to be capable one The ulay
Is startling at times in its climaxes. and
tihese. when presented with all the effects
o. the intricate stage settings. bring the
interest to degree that is rarely attained
In the melodrama. A large number OF peo
pie are employed In the production, which
v In many particulars plainly the result
m care and skill combined
In "Mrs. Ponderbnry's Past" the play
which Stuart Robson will produce in con.
function with Madame Janauschek, the well
known tragedienne. at Sweeney G. coombs |
opera house on Tuesday, January u, Mat |
thew Ponderbury is the character assumed
iby Mr. Robson. and Mrs. Ponderbury by |
Madame Janauschek Mrs. Ponderbury Is
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