The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-26
ADJUSTMENTS.
English's-"The Wedding Day.


Lillian Russell, in all the beauty of her
regal curves turquoise eyes and schoolgirl
smile cunning little Della Fox, still plump
as tiger lily bulb, and JEFF D'Angelis
with his roguish tomfoolery, all supported
by a comic opera company that is larger
than anything now on the road in this
country, opened at English's last night to
an audience as large as was seen in the
beautiful theater on the night of it's dedi-
cation. The managers of this organization
have for once sent out company in which
the always youthful and AIRY fairy" Rus
sell will not plunge her hackers into bank
ruptcy. The house was sold out before the
doors opened, and late corners had to take
standing room or gallery. The production
is beautiful in scenery and costumes, and
the daintily dressed chorus Is long on
good looks, if trife short on voices
AS an operate production there is nothing
wonderful about THE Wedding Day." 1t
is an amusing, or, rather mildly divert
ing story, only fairly well worked cut with
any amount of musical numbers some of
which betray melodies and others seem to
be a futile effort on the part of Julian Ed
wards to follow De Koven's example and
give weak imitation of grand opera
There will be few whistlers of wedding
performance there is plenty of musical en-
tertainment fairly well rendered by the
stars and excellently sung by others whose
names are not printed in black letters. The
opportunities for Miss Russell and Miss Fox
are not exactly of the stellar degree Any
one might guess that the opera was written
for D'Angelis and the little comedian
carries it like a whirlwind when the other
big ones stand back and give him the CEN
ter of the stage. D'Angelis has more
songs than one can remember. He
also dances in every language of
the civilized world, and throws In
a few bars of the ''coochy-coochy
The roles provided for Miss Russell and
Miss Fox are about equally important out
side of voice requirements. Both mngle
freely in the complications of the plot be-
ing given about ain equal amount of time
on the stage Miss Russell. as Lucille
Queen of France to intercept a treaty that
is on its way from the Frondists to the
King of Spain. The soldiers are after her
and she meets D'Angelis and Fox, who
have just been married and bear the names
of Mr.. and Mrs Polycop.. The Queens
wing and disguised as Mrs. Polycop
Until the finale she is thus masquerading
the Frondist general, who falls inglove with
both the stars the, instant his eyes behold
them. Della Fox feeds him on wine and
steals the treaty while Miss Russell
narrowly misses being executed as spy
Polycop himself is drafted as a soldier and
his brave attempts to rOut the enemy sim
gle-handed is all the excuse he needs for
making his part one grand continuous
laugh. Some of mis- fun-making is sug-
gestve of hot time in a cabinet par
ticulier especially where he hides under
the table, while Mrs Polycop and the gem
eral are consuming wine, and tickles the
generals legs The audience did not warm
up to the vocal efforts of either Lillian
Russell or Della Fox as it did once on
time. Miss Russell is not throwing away
any high "C's'' these days and is apparent
iy saving her voice for future. rconquests.
Her singing has developed into little more
than delicate phraSing and sweet canary
like tones that never threaten TO drown the
chorus. Della Fox was sadly handicapped
all evening on account of an unfortunate
break in her very first song, when the first
ing rag in hospital ward. The trouble
seemed to be due to hoarseness and grad
ualy wore away. In the last act her pretty
song with the chorus of girl
soldiers was well rendered but
there was not a hand" for an encore
The real vocal stars in THE Wedding Day.
are William Pruette, as the general the
well-known baritone, who made the cleo
trio lights fairly flicker with the tremen-
dous sound waves from his throat, and Lu-
ellie Saunders, the contralto leader of the
Froudists. Miss Saunders is especially ia
vored with good selections in the opera.
Tom Greene has an inoffensive tenor that
Is pure in tone, but not heavy. Samuel
Slade should also have a word for his ex-
eellent singing as the sergeant.
THE Wedding Day will remain at
English's the rest of the week, with mat
inee tomorrow.