The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-30
NEW THEATRICAL THINGS.
NEGRO MINsTRELSY IN II VERY
LATEST DEVELOPMENT.

LAIhoA OEF hbOEhhNA
-
Tho show by Primrese and west IL Far Away
from the old rlantation-A Very Expressive
Counterfeit Donkey ut . Music HnIi-Ths
English staEe-Mrs. Canhpbeii's Poor Luck.
Up-to-date negro minstrelsy is current at the
Grand, where Primrose and Vests organization
holds forth. Tho entertainment differs radically
in some points from the old-time minstrel show.
and the promoters display o familiarity with re-
cent changes In tho taste for jovinl diversion.
Band music 10 heard on the stage before the cur
tain In raised. Tho stage IL shown set with
enough stairs TO outfit q dozen spothcoses.
though the appearance, well toward the top. Of q
bass fiddle and kettle drums rather interferes
with the likeness to such scenes. The musioians'
faces are blSckened and SO arc those of the min
strels that file down tho stairs and march about
for q minute In ~fanciful figures. Not a feck Of
white is on the satin suits, nor n spock of black on
the expansive shirt fronts. and all tho waistcoats
are scarlet. The middle man, somo eight feet
high. announces the end men and tho v~ocalists
by name as the show goes on. The baritone, as
OF old, runs to pathos In q song about Q railroad
wreck, q missing bride, and q bridegroom who
ever aftorward awaited that train daily. But
the sentiment goes straight at tho mark. and Its
woe 10 not greeted less heartily than are the end
mans comic parodies. The tenor. too. is fitting.
- anu ilhc tho bhlllouO. 10 III
as nne q vocalist as is needed for the pur
pose. Raymon Moore's is the only white face
in tho lot. TbeatreRoers seem to have for
given him for writing "Swect Marie" and
listen eagerly to his later compositions. They
also hear him sing a comic song effectively. But
George Primrose and George Wilson are the
dealers in negro s~ongs-not the old-timc planta-
ton melodies; bmt newer airs with comic stan.
negro nss: IN t aRe fan rs IL Ilsi he OF s s9T,oTs imitation ans t. Il 81 k the
ringing. A negro In rainbow attire in tho au.
dience repeats Primrose's ~refrains, and the cur.
tain falls on n youthful pair OF real negroes who
do cake walk steps with more OF siriness than 1t
would be supposed their small bodies would hold.
That Is the first part, and in tho second Is lit.
tie that is characteristic OF former minstrel
shows, Milton Barlow has a specially Of senu-
lpH SI !e1;oh, anS , negro mp o,tsn1nt on c does It
q Rray;haired uncle" and sings "old Black
Joe" He also watches over two cofreo-c olored
Then George Wilson has q monoloeue that is
highly entertaining. but which contains, moth
his face, although he does SO. The remainder is
variety show pure and simple. but OF excellent
9 STobnisn,' c = @ai sw dnseFs, HnS a. Are 9 mSrveii9 fHssyy
men who are bright in the absurdities they put
into q specially Of instrumental music, and &C
robats who seem to take chances O. their bones,
are in succession; and not one Of these innings
would rank on tho variety stage as q bit less
than first class. Taken together, the two parts
OF the entertainment would win the same rating.
The frisky heifer that in the early days of
"Evangeline" was so prolific OF budding come
dians is at last outdone. and It Is to be hoped she
will now be forgotten. This successor Is q coun.
terfeit donkey that for ten years has pranced
in English Christmas pantomime. and Is now
cavorting at Roster & Balls for the first time
In America. He is one Of the Griffith brothers,
OF whom there are two. and whose first efforts
are wholly conventional clowns antics. Whom
ono man announces the coming Of his educated
donkey It is surmised that the beast will be
played by tho other chap, and the quality
OF tho wit already shown gives small
promise OF diver sion. But tho antics OF that
crude imitation OF a donkey arc more comical
than anything OF the sort seen here recently.
There 10 none OF the realism that characterized
burlesGue Of three seasons ago. bur by means
of gestures with the fore legs. kicks and clog
and mods OF the head the beast seems confirm.
onsly defiant OF his master. The rcm:rkable
whether threatening pugilistic upper cuts or
bending double in helpless weakness they never
fail OF ludicrous effect. At the end the beast
tries to carry his master over n narrow elevated
plank. but collapses, and after laughable at
tempt to recover his footing falls to the floor in
Another of the new specialists here Is the first
In her limo. She draws pictures quickly. and
hands. Three picture frames arc on the iSo sta ass
each on a standard that lifts it three feet from
d.sr ssssS %i sRd n, sess 5or it a, an b angle leo Of foTtE,aSo
hand up her colors. With a hand fun, OF sand
making fine lines or broad, as are desired. and
almost as quickly as n crayon would DO
with ribbon Is tho first sketch. and though
this is presented upside down to the au.
dicnce in the drawing. the, nature OF
more than half completed. The second picture
Is q dog's head, and In this correct guessing from
the inverted picture In more difficult, and to he
done only when the drawing Ia nearly done. Tho
last and largest frame is reserved for a land
~spillings are a background Of clouds and Sky no
Ia confirmed In his surmise. But the topsy-turvy
and when done a mighty black ship iSRiESii is Hf asSoEycs
mid frostily white waves and ablaZe with tho
reddest possible flames.
Charles Frohman has ordered from Louis N.
Parker q play for the Empire company. It is to
be written In collaboration with Addison Bright,
a London reviewer of plays. Mr.. Parker will
word the dialogue. II. V. Esmond's new drama,
"one Summer Day." written with John Drew
IN mind, may also be used by the stock COM
pany. It has been the FIRST piece in several
seasons to bring prosperity to Charles Hawtrey
at tho Comedy. II is said to be without any
particular strength IN story, although the lack
of an engrosslng serious interest Ia little felt In
view Of, the charm OF comedy in the piece. In
S ofr.Id2 aG that that element Enn the writer =, h1 I, begun
When the Carmencita craze died out in New
York II left the public powerless to become
WI nv buDJStl u u II
Spanish dancer, so Sonora TortajAda, who was
striking In her way. failed to arouse any, par
fused to become excited over Carmencita, Is
prnisinK Tortajada warmly.
An English version OF Toto and Tata," which
was seen here In German. has been acted In LON
don. Few German works arc played on the Lon
don stage, and the fund OF Vienncse opcretta has
been hut little drawn upon. The prejudices
against Germany IL strong enough there TO DO
felt even In this sphere. But "Toto-Tata." liko
many other German pieces, had n French
original. and that may satisfy the English pref
The London revival OF OHcnbnch's ia Peri
chole has been n personal success for Florence
ST. John. and the production has again brought
up the question OF n possible return TO popular
favor OF the Ofcnbach opercttas. Nothing In
the performance seems, however. to provide the
same argument for the other works, and the
question gees back again to tho necessity for
to make these operas acceptable.
Mrs. Patrick Campbellis poor luck since her
FIRST sensational season in Tho Second Mrs.
T!.,M9gmsrey...fEn Hs s BEEN almost nninteTrpPtsd In
Crown,'""Th Enchantress," and "Romeo and
Juliet = she failed to reveal nRain tho qualities
let" her performance OF Ophrlid has gained
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