The times., 1898-08-12
NatfonaI-CIeyeIand Wilson'S Min
streIs

There were thirty-two adiectives used
on the programs last night at the New
! National Theater, when one, judiciously
placed. would have served the purpose
! quite as well The Cleveland-Wilson Min
strels are, on the whole. very good in
/ deed. There were faults, as there are in
everything, and some of the enjoyable
passages were carried TO a point where
I patience ceased to be a virtue, but the
( show was well balanced and so much
above the standard in most particulars
that one could even forgive the excessive
number of war jokes brought out and
the age of those quips which did not dab
BILE in the present difficulty. The audience
present-and II was a large one, if some
what top heavy-appeared TO appreciate
everything and applaud, regardless of
consequences.
ones initial impression of the perform
ance is bound to be a favorable one. A
great deal of money has been spent in
mounting the first part, and the result is
a scene of tastiness and elegance that
cannot fail to catch the eye. Almost 81
multaneously an effort is made to reach
the ear, though it is by no means espe-
cially successful. The best thing that can
be said of the Clevelaud-Wilson orches-
musicians could try harder or more con-
scientiously 10 spoil an entertainment
Finally, the minstrels themselves were
introduced and the fun began
Despite its brilliancy, the first part was
one of the kind dear to the hearts of all
who have memories of old-time circles.
Though the bones and tambourines were
conspicuous by their absence, the end
men were there and they did their best
to please. Burt Marion, Billy Pearl, Z.
NJ Hall, and John Queen worked hard
and had the satisfaction of winning
laughter out of jokes that certainly were
not more recent than the Farmers AL
manac'' of twenty years ago. After each
OF the sallies between the comedians and
Interlocutor George Shields occurred a
more or less pleasing musical speciality.
Mr. Marion and his partner, Mr.. Pearl,
gave comic ditty that would have been
funnier could they have made themselves
heard; Mr.. Hall rendered the ever-popu-
lar .Nigger Niger, Never Die" Lewis
Powers and Charles Weber contributed
two ballads. and a quartet. composed Of
Messrs. Wixon, Powers, Johnson, and
Shields, sang the usual formula with a
banjo imitation ait the end that is far
superior to anything of the sort yet
heard in this city. George Wilson and
to the circle, and each managed to tell
a few characteristic rib-ticklers before
the curtain fell. Mr.. Wilson introduced a
cake walk that is novelty in its way
and won a hearty recall with it.
After three discordant minutes with
Claude Menkee and his collective solo
lists" the olio work was taken up by Z.
NJ. Hall. who gave history of the banjo,
its inventor and himself, before beginning
what turned out to be a wonderful per-
formance on that instrument. He did a
number of new things in new way and
wound up by playing a unique jig that
kept the house calling for him for five
minutes after his exit. The quartette al
ready named contributed neat turn filled
with good music and Billy Emerson ap-
peared 10 deliver his ancient monologue
and repeat some limitations held over
from the first part. He also sung IF 1
Could Only Pick the Winner as he did
some eighteen years ago." If Mr.. En-
erson has paid royalties on that song all
the time he has been using 1t one need
not wonder that he is still working for
a living. 1t is hard to conceive how a
comedian of Mr.. Emerson's peculiar abil-
ity can stick to matter so old.
Swift and Chase, the next people on the
BILL made a few poor instrumental So
los their excuse for Introducing some ex-
cellent comedy. and George Wilson. as
funny and a tr1le more popular than
ever before, made his appearance His
material, like that of his rival worker,
was very antiquated. but his manner car
ried it and brought him favor that did
not even vanish when he brought forth
pocket edition of Anna Held's living