The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-20
ADJUSTMENTS.

The principal occupation of those in at
tendance at the Theatre last evening,
aside from admirfng Blanche Bates, was
in expressing amazement at the sparse
ness of the audience and in trying to find
a satisfactory reason for it. Why the
house was not crowded is indeed a puzzle.
The Frawleys have always been a name
to conjure with in Salt Lake; their COM
ing had been long and industriously
doomed, and expectations of a great
opening were at the top notch. But the
opening night arrived and the attendance
could only be ranked as fair-in fact, al
most slim. The approach of the holidays
and the consequent demand on every
ones purse, the heavy pull on the public
just made by Collier and the fact that
the play selected for the opening was but
these causes had their influence in keep
ing down the interest.
Honeymoon" however, were well repaid
for their attendance. 1t is an Ada Rehan-
John Drew comedy of the most charac-
teristic type, which means that it is al
most as much of a tWo-part creation as
1.-THE Tanning of the Shrew indeed, it is
a sort of modernization of that comedy.
Miss Bates was thoroughly delightful, her
earnest, magnetic charm of voice and
manner being given the fullest possible
play, and her style at times being quite
reminiscent of Miss Rehan, with whom
she has been, of late. so much associated
Mr.. Frawley played her vis-a-vis with
the usual Frawley ease, polish and Gel
Gritty, and with Miss Bates enjoyed
very hearty reception on his entrance.
The sole weakness of the comedy is in its
being a tune played too entirely on one
string. 1t is g. sweet tune, but it is sweet
ness rather long drawn out and it seemed
a pity that clever Lucille LaVerne and
Eleanor Carey, whose talents every one
knows to say nothing of the unused mas
culine ability in the company, could not
be given some better opportunity. Miss
Fanchon Campbell, the Seba Barth, is a
very winning actress and Mr.. Lane Ed
wards made a good deal of mirth Mr.
Matthew is not all he should be as the
lively Raycer. With the large company
he has at his command, Mr.. Frawley
should be able to give very complete
presentations of the other plays in his
repertoire, with one of which, by the
way. he might have done better to open.
Tonight he presents THE Dancing Girl, !"
the play in which Sothern and Virginia
Harmed once made so decided an impress
sion. He and Miss Bates should be ex-
cellently cast in the two main roles. The
staging and stage management last night
were most capable and complete and
showed the hand of Frawley throughout
g 8 @
AT the Grand there was much the same
cause for mystification as at the Theatre.
Contrary to expectation, the turnout was
! but fair, the crowd being confined to the
gallery. 1.-THE Span of Life" is the thrill
ing, tumultuous melodrama in which a
troupe of acrobatS play the star roles
Their feat of climbing on each others
shoulders, forming tower, and then
tumbling the tower across a chasm to
make human bridge, across which the
heroine escapes the clutches of a villain
of the deadliest dye. is very we'll remem-
bered here. having once been seen at the
| Theatre. 1t is as remarkable as ever and
the whole is certainly as full of chills and
thrills as the most insatiate gallery fiend
could desire. The scenery is striking
throughout, and the acting earnest and
of the vigorous type, the heroine and the
soubrette being the best actors in the list.
THE Span of Life goes the whole week
and the cleverness of the Donazettas will
undoubtedly draw well.