The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-25
DRAMATIC AND MUSICAL.
GRAND.

1t is to be assumed that Sydney Grundy
borrowed the material for lis comedy, 1.-The
Arabian highs, - from the German. With
out doing much harm to the German oiigl-
nator it may be concluded that the fun of
the lines was born of the humor of Mr..
Grundy. It is iirresistibly funny both in book
ard situation Indeed it is no. easy to re-
ca comedy of the farcical order which has
such a c.everly worked climax has the sec
end act of The Arabian Nights" as 1t was
played last night by the Rankin company, at
the Grand. 1t is inherently god thing,
but it most c.everiy done. The company
contains uDsusrectcd, but now unquestioned,
comedy ia .ent of high order. It could nyt
be suspected on accoun. OF the line OF plays
that the company has been producing, but
the fact is that tie performance of last night
was eminently satisfactory and even artist
caly good comedy. The lines of the c,medy
demand plenty of action. and they WIRE
Played most admirably. The house in
roar from the rising of the curtain un ii
the going down Of the same-and that is say
ing good deal for an audience that is prone
to take its high-c!ass comedy rather soberly
THE Arabian Nights is very impossible
affair-as it should be. married NM
blessed with the usua. motter-in-.aw, .muses
himself by taking walk abou. after The
IS
young woman. enjoys promenade with
her and leaves her. She is possessed of his
name, and is known to fame the Gutta
Percha girl OF the circus. The next day she
puts in an appearance at his house a. the
moment when he is expecting his niece
from abroad. The Gutta Percha person can
not be gotten rid of, and the victim of her
wies accounts for her presence, on the trap
ton of his mother-in--aw, by introducing her
as his niece from abroad. TIE rea, niece ar
rives presently, and she has to be dis osed
Of; the wife comes home and mse's the bogus
niece. The husband, Hummingtop, fees that
he has to lie some more to get out of his
scrape. He announces that he is filled with
a demoniaca. desire to lie, and he goes in for
the exercise OF his imagination with such
good will. that he produces the most excru-
ciatingly funny situations. There are a
couple Of subplots, and the usual double love
story is worked in through the necessary
friend Ormerod. who is Infatuated with the
niece, Daisy Maitland and the incidental
amours of the good-for-nothng son Of the
mother-in-.aw and the Gutta Percha girl.
Mr. Holt was seen at his b:st as Hum
mingtop. He got the spirit of the part and
he played it capitally. Mr. Carr was the
friend Ormerod. Mr.. Carr has way of conf
ing on the stage and going into his work that
is commendable. He saved the piece from the
possibility of dragging once. Mr.. Tassn did
all that was demanded of him as the son of
the mother-in-law. Joshua Gil.ibrand. He did
not attempt to make 1t a great comedy Part
but was satisfactory. Mr.. Crosby was a
really good servant.
Miss O'Neil was the Gutta Percha girl It
is rather difficult to imagine Miss O'Neil
Playing a farcical part. She is not starred in
the piece, but she made al that is necessary
80 ~,
conceive Of a woman, who, in Camille =
must be reckoned as among the best, turning
in and doing great work as the young woman
out of the circus. Miss O'Neil, however.
was captivating.y clever. She had plenty of
life and jol.ity, and gave the part that hearth
ness that is, so essential in comedy leads of
the sort. Mrs. McVicker was a detestably
good mother-in-law of the stage sort, Her
unpopularity in the household extended to
the audience, so very clever was the actress
Miss Boothars was charming young matron
and Miss Swain a very fetching maid The
piece went with a go that marked thorough
rehearsing. and 1t should be seen by every
body that likes good thing in comedy wei
played
The same bill until Wednesday night