The evening times., 1898-08-12
AT rHE THIATERS.
s.s,s..i-e1svei..s-wisse.'s \

Natisaai-G1evelana- lain-
strels.
An. oasis In the desert sOf theatrical
desuetude was reached last night in the
temporary opening OF the New Na.ional
Theater with Cleveland and Wilson's
| Manstrels. An audience that packed the
gallery. filled the dress circle and ran
over into the orchestra attended the
performance, and bore witness to all its
good points. The show is really an ex-
ceilent one. the weaknesses, Of which
are few and far between. One or two
OF the turns might be taken out. and
three puns on the name OF Admiral Dew
ey could be removed without the necessi-
ty for chloroform, but otherwise the en-
tertainment deserves most OF the glow
ing tributes already paid 1t by the press
agent.
The performance begins with the usual
first part that has been a distinctive fea-
ture OF minstrelsy since the days of its
birth. This time, however. the effect
Is heightened by some very costly mount
ings, and many Of the features are made
sensational by the work of an orchestra
that seems to consider It only respectful
to keep at least three bars behind the
soloists when playing their accompani-
ments Interlocutor George Fields man
aged to get some excellent bits Of hu-
NOR from John Queen, while Burt Ma
r1on, E. M. Hall and Billy Pearl tell a
Few jokes that are fully entitled to places
In a museum Of the antique. Mr.. Hall
also sings the perennial "Nigger, Mig
ger, Never Die" while Messrs Marion
and Pearl please the first six rows of the
orchestra with rendering of a comic
song given In confidential tones Excel
lent musical selections are contributed
by the ''Troubadour Four" Lewis Pow
ers and Charles Weber. while Billy EN-
erson is introduced in time to give sew
eral clever limitations. and George VIII
son manages to tell some original sto-
ries by Lew Dockstader, and to wind up
the melange with one of the most pleas
ing novelties ever seen here with a
minstrel combination.
Messrs. Emerson and Wilson are also
heavily featured in the olio and each
scores with his particular clique The
former offers continuation of his ear
Aer work and proves his temerity by
singing III 1 Could Only Pick the Win
ner' without police protection. Mr..
Emerson is an able man and 1t Is too bad
that he should hamper himself with
such antedeluvian material. Mr. Wilson
has dozen new things but they are
poorly written and hardly preferable to
the older ones. Still the comedian tells
his jokes well and won two hearty re-
calls last night.
The remainder of the second part is
exceedingly good. E. NJ. Hall gives an
instructive lecture on the banjo with
object lessons that prove him to be the
real Paderewski of that instrument.
Messrs. Wixon, Powers johnson and
Shields, composing the "Troubador Quar-
tette.' present a neat turn and Swift
and Chase while away fifteen minutes
very pleasantly with the aid Of a comic
makeup and a number of peculiarly
shaped violins and guitars. Our Colored
Golf Club" also has chance at the au-
dience probably in the way of much
needed rehearsal. while Keno and Welch
entertain with some grotesque acrobatics.
The performance Is one Of exceptional
worth and deserves generous patronage.