The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-31
GRAND.


In THE Evil Eye" which opened at tho
GraId last night to packed house. Charles
ID. Yale has worthy successor to his 'Dev-
IFS Auction" 1t is all that he claims for
1t as laughter making surprise. 1t is at
once bewildering, wonderful, fascinating and
laughable in the extreme. 1t is a spec
tacular production that promises to win for
lts author, Sidney R. Ellis, and his associ-
ates taIne and fortune. And not little Of its
success is due to the efforts Of the cast, who
Go not allow one dull moment to penetrate
the time from the raising of the curtain on
the first act until it drops the last The
piece Is handsomely and deliberately mounted
ana the mechanical effects are wonderful.
The Evil Eye" is really the story of two
love affairs, one that has it's origin in New
York and furnishes much of the fun and the
other, that springs UP in the vineyards of
Holland and gives place for the only serious
ness that is allowed to creep into view. 1t is
this last affair that furnishes the little plot
OF the piece through the efforts Of Evil Eye
WartDurg, grape grower in Holland, to
thWart it. He in some way becomes pos
sessed of the fortune of Jeppe JAMS. a
mountebank, and -then, during his absence.
endeavors to break up a love affair between
Gerda,, the pretty daughter of Jams, and
Bertrand, Evil Eyes secretary. On the re-
steals Gerda land carries her away, and then
begins chase across the continent to st.
Petersburg and back to a ruined castle on the
banks OF the Rhine where Evil Eye has con-
cealed <f his stolen wealth and imprisons
Gerda 1t is here that Evil Eye meets his
just deserts and is killed by bomb that he
has intended ito use to protect himself against
intruders. In the chase after Gerda, Bertrand
Is aided by rich New York widow and an
eccentric young New Yorker, who has fol-
lowed her across the ocean, and is made
happy by the widow, who tells him that his
wishes In regard to her will be gratifed if
he succeeds in restoring Gerda to her lover
This little story Is not allowed to interfere
with the fun and merely comes to the sur
race often enough to keep the interest in it
alive. Much of the fun is furnished by Rob-
ert Rosaire and Thomas Elliott as Mid and
Nod, brothers of Gerda, who are dumb, but
who make up in actions what they lack in
speech. They are everywhere and leave be-
hind them trail of destruction and laughter
occasioned by their clever acrobatic work and
silent fun. William Blaisdell, as Peleg Phile.
mon, the young New Yorker, whose love for
the widow carries him on a trip almost
around the world, causes a laugh with his
every movement. Miss Clara Lavine was
most acceptable in the part of the widow.
putting dash and vim in the part that
brought her much applause. Zeph Goudreault,
Bertrand, and Miss Lillian Coleman. as
Gerda, carried the parts we'll, and their solos
were rendered in a splendid, manner. ''Bv
Your Side,' composed by Goudreault, and
sung by him, is a most captivating little love
ballad. The music of the entire piece hinges
about the air of this song, and Is very pretty
George A. D. Johnson, as Evil Eye Wartburg
all that could be desired in a part that
was difficult, at times, to carry. The rest
of the cast was good, especially George D.
Melville, as the landlord of the Cafe Ec-
centrique, in St. Petersburg; Edward Carron,
as Peggle the Holland inn-keeper and the
Althea twins, La Marie and La Bouise, of
the st. Petersburg ballet. The chorus was in
good voice and the dances were executed in
a clever manner. Several quartette songs,
introduced by T. William Sturgeon, Harry
Webster, Louis Franklin and Oren> Hopper,
were splendidly rendered and were deserving
of the hearty applause with which they we're
received.