The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-11-09
SEMEN
amy Rice at the Academy Of Muiso

Although not so dainty, speaking from
an ayoirdupois point of view, Fannie Rice
was lust as fascinating, charming and
bewitching at the Academy of Music last
night as she used to be in-the good days
when she was Queen of the Casino. She
appeared in "At the French Ball and
the crowded house was kept in roars of
laughter from the rising of the curtain
until the going down thereof.
The play deals with Nancy Patch, the
wife of a poor shoemaker, who is dis
satisfied with her lot and yearns Tor
wealth. Her husband tries to persuade
her that riches cannot procure happiness
but she refuses to be persuaded. Finally
he gives her shoes which he has made
for a bankers wife, a prima donna and a
dancer. telling her to deliver them, col
lect the money and buy a new SILK
dress. AS She visits the home OF each
of these she sees sights and wonders
which make her wish all the more that
she was wealthy. But gradually she
learns that the bankers wife has more
woes than she. while the prima donna,
with all her wealth and fame, wishes sne
was a poor farm girl again. The prima
donna takes Nancy to the French ban,
and she sees scenes of domestic infeliciry,
marital duplicity and other things Whlch
heartily disgust her with high life, and
she cries for her humble little shoe
maker shop" and her Dutch cofSler-
This moral is dressed in such a humorous
and %laughable garb that one loses sight
OF the fact that the play is a sermon
aud unconsciously is thoroughly impressed
with fha lesson it teaches.
Miss Rice is too we'll known in this
vicinity as an actress and entertainer of
high order to need any mention here. Be
it sufficient to say that she is the same
admirable actress whose work. If any
thing. is improved. She was supported
by an excellent company and the play
was interspersed with solos, choruses,
duets. trios and the much abused s~extette
from LUCIA Di Lammermoor Ralph
Bicknell and Miss Reba Haight danced
admirably. and there was some clever
tumbling and acrobatic performing. The
excellent troupe which so ably supported
Miss Rice is made up of:-Prologue and
| first -act-Thomas Barton, a banker, Mr..
G.. Wiseman; Lawrence Patch, a shoe
maker, Mr.. Lynn ]. Hall; Tommy Smart,
a newsboy, Miss Reba Haight; Dolly
i tTr6en. a. dangerous WOitdu, it9 i1AAiS
/ Guise; Erasmus. a colored servant, Mr..
Richard Guise: Mary Barton, a young
| wife. Miss Josie Gautier: Joe, a dancer,
Mr.. Ralph Bicknell; Nancy Patch, just
a woman, Fanny Rice.
Additional in Act II.-Geraldine, a prima
| donna. Miss Maud Bagley; Kitty O'Neil,
her maid, Miss Beck Haight; Hammer
meisten, her manager, Mr. John W.
Dryer; Duke of Gargeyle. a title for sale,
Mr.. David Andrada; Nancy, Fanny Rice.
Act III.-Major slyboots. the a old
deceiver, Mr.. Wiseman; Nightbird, the
dissipated roue. Mr.. Andrada; Erasmus,
| the waiter. Mr.. Guise; Patch, the shoe
maker, Mr.. Hall; Viola Slyboors- Miss
Kate Grifiths; Dolly, Green, Miss Guise;
Dimple, Miss Jeffries; Daisy. Miss Haight;
Tottie Cough Drop, Miss Bagley: Cissy
| Dew Drop. Miss Gautier: acrobatic
tumbler, Mr.. Alfred MaTtella.
Pat ReilIy's Big Show at the Bon
Ton a Success.
To say the least. a full theatre on the
eve Of election is a strange sight, at least
in Jersey City, but that is just What there