The times., 1898-02-27

~. il is always these people who will tell
old jokes and do old things. BUT in the
case Of the above mentioned team. the
comic portion of the entertainment con-
tributed was even better than the other
many bits of business executed by Mr.
Hickey having about the same effect
that a large dose OF laughing gas would
Altogether. they were one of the best
teams seen at Kernan's this season. and
were only received according to their
just deserts.
1t is very rarely that two people jump
from a low class of work 70 high one
without falling in the attepmt. but Dig
by Bell and bis wife. Laura Joyce Bell.
seem to have accomplished the feat with
out any difficulty whatever. 1t seems a
comparatively short time since Digby
Bell was rushing around the stage. paint
ed and Delighted in some comic opera
or other. and. only a year ago. at the
National Theater. he was seen in HOyt's
farce. "A Midnight Bell" From this to
Augustus Thomas play ''rhe HoOsier
Doctor is a long step. and with what
success it has been made those who saw
the portrayal Of the title role last week
can attest. His impersonation of Dr.
Willow was sober dignified and schoI-
arly as the most fastidious could wish
An equal amount Of credit belongs To-
Mrs. Bell. whose Grandma was truly
remarkable bit of work In every at
tribute. in every detail. the character was
as clearly and as strongly brought out
as 1t could have been; the makeup and
the mannerisms being of nature to add
greatly to the general effect As a pOr-
trayal from life it ranks with the Mrs
Murphy of Marie Bates. and strong
praise as that may seem, Digby Bells
acting compares nearly as favOrably with
that Of Sol Smith Russell.
For some reason. quite consistent with
the negro character. all performances BY
cpiored people seem to be Of the most
9fused order. even the best stage man
az~ment hardly sufficiBg to prevent this.
Every member Of the company seems
possessed Of the idea that ne or she is
the individual star of the show, and that
a great public is hungering for a few
minutes OF his or her work. As a result.
the assumption of the center Of the stage
is general. and frequently leads 10 the
entire organization occupying that en-
viable position at once The result is
anything but pleasing.
This fault was 20 be found with the per
fOrmanCe given last week at the Academy
by Ishams OctOroons. and especially
with thst Of William Murray. who from
his billing. one would take to be nothing
less than a Jefferson or a Goodwin. but
who is really a pathstically incompetent
comedian. with more ignorance than hu-
NOR. This fellow would insist on taking
the atteDtion of the audience at all
trnes, In many instances making il fmpos-
sible 70 enjoy really clever turns going on
at the time In this way bright song
by stella Wiley some clever dancing by
the Mallory brothers. and a wonderful
example of trick bicycle riding by Arthur
Maxwell We're either wholly or in part
lost Had the alleged funmaker done any
thing to warrant the interruption the con-
unuance Of such Il nuisance would have
been bad enough. but. as it was, the thing
was simply objectionable.
Three people who deserve honorable
mention in THE Hoosier Doctor" Com
pany are Biable Strickland. Margaret
Dale owen. and Viola Miles. who played
the three sisters. No -vock done here of
late has been more creditaole in its line.
the ingenuity OF the first. she hardness of
the second, and the slovenlv traits Of the
third being alike CUinmeGddble as realis-
tic character studies Each had at least
one good scene to herself. and each did it
well. Miss Strickland dialogue with
Tom Bunce in the second act was pret-
tily coquettish and at the same time.
earnest and womanIy. Miss Owens re-
ceptiOn Of Higgins proposal by type
writer was bit OF real humOr thorough
ly in keeping with the part, and Miss
Miles had several scenes With Fred Dali
rymple that did not lack for apprecia-
tion from the audience. Mr.. Fell has
assistance from all of them.
An interesting feature of last weeks
bill at the Bijou was the dancing of Di-
ana. q little woman who seemingly has
cause and effect down to fine art. With
one exception none Of her work was new.
but all was cleverly done while the MIR
rors placed in the back of the stage made
it seem as though an entire corps de bal
let was maneuvering. instead Of a single
person. The serpentine dance. on which
all the new ones of the La Loi Fuller
order have been modelled is not nearly
so easy as il appears 10 be. In the first
place. in the dress Diana uses there are
nearly 80 yards of cIoth-nOt only an
awkward amount to handle but of fearful
weight. All told the cloth cannot weigh
less than thirty pounds and to move this
TO and fro continually for half an hour
or more requires great strength of the
back and chest muscles. not TO speak OF
the biceps and the development OF the
lungs and stomach Some of the EeSt-
ures Of the dance are very complex. oft
en- year or more being spent on one
portion. Even after introducing such an
effect some time passes before il is fn-
ally perfected.
The most difficult part of Diana per
formance. however. is in the arrange
ment of the lights. the difference in ef-
feet made by shade of color or the po-
sition from which it is thrown being in
calcuiabIe. To secure the best results
the stage must be perfectly dark and
draped in black. CalCiums are placed on
platforms on each side Of the stage in
the fly gallery and in front Of the house
This last is used in throwing figures on
the skirt. Diana herself giving them
shape by the movement Of her drayeries.
For the Fire Dance and THE Lily OF
the Nile a powerful light is thrown
through Il glass plate in the bottom of
the stage. strong glare is also thrown
on the twelve mirrors used. in such a
way that the reflection strikes the per-
former. The trouble necessary to carry
ing these properties from place to place
is. by no means. trivial. quite as much
space being brought into requisition for
the effects needed for this one act as
most dramatic companies require
TINY TALKS.