The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-03
AT THE THEATERS.

''The Widow Jones" bids fair to make lots
Of friends at the Grand this week. She cap
tured one Of those big Sunday night audiences
last evening The widow is Indeed a capt.
waiting creature. The elder Weller's warning
to Samuel that he beware OF the widows came
to mind the moment Flo Irwin dawned upon
the stage. She suggested danger. but never
theless invited closer acquaintance. Her mag.
netc presence radlated itself to the re-
hottest corner and the Hottest perch in the
house. Her colloQulal powers commanded ad-
miraton; her facility at repartee left no doubt
as to the result Of a contest with her for con-
versational points. OF course. the author Of
the farce, John ]. McNally, supplied the
bright sallies, but It is the way they are
aimed and discharged that makes them in
Varlably hit the target squarely in the center.
Inc Widow Jones'" considered as a farcical
entertainment, is a convincing exempIificatton
OF the vital Importance of engaging capable
people to present what Is generally under
sUoou by the term farce comedy" Nobody IS
permitted to take the center Of the stage in
thls snow Who cannot honestly hold IL for n
rev moments. Nobody is allowed to speak a
line who cannot deliver 1t audfbly and sensI
Dry. When the members OF the company seat
themselves in semi-circle, and a gentleman
Walks 10 the front to sing baritone solo II
develops that he has baritone voice and
d very musical one too, which he knows how
10 use. In short, the company Is an aggrega-
tlon or clever men and women. who might he
somewhat misplaced in Hamlet" but are
thoroughly en- rapport with THE Widow
Jones'" There are no tedious specialties m
fr&yed and time-worn jokes, no tin nan and
bass drum music. The ensembles are all
harmonious and the songs for the most mart
new and always pretty
FLO irwin, as has been intimated donninates
the cast and thus vindcates her right to he
starred, for she is surrounded by no mediocre
talent. Ada Lewis, who impersonated the
awkward, gawky country lass, Felicity Jones
III Che nrst act transforms herself into a new
woman Iresh from 'culchahed" Boston in
ACT L. and finally appeared in full evening
uress, displaying not only a most commend
able histrionic versatility. but also exbibitirc,
charms of face and figure not suspected in
Act l. George K. Barnum, in the role of an
eAcltaDIe and Jealous Portuguese contributed
an aFtlstlc Characterization, drawn, of course
with broad lines for farce comedy purnoses
waiter HaWiey while exhibiting no marked
talent IN the specially line made a most
agreeable impression. His performance is
DISK, bright and breezy. Whatever he at
tempts he does neatly. H. Daniel MCCARTHY fs
oDhged to play an Irishman, which might not
seem an occupation foreign to Mr. McCarthy's
sympathies. But, nevertheless Mr. Mo
Carthy is to be credited with representing n
very amusing lrishman, with a brogue with
III reason, who doesn't make you tired but
makes you laugh. ]. ]. Fisher is the vocalist
Oh the company. His songs are few. and the
number of stanzas limited. The encores he
receives are sincere and unmistakable. Miss
Annie Martell dances with disposition that
seems TO Keep her in the air most of the
time. Miss Hattie Waters is interesting. and
Misses T,am
ma trahar and Louise Temple form decid-
eddy attractive quartette
But Flo Twins star Is In the ascendant
ABOVE them all. She conducts the snappy dia-
losue In crisp, spontaneous style quite ir-
resistible AS the speeches fall from her Ilps
they sound as If they had just occurred to
her instead Of to John ]. McNalIy. Miss
Irwin can do other things besides read her
lines. Every initiated throat in the house
grew dry when Miss Irwin mixed that silver
hzz, for 1t was the real thing-egg and settler
water anyway, if not the Old Tom And Miss
Irwin can sing "Crappy Dan" and few other
negro melodies with the true African essence.
Her talents and her highly attractive stage
presence form most effective, most winsome
and most-well, old Weller would probably
declare it dangerous combination-in a widow.
Robert Fitzsimmons and James ]. Corbett
Metropolitan last night. Inasmuch as the
finish" was not in grave doubt no money
changed hands. 1t was q splendid contest
nevertheless. Pompadour Jim displayed his
marvellous skill a boxer, and Lanky Bob,
with left-handed jab on Jim's solar plexus,
illustrated the difference between boxing and
fighting.
The tactics Of the pugilists do not seem to
have changed much since the 18th Of last
March. Cortett still continues his backward
steps and both clinch upon the slightest
provocation Muldoon still holds the watch
and the gentleman at his right lifts his
hat in the air for Fits information lust as
each round draws to close. a young man
stationed at the prompt entrance notified the
spectators when the notable incidents of the
fight were about to happen. For the veri-
scope cannot talk. If 1t could Mrs. Fitz-
simmons voice would be heard above that Of
the referee.
The audience was small.