The record-union., 1898-04-14
ADJUSTMENTS.

There was a good house at the Or
pheum last night. A better pleased au-
dience has not assembled at an Orphe-
UNI entertainment. The programme is
far and away the best we have ever
had here of the vaudeville order 1t
is weak in no part, but strong in all.
When it is considered that Signora
Castello the accomplished soprano,
has but just recovered from serious i'll
ness, we can understand what a fine
singer this finished artist is. With
fully recovered strength the volume of
her tones must be greatly more power
full. But her selections from I'll Trov-
atore' and Faust" are exactly adapt
ed to her present strength 1t is the re-
fined taste, the depth of feeling, the
limpid character of her tones, the
breadth of her register and the inform
ing spirit of a real artist which COM
bine to make her numbers delightful
and satisfying ones. The Glisandos
are musical adopts, most grotesque
clowns and very fine acrobats-the
three accomplishments rolled into one
combination that excites roars of
laughter The five Arab Whirlwinds
are masterful performers. Their ball
ancing is of the best and their group
ing very fine. But it is the whirlwind
act that they most excel. 1t is a per-
feet torrent of acrobatic exercise most
of it daring to the verge of reckless
ness. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis and their
assistants give as witty, pretty come
dy and sentimental act as we have
seen in many a day. Ellis is a good
yodler. a composer and singer of pref
ty songs, and his wife is one of the
most rollicking of character actors,
a genuine artist in low comedy. 1t
gives one a glow of pleasure to look
upon her jolly face, and the spectator
is impressed with the thought that she
is just as big-hearted, life-loving and
happy body as the character she so
charmingly personates. The beautiful
Christmas spectacle and song with
which they close their act is one that
brings tears to the eyes and warns the
heart with kindly promptings Harry
Watson, Alice Hutchings and Ed. Ed
wards are more than clever low come
dians. and keep the audience In the
merriest of humor. By the way, Alice
is very sweet singer of Scotch and
other ballads. Mile. Bartho comes
nearer to the ideal Of the finished bal
let dancer than any we have seen since
Bonfanti was the rage. She is of bet
ter presence than that famous pre-
mier and by far finer figure. The
Martels young and graceful husband
and wife, present one of the very best
examples of the time in fancy and
trick bicycle riding. They are a
handsome young couple, graceful in
every pose and highly skilled Mrs.
Martels, by the way, does some peril
Gus riding on the same wheel with her
husband All in ALL it is a splendid
bill 1t will be given but two nights
more after this evening.
The Sam T. Shaw Company had a
good house at the Metropolitan Thea
ter last night when the old standby
played here by Grismer, O'Neill and
others of equal excellence in dramatic
art so frequently, Monte Cristo." Mr..
Shaw was thrown into contrast. by as
sumption of the title role, with some of
the best artists of the stage who have
appeared here. but he came off with
honors He makes an excellent, GER
tainly a graceful and gallant Dantes,
and read and acted with feeling and
dramatic vigor. Miss Saunders, in the
character Phoebe Davies has made so
familiar here, was placed in as strong
contrast with fine artist as was Mr..
Shaw But she was bravely success
full She is not the finished actor that
Phoebe Davies is conceded to be, but
she has clear, strong dramatic quality