The Worcester spy., 1899-08-13
THE MINsTRELs.
Primrose & Dookstader Open the Sea-
son at tbs Worcester Theater.

FROM a mixed lot of motives-curios-
ity about the new theatre management,
appetite whetted by the dramatic fam
inc of the summer, and the brilliant
reputation of the attraction-the Wor-
cester theatre was packed last night
managerial heart even in mid winter.
AS for the new management, the
changes made are fortunately few, the
principal ones noticed being a strange
face in the box office and the legend,
Al Hayman, Klaw & Erlanger direct
ors, at the head of the house pro-
gram.
Early performances, like early veg
etables, are apt to be tolerated more for
their uneXpectedness than their fine
flavor; but the Primrose & DockStader
show need make no apologies on any
score whatever. 1t is sparkling, bright
and new from beginning to end. Though
somewhat limited in numbers, the COM
pany is rich in talent, and there has not
been a minstrel show here in twenty
years where novelty in the joke line
is so thoroughly maintained as in this
Practically all the circle and monologue
1ests have the undoubted stamp of
freshness, the only offenders in the
chestnut line being the team of Dooley
and Ten Brook, who made the sole blot
on an otherwise perfect performance.
Their singing of standard operatic airs
was not bad, but their comedy efforts
were decidedly unfunny and tiresome.
As for the rest, the Quaker City quar-
tet, with barber shop for scenario,
gave clever and entertaining musical
sketch, closing with a ludicrously per-
feet imitation of a circus caniope.
Primrose rendered in the circle a med
ley of popular airs in his graceful way,
and later introduced troupe of aero
batic cake walkers. Dockstader, after
singing "Hannah's hummer"
Obliged with a lot of new verses to
his last seasons success, Go to Helen
Hunt for it, He touched on Hobson.
the international yacht race, William
Waldorf Astor and the Worcester base
ball nine, but the verse that caught the
house the hardest was on the Sunday
closing fiasco.
In the oio Dockstader was discovered
silhouetted against a huge yellow pos
ter with his own name at the bottom
and the trademark of the troupe at the
top. After puzzling the spectators for.
minute as to whether he were a real
statue or not, the comedian stepped off
his perch for the monologue, which kept
everybody In constant roar and was
SO well appreciated that it was only
with the greatest difficulty and after
an earnest appeal, that he could get
away and give the others a chance.
The olio closed with the Juggling
Johnsons,' four youths whose speciality
was Indian clubs, and who tossed them
about In duets, trios and quartets ma
nipulating them with such wonderful
dexterity as to make all rivals seem like
the proverbal thirty cents.
One of the pleasantest things in the
program was the appearance of Lew
Sully on the bones end. Mr.. Sully has
host of friends in Worcester who were
sadly disappointed when sickness kept
him from appearing here with the COM
pany last season. This time he more
than made good all anticipations, and
1t is not taking away any of the bou-
Quets that belong to the two stars to
say that Sully was the leading light
Of the circle. His comedy bit with
the telephone was artistically funny,
and his pair of songs were gems In the
minstrel vocalizing line.
In word, with the exception noted
above, the Primrose & Dockstader COM
pany for 1899 Is an ideal one. And the
great merit of their performance is not
only that they do clever and entertain
ing things, but that they leave out the
tireson1e ones.