The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-02-03


but am afraid her success in vaude-
vile is Also a dream. II her voice has
been affected unfavorably by her re-
cent illness. she ought for her own
good to give 1t a rest until she can DO
herself justice. However, the remand
er OF the show is so good that one can
easily forget this disappointment.
Fred Brown certainly deserves
word OF praise from the fact that he lis
a marked exception to the rule that
fine dancers can't sing; and his negro
dialect is positively rich, while his
Jokes, told while he Is executing the
most difficult steps, are fresh ana
bright. It's O pleasure to be able 10
say a hearty good word for three
turner"
It's a thankless task to choose be-
tween the Glees and the Tobins, whose
high-class musical acts are so similar
that only read and exceptional merit
in each saves the one from killing the
other. Miss Glees versatility and thor
oughly artistic and pleasing use or a
voice not remarkable in Itself carry
the act, though Mr.. Glee's playing or
the ballad horn and baritone horn is
very fine. His dressing, however Is In
poor taste for such an act; and there
is no need of his telling the audience
that he will initiate a trombone solo
played by colored man. If his trom-
bone playing isn't good enough TO
carry itself. he would better drop W.
Mrs. Tobin's unusually pleasing per-
sonality is a prominent factor in the
success OF herself and husband; ana
their instrumental duets are played
with fine feeling and remarkable puri-
ty of tone. Her dressing is elegant ;and
there is in all their work a refinement
and grace not ordinarily found in such
acts. There, IL I've said anything bet
ter OF one of these acts than OF the
other. / take IL all back, for really
can't find a shade OF preference be-
tween them and / would be delighted
TO hear both again.
George II. Diamond may be a gem of
the purest ray serene; but II ones at
tention were not so attracted 10 the
fact that he would make an excellent
figure for tailor TO hang clothes on.
and If one were not forced to admire
his wonderful ability to stand absolute
ly motlonless while he throws his pow
erful voice fuli-force at the gallery.
one might better judge of his artistic
qualities.
Did YOU notice how much Murray's
voice sounds at times like that of the
only Joe Hart? / had supposed that
Jolly Joe had the only one of the kind;
but Murray plays him a good second,
and at the same time contrives 10
spring the best jokes of a strictly local
character tha6 have been cracked here
this season.
Why is Il that all the "talking-act"
performers consider it necessary TO
use a newspaper to drive home their
foxes? Murphy and Nolan seem to be
bright enough TO strike ten with their
badinage without editorial assistance.
Wasn't IL n tr.ine cruel in the plan
list. just after Marie Jansen had done
her turn, TO play selections from Err
minie' while waiting for the next turn,
and thus to awaken memories? Memo
ries are sometimes dangerous things to
| trifle with. especially when they are
| brilliant enough to throw the present
| into shadow.
| After one has seen about a dozen
teams of so-called "acrobatic come
| cians" or comedy acrobats," i'm whose
acts the only comedy lay in their abor-
| tive efforts 10 be funny, II is refreshing
! indeed to see Zazelle and Vernon, both
| Of whom seem to be as naturally funny
| and amusing as they are excellent ac-
| robats: and that is saying very
great deal.
| How trying it must be for three MINI
| ics TO appear in the same program and
| thus invite comparisons: and yet in the
| case of Lafayette. Willard Simms and
| Fialkowski each is so clever and each
| has a style so distinct that the task is
| simplifed l doubt IL one person out
| of a hundred recognized the characters
| Lafayette assumed in such rapid sue
| cession when he first appeared; and so
| it was difficult 10 judge of their merit.
| HIS impersonation OF Sousa. however,
| was wonderfully life-like and realistic.
| except i'm one particular. If he were To
! eat some dried apples, the one short
| coming might be removed, for he might
| then secure the march kings retuudity
| of figure. Otherwise. it's the finest inn
| personaton of familiar character
| ever saw. There is n peculiar charm In
| the way that Willard Simms tells his
| whole story In song: and some Of the
| peculiar types he illustrates are admir-
| ably done. notably the Bowery singer
| while his pleasing personality contr'-
| butes much to his success. As for Fial-
| kowski--I'm glad / have only to spell
| it correctly and not TO pronounce it-he
| doesn't need to be lioniZed; the result
would be too wonderfully real. His
| limitations OF the sounds of animals
| would make the Jungle piercing hunter
|
they tell me that off the stage he is
the mildest OF men.
To my mind one OF the very bes'
things in the thoroughly agreeable and
pleasing work of s. Miller Kent Is tn,
manner in which he delivers lines thai
in the hands of less clever and con
scientious artist would be extremely
risque. There ere several OF thest
dangerous playthings in the farce
which Cheever Goodwin built up anC
young Cohan doctored for Kent: bu
he glides over them so smoothly ant
with such consummate skill rs mos
effectively to bring To mind the "ou
NAL pense" quotation and to rende
Il wer-nigh impossible for the mos
earping critic 10 find n pretext 70
fault-finding with the authors. IL Is
BIT of real art. but probably one tina
is not generally fully appreciated.
Verify. the millennium Is at hand
Here is an actor actually thanking
| newspaper writer for an adverse crit
icisn. When Forbes and Quinn plave,
1 a..