The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-03-02
THE DONOVANS
Performance atKelth's Greatly Pleased
Mildred Irving.
she Points Out Difference Between Marie
Jansen and Marion ManoIa.

prepared To enjoy the entertainment
with a pretty general idea OF what
would be best. for / had noted the rela-
tive Importance OF the various per-
formers I'm the newspapers But, 10 and
behold, IL was one OF the small-type
acts that made me laugh most and
seemed 10 have precisely the same ef-
feet with everybody else. which goes TO
show that everybody else" must have
good judgment, OF course. and also TO
emphasize the fact that in high-class
vaudeville you enjoy the advantage OF
never knowing who is going 10 make
''the hit"
IL was the Donovans who did il this
time; and more rattlingly bright and
funny bunch OF good stories and With
cisms than Jim Donovan turns out at
mile-a-minute pace Providence has
not heard i'm long time. And he does
1t all in such "A jolly. unconventional
way, with none OF the Tm-here-to-
make-you-laugh manner, that he is
simply irresistible, while his substantial
little wife works up the apparently un-
intended comedy business al the finish
in 1" with such cleverness as TO make
her work worthy OF being termed fine
acting But / suppose they'll ask dou-
BILE the salary for their next engage
ment. They say that's the way ii al
ways goes.
What can i do to amuse myself
while he's out?' asks the pleasing
young lady who loses her personality in
the Bon Ton Trio. and then proceeds
to sing the song which she has care
fully rehearsed and expected to sing
when she came on and which she
wouldn't leave out if she could. And
not long afterward, one of her male
o-conspirators does precisely the same
trick. Isn't il possible for any one To
construct vaudeville sketch with
song in IL without resorting To bunco
game To lug it in? AS for the trio
themselves, they are SO clever and sing
so well that one almost forgivcs the
sketch manufacturer for his crime.
Did you ever notice how a given act
appeals with differing force 10 different
parts OF the house? Take James Re
gan's songs, for instance. They are
all good. but for some reason. the high
er up you go in the house, the greater
and the more enthusiastic is the ap-
plause they evoke. He really has an
excellent voice. and let's you understand
every word he sings. but its an aw-
full pity that he must say "furee" and
"buright" and "fureedom" for free,
bright and freedom every time. And
yet really enjoyed his singing.
Fields and Ward certainly do an ex-
cellent talking act" with enough good
things i'm that are new to take the curse
off the chestnuts; but can't Mr.. Keith
find talking team" that doesn't carry
newspaper on the stage? A good
team needs no editorial assistance.
That little dog OF Miss Huesteds Is
just too cute and lovely for anything,
and dances Just divinely," and real
ly. though she and Mr. Coakley are
very fine dancers, where would their
act be without dear doggie? And what
beautiful specimens of caninehood La
velle's dogs are. The little fellows are
aii unusually handsome and If ever
there was an act 70 set the little ones
just wild with delight, here it is. The
big hounds do some wonderful jump
ing, but it's the little fellows that take
my eye.
w nat Il ulHeTenCt between Marie jan
sen and Marion Manola. The one is
on past reputation the other
making good" for Miss Manoia sings
as sweetly and artistically as ever. But l
when she has been In vaudeville longer
she will understand better the kind OF
songs that are best suited TO the pur-
pose. Those she uses this week do her
an injustice, because IL is not possible
with them TO win the favor that ccr-
tainly would be accorded her were her
selections more fortunate. | venture
to predict that If she will but secure
a sketch and good acting partner she
can easily take very high position
in vaudeville, for, in addition to her
gifts as a singer, she is SO thoroughly
good an actress that now she is but half
realizing the possibilities that are with
i'm her grasp
/ don't think Charles Grapewin is ap-
preciated at his full worth. Almost any
actor of experience can score a hit with
bright lines put into his mouth by the !
sketch writer: but there are few who
like him. can convey so much and Sc
cure so many laughs by mere panto-
mime. That is genuine acting for you.
I am proud of my sex after seeing |
the Merkel sisters. Not only are they.
To my mind, the most remarkable aero !
pats, MAZE or 1enlale, tnat PROVIDENCE /
has seen, but they are really very
pretty the incarnation of grace, have |
beautiful figures, and, more than all I
else. seem 10 surround themselves with |
such an atmosphere of refinement and /
modesty as greatly To en-
hance the enjoyment of their marvel /
Gus performance by every lover of the /
beautiful and artistic. Frigid Provi- /
dence is hardly likely 60 arise in it's |
seats and cheer them. as New York /
did but they richly deserve IL.
What n delicious bit OF musical hu- |
NOR IL Is when the American Musical /
Four. after q most finished rendering 1
Df the Wagner Pilgrims Chorus" on 4
saxophones, suddenly break into a /
rag time coon song OF all the high 1
class musical acts, none has been bet /
ter than this, though one can see that |
he newness of their present occupa- |
lion has not altogether been overcome |
yet
The biography company get my little |
vote of thanks this week Evidently,
their man, whose ideas of comedy are SO |