The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-11-11
OUT AND ABOUT.

Miss Beatrice HEREFORD gave recita
of her original monologues last might
before an audience that more than filled
Memorial hall. 1t is about year and a
half since Miss HEREFORD made her only
other appearance in this city, but dur
ing that time appreciation Of her talents
has grown, and a more appreciative or
a more distinguished audience has sell
dom been gathered in Worcester. From
beginning to end of the all too short
program, the pretty, fair-haired young
English woman was followed with an
attention that was breathless when ii
was not interrupted by peals of laugh
ter.
Monologue, however, hardly seems the
correct name for Miss Herford's per-
formanca; rather it is a dialogue minus
the second voice. Everything but Miss
Herford herself has to be taken for
granted by the audience. There are no
scenery, stage properties, no accessor-
les, no dramatis personae but herself.
Yet everything is clear, nay, vivid, and
while not a word of explanation is
given, no one for moment experiences
the least difficulty in grasping each sit
uation or in understanding the full force
of every word, infection and gesture.
This -sufficiency is one Of the note
worthy features of the entertainment. A
table, a chair are all that are necessary
with them Miss Herford makes to your
complete satisfaction the interior Of an
intelligence office, the cloak department
I of big city store, the counter of a re-
tail dry goods establishment.
|
She tries on imaginary fur-trimmed
coats and takes off imaginary black
jackets before a weary and mildly ex-
postulating imaginary husband; DULLES
an imaginary lady of the house" into
subscribing for an imaginary volume;
catechises imaginary second girls and
cooks and is in turn catechised by them
and sells imaginary throws" to an inn
aginary customer. 1t is the stage re-
duced to its lowest terms.
Miss HEREFORD is one Of the two most
original entertainers we have ever had
in Worcester. She has been compared
oftenest to George Grossmith, with
whom she certainly has much in COM
mon. But Mr.. Gressmith Is broader II
his touch, Is more of a caricaturist ano
less of an artist. Miss HEREFORD is some
what limited in range-that Is to say
she confines herself to the impersona.
ton of women and children, but she ex.
hibits greater subtlety and finer hu.
NOR in those characters which she does
essay.
Miss Herfords types are new on the
stage, and in this respect she seems Il
have opened up new vein of comedy
They are strongly defined, those type
Of hers, and as they are unfolded be
fore US, we find that they are entirel!
familiar-eommonplace, one might cal
them-0ut in Miss HEREFORD hands the,
are far enough from that. Thes
sketches bring us face to face with life
and in them we see human nature ant
human character revealed by a sharl
observer and not so much described a
acted to perfection. Miss HEREFORD no
only talks a character-for the tim
being abe is the character. She is
natural comedian and natural actor.
Like her brother, Oliver Herford, sh
is delicieusly funny. Face, figure, arm
and hands, all are expressive. He
voice, which greatly resembles he
fathers, is wonderful In its ability t
express, and the gradations and varia
lions which it Is capable of Showing
are of piece with the adroit, graceful
absolutely natural quality of her art.
Last of all, Miss Herford's great lit
erary ability displayed in the compost
ton of her monologues is worthy c
note.
Last night Miss HEREFORD recited 9TH
intelligence Office" THE book agent,
1.-THE coat" and for recall THE shop
girl" THE intelligence office" repre-
sents resident Of the suburbs VIII
goes to a city intelligence office for
second girl and a cook. One of her chill
dren has measles and she has lost ne
pocketbook. containing SIS. The con
versations between the candidates 70
positions and the lady were rendere'
capitally, and out of very simple ele
ments the reciter created little genr
picture that afforded uninterrupte,
amusement for the audience. In "Th
book agent" an aggressive book ped
Ter buttonholes her victim, exploits he
book, and solidly refuses to go befor
subscription is lodged with her. Yol
feel the Intellectual struggles of the lad,
to escape, and the edge of sarcasm up
on her rejoinders to the placid twaddl
of the agent, and you see the cold i'm
pertinence flicker in the eyes of tn
agent as her suave commonplaceS CIV
way to her stern realities of business.
A third sketch Of middle-class Am
erican life followed. A suburban wifi
has dragged her husband into depart
ment store to help her select white
coat. She nags at him, illnesses Will
the saleswoman, changes her mind hal
a dozen times, consumes many minute
in trying on garments she never though
of buying, and does not buy, and in TN
end buys a $50 coat with solle'
cuffs as a tremendous bargain for soy
With ''The shop-girl' Miss Herfort
reaches the climax in her exquisite
fooling. 1.-THE shop girl was the mos
ENJOYABLE thing of the evening. Sh
was recognized instantly; not womal
in the audience but knew her. TIL
feather gossip with the frien
at the next counter, the chat over tn
young man who is Just awful, tn
airy patronage of the meek customer
the quick professional lies could be ou
plicated almost any day IN any Oh Tn
big retail stores in Worcester.
Miss HEREFORD was the guest Of Mrs
James b. Blake while here she lei
on the 1920 train, after the entertain
ment.
Miss Edith Inman is spending fey
days in PHILADELPHIA.
The College Club had conundrun
party yesterday afternoon at Mrs. AL
bert H. Chaffee's studio. Mrs. Henri!
i ]. Gross was in charge. Little prize
were given and there was much ful