The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-23
Dramatic and Musical
METROPOLITAN.


Which opened short engagement last even-
ing at the metropolitan opera house. The
programme Is long, but every moment Is one
OF merriment. and when the curtain falls the
audience feel they have received their
moneys worth,
Two old-timers who helped to make min
strelsy In the early days with this COM
pany. Billy Rice. as humorous and witty as
ever. and Arthur German assisted In the
entertainment last night
me FIRST part represented a scene on the
deck OF the Olympia and the crew celebrating
the victory at Manila. The singers were
dressed In sailor costume Arthur German,
as Admiral Dewey, was all that an inter-
locutor should be-. while Billy Rice at one
side and Arthur Denlng at the other, as
end men, were intmitable. This scene served
to Introduce Neil O'Brien, who carried off
| the honors of the part with his original coon
songs and his acting. Billy Rice sang sey-
eral excellent songs in quaint way of his
own, and propounded conundrums and told
Jokes that set the house into roars OF laugh
ter. Arthur Deming made a hit with his
songs and the scene closed with "Old Glory,
the Blue and the Gray" by John w. Early
and the entire company. A pretty effect was
given to the song by releasing number of
flags suspended from the ffies which aroused
much enthusiasm.
Ten minutes Of fun was afforded by Keans
and La Barr. acrobatio comedians, who in
troduced number of new acrobatic feats.
They were followed by the Nichols Sisters
who gave one Of the best negro Imitation
acts ever seen in this city. The house was
continually convulsed while they were on
the stage.
''Cottonfeld Frolics'' represented a typi-
cal plantation scene in Louisiana in the ante
bellum days. This was followed by more
SD6cialtl6S Who lin
captivated the audience with his wit and
| singing, and by Bogart and O'Brien, who
kept the audience screaming with laughter
| for fifteen minutes
| The entertainment closed with ''The Prin-
| cess OF Madagascar" an 'aboriginal' oper-
eta. by James German, in which the entire
company takes part.
There was not coarse line in the produc
| ton last night, but in every respect it was
clean. wholesome and thoroughly enjoyable.
The jokes, with very few exceptions, are
new and the songs are new. and the cos
tunes In several scenes are very striking.
GRAND
Weber & Field might have hunted the land
over from ocean to ocean and it hardly seems
possible that they could get together another
such group Of vaudeville people those
that compose the Joseph Hart Speciality COM
pany, which opened the week at the Grand
last night to packed house. There have
been vaudeville people at the Grand In the
past and they were good, but they are al
most forgotten after one has seen the clever
people with Hart. There Is not a line or
word in any Of the turns that could bring
displeasure, to even the most fastidious, from
lack Of refinement. And 1t Is all new There
are but one two turns that in any way
resemble anything that has ever been seen
here, and in these absolutely new things are
introduced and in such way that one for
gets the past. 81 ,- s
The bill is opened by Lavender and Tom
son, in clever comedy sketch, portraying
fascinating little city girl and a very green
country boy, who apparently knows but little
at the start. but who develops into a very
wise young man before the finish of the turn.
There are many possibilities in the turn.
but not of which Lavender and Tomson do
not take advantage.
Yorke and Adams come next. They are
billed as Just Two Plain Jews" but they
impress one as being anything but plain be-
fore they leave the footlights To say that
they are funny does not half express it. They
sang a number Of parodies popular songs
| that brought them a storm of applause.
NJ. Rudinoff is man Of many accomplish
ments. and entertained the audience for
full half-hour without one dull moment. He
gives wonderful imitation of the counting of
two nightingales, and closes with shadow
graphs that are very good
Valmore is down on the bills as the In
strumental Man. He has most peculiar
voice that he uses to advantage in initiating
various musical instruments in remarkable
manner. His turn was very good.
The piece de resistance of the night was
'.Dr. Chauneey's VISIT" in which Joseph
Hart ard Carrie de Mar show that they. have
lost none of the cleverness that has made
them favorites in st. Paul in times past
DIR. Chauneey's Visit is vaudeville skit
that is original with Hart, and gives both him
and Miss de Mar every opportunity to dis
play their talent in the vaudeville line. Mr.
Hart is the DR.. Cnauncey and Miss de Mar
is first Pert, younger sister, and then Miss
Nellie, who has recently been married, and
who mistakes DR.. Chauncey for her father
in-law, whom she has never seen. 1t is a
charming little skit and is made bright and
lively with witty sayings and topical songs
that could not be better rendered.
Following this Ethel Levey sang a pretty
ballad. and then drew out perfect storm of
applause with new, darby song, rendered in
a way that will make her memory live long
| in the minds of those that heard her. She
was given two encores and could lave had
many more had she SO desired.
Charles T. Aldrieh is billed "Original,
if Nothing More" and he certainly was and
something more besides. His turn is one of
| the cleverest on the bill, and was Ire than
deserving of the hearty applause that he
received.
The bill closes with some sensational aero
hattie work by the Brothers Damn that is
by far the best that has ever been seen here
of its kind.
SEIBERT CONCERT.
The first of the series of afternoon con-
certs by the Seibert orchestra was given yes
terday at the Metropolitan and was very
largely attended. The programme was a
happy combination of the popular and cas-
steal, and admirably suited to the tastes of
st. Paul lovers of music. The opening num-
Der was a march, "Teddy's Terrors,'' by
Crosby, which, although a comparatively new
orchestral composition. was received with
great favor. Those whose tastes turned to
the classical were happily surprised by the
rendition of Won Weber's beautiful overture
to "JubaP' and a familiar selection from the
''Lohengrin" of Wagner Not the least pleas
| ing part of the programme was the double
number, Dawn and Sunset" by Matt
produced for the first time in America. One
| of the most acceptable numbers Lowen-
| berg's paraphrase Of the old familiar Rocked
in the Cradle of the Deep
| In this selection the first variation was
particularly beautiful, the wind and reed in
| struments being used to carry the melody
with striking effect These were supported by
the strings and the finale Of the variation
brought the full orchestra into prominence
in burst of harmonious melody. The fifth
variation of the paraphTase was rendered by
| the violins, supported by the 'cellos and wind
| instruments. The opening motif was a pz-
| zicato of peculiar, delicacy and sweetness,