Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-02-05
ADJUSTMENTS.

Only a falr.szed audience greeted
the performance Of the Prisoner of
Zenda" at the Theater last evening, but
what the audience lacked In numbers,
1t more than made up In appreciation,
treble curtain call being demanded
at the end Of the third act The play
which has not been seen here for some
four or five years, when Daniel Froh-
mans Lyceum company produced Il, is
a strong romance, and was well rem
dered by an evenly balanced company
Of players. Perhaps the best delinea-
ton was that of Col. sapt Chas. Wal.
cots old part, character which ar
fords excellent opportunities, and which
was admirably rendered by Charles S,
Brandt; the dual part Of King Rudolph
and Rudolph Rassendy was In the
hands Of Vaughan CHASER, clever ac-
tor but one whose voice at times, was
not fully up to the requirements of the
part. Miss Aldrdge, who enacted the
role Of Princess Flavia Is a sympathe-
tic actress, and carried her audience
along with her OF the balance Of the
cast, the Rupert OF Hent2au of Mr..
Wadsworth, the Antoinette OF Miss
Strickland, and the Fritz Of Mr.. Can.
ness, stand out as most deserving OF
mention. The scenery is evidently that
used in the original production, thougl.
a trifle worn The version Is also the
same as the one presented by Mr., Froh-
mans company, Zenda" will play to-
night and tomorrow afternoon and
night and from the hearty reception ac-
corded II last evening ought to do
good business the remainder Of It's
stay.
The long awaited production Of "The
Little Minister" last night was attend
ed by scenes almost heartrending In
their character. a good sized audience
had assembled and everyone was on the
tiptoe OF expectancy to see what the
Cummings company would make OUT OF
the book which Maude Adams made
famous as a play. Briefly, Il may be
said that the evening resulted In disas-
ter and It is all the more regrettsble
that II might easily have been made a
triumph The production was beautl-
fully staged. the scenic artists excelled
themselves; Miss Hall rose fully TO the
occasion In her part OF Babbie; Mr..
Giblyn did the best work he has ever
done in the part OF Weary Warld. the
policeman; Robert Cummings was in
tensely strong as the stern elder Tam
mas" the costuming was correct, and
nothing was lacking for fin
ished production until The Little
Minister, himself enacted by Mr.,
Cummings. walked upon the
scene He soon spread devastation
In his train. His overwork-or some
thing else--had rendered him thoroughly
unfit 10 appear and but for Miss Hall
and the prompter, whose voices were
heard all the evening supplying him
with lines, he would have come TO a
stock standstlll a dozen times during
the evening. His lapse Of memory--or
something else--became more and more
evidently as the evening progressed. and
at the end OF the third act. things went
so much 10 pieces that II was impossi-
BILE for the audience TO say whether
Miss Hall tainted In Mr.. Cummings
arms from modification or whether II
was all in the play. The curtain had
no sooner descended, however, than
many people arose and left the house,
some thinking that the performance
could not be finished. II went on. how
ever, and with the gigantic endeavors
of Miss Hall and the prompter, Mr..
Cummings was pulled through. Miss
Hall had everyOne's sympathy. especial
ly after her falnting scene. when very
audible sounds proceeded from behind
the curtain indicating that she was on
the verge OF hysterla. With proper sup
port. her Babble viii rank as her most
charming impers0nation. and with all
last nights drawbacks. II made real
hit Miss Holt did some very good work
as Mamie and Miss Douglas was effect
i've In a smaller part.