Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-02-16


'Around the World in Eighty
Days." in his flying trip across
the North American continent stopped in
Butte for just twenty minutes, IN that
time he cou.d have seen at the Grand
Opera house enough of western society to
give him a fair comprehension of the
wealth, intelligence and social standing
of the people of this great mining camp
Perhaps not all the society people or
Butte saw Eugene Blair last night, but
enough were at the theater to fill every
seat: enough were there whose names
would fill more than half the pages of
"bue book" should one be published in
a city now fast developing into center
of literature in these mountains, and
whose people are acquiring a critics
knowledge of dramatic art almost as rap
idly as they are acquiring money.
Eugene Blair, of almost trif1ing inn
pcrtance in the roles cast for her while
acting with Robert Downing, has given
to the stage, as we'll as to her sex,
bright example of what genius may
complish when united with strong self
reliance Today she is one of the very
best of the artistes on the American
stage.
VI oAOA
Wildairs in "A Lady of Quality" she
gave a splendid representation of the
hoydenish girl and fearless woman. She
is the real. the natural character con-
c=ived by the author of the novel. Ca
rev. as Sir John OXon, the roue and lib
ertine. comes next to the star in the
cast but beside the ironical, scornful in
tensely earnest Clorinda in dialogue. he
is completely overshadowed by the star.
With the exception of Sir Christopher
Crowell and the chaplain to Lord Twom-
ley. the lady characters carried Off the
honors in "A Lady of Quality" last night.
Miss Blair is graceful and handsome.
and drapad in the handsomest gowns
ever seen on a local stage, her beauty was
displayed to the utmost Her appear
ance was the signal for that kind of APP
p!ause which proceeds from Well-bred
people and several times the curtain was
lifted after the close of acts to empha-
size her appreciation of a Butte society
audience.
change of ushers has evidently talk
en- place at the Grand New faces We're
visible last night. The young men Sc
lected are courteous and move about like
persons advanced beyond apprentices In
this feature OF theatrical employment.
~
Tonight and Sunday night, Miss Blair
and her company appear in "Carmen.'
with gorgeous costumes and magnificent
scenery. All who have heard the grand
opera of Carmen" never hesitate to ex-
press their admiration of the work, but
the play must also be seen in order to
appreciate the dramatic possibilities Of
Prosper Merimee's tragic romance. Calve.
with her wonderful voice, is conceded
to be the greatest Carmen" on the OPP
cratic stage, but Miss Blars portrayal
of the pique and passion of the coquet-
fish cigarette girl is even more interest,"
ing and fancfu!, as she needs must de-
mend solely upon her own artistic eff
forts minus the effective assistance OF II
well-trained and well-disposed chorus.
There are many dramatic points in Miss
Blairs version of the play that are not
incorporated in the opera.
H."
When Uncle Dick Sutton the other
n;eht in his rooms in the Caplice block,
said that last season had been a most
disastrous one for theatrical managers
throughout the country, he supplemented
the statement by saying that the only
companies which made money were those
presenting high class plays in high class
towns and eXacting high prices of adj
mission.
Perhaps Butte may not be exactly a
s'high class town." compared with 9TH
ers older, richer and larger. But sizing
up the attendance at the Grand when
cheap shows We're staged and comparing
it with those presenting high class
plays at high class prices, one must con-
Clude that the box Office receipts offer the
best proofs that Butte is high class
town from the dramatic standpoint.
Mr. Sutton must have reached the
same conclusion, and with the instinct of
the dramatic manager has resolved to
profit by recent observation and past
experience. Our theater-goers will be
treated to realistic literary banquet
during the next two months lat least.
Dramatic renditions of the hest novels
Written by famous authors will be pre-
scented by people fully able to interpret
the story and turn every point in the
play to advantage. Every person who
has read Hall Caine's novel Is not sat-
iefied until he has seen its characters
walk and talk on the stage. The same
desire will move the readers Of Anthony
Hope and other men of fame in the
world of fiction.
Monday night at the Grand. the first
presentation Of The Christian" will N