The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-16


! last night, one of the most fashiona BILE
audiences ever assembled in Minneapolis
was expressing uproarious approval of
the play as presented by the Roosevelt
Marching club.
When the curtain first arose displaying
a stage full-peoped with picturesuuely
costumed. Morse peasants there was a
genteel outburst Of applause in recogni-
ton of the beautiful picture. and straight
way the onlookers set themselves to pene-
trate the feminine make-ups and to note
the bearing of certain we'll known society
men. -
But when the six ski girls quietly
formed in line at the rear and with locked
arms. came charging down upon the foot :
lights with the grace and abandon of vet
eran coryphees. curiosity gave way to
surprise and the audience roared It was
the first dance of the evening. and would
nave excited but passing interest in a
professional operate company but under
| the circumstances its very excellence ad-
ded to the incOngruitY. In way this
dance was the keynote of the entire ger
tormance 1t was all so good so well fin
lshed and so clever that the wonder grew
with each changing situation. Brilliant
costumes. artistic stage pictures, refined
comedy, catchy songs and graceful dances
more than pleased the clubs patrons and
at the same time told the story of three
months painstakng work Not the least
remarkable feature of the achievement
was the fact that the club did not have to
go outside its ranks for a single perform
er. And it was an all star cast.
1T was smooth sailing and fair weather
Tor Left Ericsson and his fearless crew
from the rise to the final drop of the cur
tain. There has been no more brilliant
assemblage in the history of Minneapolis
than that which witnessed the production
Ihe theater was crowded from pit to dome
anu many were forced to- remain standing
throughout the performance. The audi
ence was so enthusiastic in its apprec;a
ton OF the thrilling exploits of the valiant
band of Norsemen that they got hand"
whenever opportunity offered The result
was an almost continual round Of applause
throughout the performance.
Formally Was Lacking,
While it was a strictly evening dress
audience. it was happily lacking in anv of
the rigid formality which might have
'nar'cteFl1ed such a gathering. Every
one IN the house held a nice appreciation
OF the difficulties under which the seventy
odd and even tempered young men in the
cast laoored in putting on the piece.
Inc female lmperSonators were the big
MT or the show. and SO cleverly did they
take On both the clothes and manners of
the gentler sex that it was hard to be-
lleve they were actingRa part. The imi-
tatlon was so good that had thev apneared
IN the chorus of professional company,
their good looks and coauetrys would have
won them unstintechSapp applause. The audi
cnce had difficulty in finally picking out
us acquaintance on the stage and the
lnal discovery of the Individual beneat tn
the makeup and the articles of the cos
tuner added all the more zest to the oc-
caSiOn. ..E.r.r.
The Bright Stars,
There were three girls in the bevy of
beauties who attracted particular atten-
-tlon. not only by their exceptional good
looks, but because they played leading
parts Frank Lane, as Sylvia and, Harry
Stuart, as Nodo Woodmarry, divided hon
orS In their respective roles. Their clever
dances and the attentions continually be-
slowed upon them by numerous ardent
suitors fairly brought down the house.
Dan Whlttlesey. as Miss Cora Doolittle
was perhaps the best looking girl
among them all. Clad in red sweater
ana the other .accOutrements of the basket
pail girl. he bore a strong resemblance
to Eva Tanguay. the dynamo soubrette"
of the Chaperons. .r
tne Of the best characters in the play
IS that OF Roy Pearse as 0. 7. S. Toburn
the Chicago Wheat king.
Local Hits Appreciated.
The local hits which we're cleverly in
terspersed through the dialogue we're
hugely appreciated by the audience. In
the role of Will E. Pinch captain of the
'Nlcollet avenue beauties" L. P. North
ways allusion to Norm King as
|.spotter of spoilers town." convulsed
the audience Another nit was the STAN
ley Hall yell by Left and Tyrker which
created a lovely pink commotion in the
box where the Stanley Hall girls sat.
w. d. Morse, as Left Ericsson. was the
strong. central figure of the piece and he
save to the part a robust mpersOnation
and a rich barytone which evoked re-
peated encores. John Shaw. as Tippering
Try Tyrker, Leif's confidant. with his
merry, chirping voice, supplied great
deal OF the comedy of the piece and kept
it from becoming serious whenever the
lines seemed to read that way. His
never failing observation, eve need the
money came in very pat on all oc-
caslons. and otherwise he interpreted his
part like a born comedian
Another part which required marked
versatility was the dual role assumed by
Phil Brooks, who played Olaf in the first
act and Triptolemus B. Arnstromer in
Thespian to whom every one was to be
privileged to be angel to me play he
had the audience going every moment he
occupied the stage. He mimcked Henry
Irving to perfection and did SO in decid-
eddy original serio-cornic way.
One Of the very best characters in the
play is that assumed by Bob Gale as
Sweyn, the dumb waiter. W. T. Moffett,
as Sigurd, the suitess sutton, who has
q rafI CT
good voice and acquitted himself credit
ably.
The Chappies Chorus.
Harry Stuart's singing of my AMI
mated Sunbeam in the last act is one
of the best things in the performance,
which is plentifuly interspersed with
musical gems. He executed the dance
with rare grace and we'll support ed
by the 'chappies,' 7. Dyer, A. w. Strong,
R. G. Gale and S. D.. Andrews.
G. Pillsbury was a genuine Britisher,
and his song, II Am a Duke of Old
Britain was one Of the best things. His
drawl and other affectations We're an ex-
cellent copy Of the original.
One of the cleanest-cut acts was that
Of l.. P. Northway and his Broadway
squad "on Nicollet avenue duty In adj
dition to the song Mr.. Northway executed
nimbe dance which he has picked up
entirely since he began rehearsing for
the part.
w. P. Smith, the barytone, won geper-
Gus applause in his fine rendition as
Bjarne of the stirring song, "a Swell of
the Sea Am L.
Other characters which were we'll taken
We're those of Professor Hasafad, c. S.
Gale; Professor A. B. Struse, Edgar Han
son; Brayton Byron, as Count Touch
Uhard; F. W. Pepper, as Countess Uhard,
and 7. S. Ingersoll, as PO-KO-Hok-It the