Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-05-14

SHOW A LIVELY ONE
Perley's chaperons Scores
Great Hit at the illinois
Theatre.
LARGE AND STRONG COMPANY
Choral society's Concert Tomorrow
N"' Hhnford Com
ing.

The Chaperons,'' presented by
Frank l.. Perley's superb singing or
ganization al the Illinois theatre last
evening. is about the liveliest comedy
that has held the boards in Rock Is
land i'm recent years, Astounding in
funny men, pretty women, exquisite
costumes and elaborate stage set
;ings. Withal. il is performance of
the first class, one rarely seen outside
the larger cities. Indicating that Rock
island has come to be regarded
among managers as n town that il
does not pay to pass up when making
bookings for the good things. The
audience last night comfortably fill
ed the theatre, many coming from
Davenport and Moline. 1t is the first
season for The Chaperons," for had
people here known it was the show
Il turned out to be standing room
would have been at n premium before
the doors opened. The comedy has
no plot TO speak of, but il does not
need any when i'm the hands of such
an excellent east as seen here-HarrY
Conor impersonating Adam Hogg.
pork packer; Walter Jones, Algernon
O'Shaughnessy; George X. Hcnery,
Hogg's valet; Joseph C.. Miron, he
with the big voice, as Signor Ricardo
Bassini; Edd Roadway, Schnitzel, and
Albert harrington, Tom Schuyler.
rriXie Friganza was Il typical chap
eron, while Nellie Follis was dainty
and winsome as Violet SmilaX. but
the sensation of the performance is
Eva Tanguay, who essays the role of
Phrosia. an admirer of Old Sleuth.
This little woman, who is pretty of
face and figure. and agile as an eel.
wins her audience from her first en-
trance. Her hit, however. is in the
singing of MY Sambo." in the second
act. She was recalled several times.
The principals all scored personally.
Hanrord as PetruchIo.
1t is gratifying to know that the
public taste is once more inclined to-
ward Shakespeare. Never in the his
tory of the United States have the
plays of the Bard of Avon been as
popular as now. This popularity has
brought into greater prominence
than ever the few remaining stars of
the classical drama who have nobly
SAOod Nv iilt sup
when the storms of farce comedy
and bowling melodrama threatened
its destruction. Conspicuous among
this faithful band is Charles Il. Han
ford. Perhaps no other actor in
America has scored as many sue
ceSses i'm the legitimate field either
individually or in injunction with
other well known stars. In fact Mr..
IIanford may be said to be the link
the ShakeSpeariau eras
of the past and present in this coun-
try; for i'm the past his name was
deemed worthy tn be coupled with
such illustrious actors as Edwin
Booth. Lawrence Barrett and Thomas
w. Keene, while several of the lead
ing artists of the present day have
stellar honors with Mr.. Han
ford. An honor which no living actor
except MIR. Hanford in this country
has enjoyed was his appearance with
Edwin Booth and Lawrence Barrett
in role equally as important as
their own. This was his good for
tune i'm the revival of Julius Caesar"
when he played Mare Antony with
Booth as Brutus and Barrett as the
lean and hungry Cassius. Was
there ever a more brilliant triumvir
ate of stars than this? No jealousy
existed in that famous combination
and honors were evenly shared. 1t
was Mr.. Hanford's privilege also to
appear with Edwin Booth when that
eminent actor produced The Tanning
of the Shrew." Mr.. Hanford was Mr..
understudy and on several oc-
casions when the great tragedian was
i'll he played Petruchio to the entire
of the audiences. These
are of particular import
ance in view of the present revival of
The Tanning of the Shrew," in which
Mr. Hanford will essay the role of Pc
thus fulfilling the prophecy
of Edwin Booth, who predicted for
him n shining success in the charac-
ter. Mr.. Hanford, in Mr.. Booths esti-
combined all the qualities
necessary for the many-sided per
sonality of Petruchio. In his inn
personation the lover who tames the
shrewish katherine is by no means
a servile imitation of Booths. Mr..
Hanford and splendid company, in
GLIDING Marie Drofnah and Owen
Fawcett, will present Shakespeare
merriest play at the Illinois next
Concert Tomorrow Evening.
Two hundred and fifty voices will
be heard at the Illinois theatre to-
morrow evening in the initial concert
of the Rock Island Choral society.
which is to have the assistance as
soloists of w. C.. +. Seebeck, the
noted Chicago pianist, and Miss Har-
riet Chopper, a young lady who re-
sided for a number of years in Rock
Island and secured her vocal train
ing IN Chicago. There should be a
full house to greet the chorus and
thereby encouraging fur