The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-07
MUSIC AND DRAMA.

Police Matron.
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
''Pickings from Puck comes to the
Crawford on Wednesday, September 10
and is sure 70 be a hit. The following
is from the Kansas City Journal of Au-
gust 25:
"Pickings from Puck" was made to
please, to win laughter, to drive away
the blues. II was not intended to be taken
seriously; the plot is the slenderest kind
of a thread, upon which are strung lot
of amusing situations. many jokes, good,
bad and Indifferent, and some jingling,
catchy music, songs and dances. Hardly
uproariously funny, yet chock full Of
laughter that is won about as,legitimately
as is ever done in entertainments Of the
class 1t went with a vim last night. and
appeared to catch from the very first.
The rows of shapely girls in abbreviated
clothes, after their first dance and song,
were recalled; and so was almost every
speciality that was introduced along until
the curtain went down on the last act.
1t is several years since Mr.. Simms. upon
whom fell most of the responsibility as a
fun-maker, has been seen in Kansas City.
But he is pretty likely to be remembered
in future very kindly. What he does he
appears to do with naturalness and ease
and there is a spontaneity about his play
ing that is refreshing. He made excellent
use OF rather novel means of provok-
ing laughter in taking the paperhanger's
occupation. 1t was an amusing bit Of
work as was also his impersonatiOn of a
belle in the kitchen in the last act
Miss Linyard is, perhaps. better known
to the local theater goers. and her i'm
personation of the queen of the burlesque
was pleasing enough to win her more ad-
rnirers. Trusting Heart" in the second
act, was well sung, and her song with
Mr. Simms, 1.-The Opera" was well re-
ceived
As Elder Slocum Mr.. Lucier did some
very entertaining speciality work His
violin playing led to repeated encores
Miss Bell made pretty and sprightly
Gertie Gumdrop and she and the shapely
girls who sang Ping Pong Girls and
The Lily of the Nile" were many times
recalled. Miss Shoemaker was well re-
ceived as the lone widow, as also was
Miss Beauford-Lucier as her only daugh-
ter The girls in the chorus were rather
pretty and wore their clothes, which were
somewhat scant and of many changes,
effectively.
THE BOSTON BIJOU COMPANY
The Geisha," which for want Of bet
ter terms is styled comic opera, rightly
belongs TO that class OF musical comedy
entertainment which made FIorodora, The
Runaway Girl and other colossal sue
cesses It is what might be called more Of
an operate comedy, inasmuch as the
abundance of horseplay comedy, vaude-
vile specialties etc, have a tendency to
remove its purpose several degrees from
legitimate comic opera; and yet It must
not be included that on account of the
light order of comedy which THE Geisha'
invested in the work is deficient from any
other serious aspect Furthermore, it
must be borne in mind that the music
which is a composition Of Paul Jones,
is classed among the most popular COM
posers of late years. The management
as secured the above company for two
nights.
The story of the opera is the story of
a tea store in Japan, with its singing
girls. visited by officers and members of
the English warship. one Of the adven-
turous English girls dons the disguise of
one Of the Geisha girls In the tea house,
which is ordered TO close. and the prop
erty. including the Geisha girls, to be
sold at auction to satisfy the lord may
or's fancy. The English girl is sold to the
ruler of the burg and ordered TO become
his wife. but is finally rescued from his
hands by a series OF ridiculous situations
and restored to her friends on the war
ship.
The situations are most enjoyable and
funny in all that can be funny. the humOr
being Of the irresistible kind which posi-
lively prevents anyone from keeping a
sober face The music is of high order.
and the kind that clings lovingly to the
memory.
Miss Lane and Mr.. Murray have splen-
did opportunities to please with their ar
tistic and captivating songs. solos and
duets. while Miss Ladd holds her honors
well as The Geisha." Mr.. J. :. Murray
as the Chinese owner of the tea house
is most side-splitting creation on the
whole the performance IS bound 20 be
success-a beautiful production and an ar
tstic attraction from the start to the
finish. and the people are guaranteed en-
joyment and satisfaction.
on Tuesday night the same company
viii present The Highwayman."