The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-25
DANIELS AT THEATRE
FUNNY LITTLE COMEDIAN AND
miss SIMPLICITY"
Large Audience Enjoyed Excellent
Musical Comedy Presented by
Good Company-Scenery and
Appurtenances Adequate.

Frank Daniels has just cause to be
proud Of his Montgomery reception. In
Montgomery there Is a well grounded
opinion that Daniels is the best and fun
NEST exponent of musical comedy on the
American stage.
His admirers gathered at the Montgom.
cry Theatre last night In hundreds te
laugh and to applaud. And provocatior
was given them both for laughter and
applause. From first to last Frank Dan.
iels and his assistant entertainers were
delightful. Music, motion. laughter and
color were most satisfactorily blended ir
Miss Simplicity" He who does not fee
that he got his moneys worth in last
nights theatrical bill Of fare will never
be satisfied.
Daniels's fun-making methods defy
analysis. He is in comedy simply an art.
list. a genius He Is funny naturally and
artistically. His fun Is spontaneous. II
bubbles up freely, q veritable well-sprins
of comedy.
He is and this simple truth does him
honor. far above the slop stick and knock
about style of fun-making. He does not
descend to gymnastics or take part In
any assault and battery business. because
he does not have to. He Is funny just
because he can't help 1t.
In Miss Simplicity he appears as
Blossoms" formerly a car conductor.
but when the play opens valet to an
English nobleman. Philip Montfort. Mont
fort. by some vagaries of fortune, is
named as the ruler of the three-acre king
dom described by one of the characters
in the play as being just large enough
to lay out an eighteen-hole golf course.
Montfort, on his arrival at Sauterelle.
falls in love with Clair de Loinville, a
noblewoman disguised as beggar maid.
He refuses to accept the crown and, un-
known to the people of Sauterelle puts
Blossoms his man. in his place.
AS the ruler of the unique little king
dom. Daniels has splendid opportunity for
the display of his genius. And after all
is not the ability to make people laugh
spontaneous in comedy as great gift as
to make them feel sincerely the pathos
of tragedy?
From the time the great little comedian
appeared on the stage in a realistic rep
resentation of a run away automobile
until the curtain went down upon him
laying aside the troublous duties of his
rulership of the little three-acre kingdom
he had his audience In a roar of laughter
His fun was so natural, so matter of fact
yet so full of surprises that the audience
was continually alternating between
laughter and applause.
1t Is said that the line which divides
the sublime from the ridiculous, the line
which stands between bathos and pathos
Is extremely narrow, but Daniels knows
full well it's location. If ridicule were
like Louterville a three-acre kingdom
then indeed would Daniels be king.
With the confidence in his own ability
that bears no competition he has sur
rounded himself with an excellent sup
porting company. without the star the
organization could give a meritorious per-
formance.
First of all an excellent chorus has been
provided for Miss Simplicity" 1t Is
large. good looking and well dressed.
Above all else the singers can sing. The
chorus scored.
In John Wheeler. Daniels has with him
a very clever comedian. In fun-makng
he stood second only to the star. He
was one of the favorites of the evening.
Frank Turner portrayed Philip Montforl
most attractively. Turner is of good
presence sings we'll and he is an actor.
The feminine contingent was especially
clever. Grace Orr Meyers as Clair de
Iionville carried off the honors that come
to the feminine members of the company.
She has a beautiful stage presence and
sang extremely well.
The stage settings were new. handsome
and appropriate.