The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-22
- AT ST. PAUL
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While the audience played what
Billie Baxter would term ELIZA cross
ing the river" music, tall, lean man,
with a quantity Of gray hair, scurried
up and down the aisles of the Met
ropolitan theater last night giving
proofs Of what he was pleased to term
Mahatma-for so the tall, lean man
styles himself-also entertained his
good-sized audience with some cabinet
and table knocking tests. Except for
it's brevity the entire exhibition was
very similar to other exhibitions of
it's kind that appear at the theaters
from time to- time to bewilder the
credulous and amuse the incredulous.
He stated as an excuse for the brew
1ty of his entertainment the fact that
his assistant was not with him. The
first part of the exhibition was devot-
ed to mind-reading tests. A commit
tee of six men, of which w. L. Perkins
was the chairman, was selected from
the audience to aid the professor in
his demonstrations. DR.. Schiffmann
aided in one of these tests. He was
called to the stage and asked to fix
his mind on some man in the audience.
The professor then seized his hand,
made a few passes in the air with
his disengaged hand, then hurried
down the aisle in company with Dr.
Schiffmann and picked out the man
the doctor had been thinking Of The
entertainment closed with a cabinet
trick that child could easily have de-
tected 1t was a poor climax, for his
other tricks had the merit Of clever
ness at least.
'"The Wizard of o." the biggest
spectacular extravaganza that has
been presented in this country for
many years, will begin an engagement
or one week at the Metropolitan opera
house tonight. This show comes here
direct from the Grand opera house in
Chicago, where it closed a three
months run last Saturday evening.
The production will be seen here COM
plete in every detail, with the original
cast, chorus and auXiliaries, and the
same magnificent scenic embellish-
ment that has delighted Chicago thea
tergoers for the past three months.
"The Wizard of Or is a modern
fairy story set to music, presented in
three acts, comprising eight scenes.
The story opens on a Kansas farm,
which is struck by a cyclone and
whirled away to Fairyland, where the
heroine, little Dorothy Gale meets
many strange creatures. Scene is the
country of Munchkins, in which Doro-
thy encounters the ScarecroW, the
Lady Lunatic, the Witch of the North
and many other wonderful people. In
Scene Dorothy meets the CoWardly
Lion and the Tin Woodman, as we'll as
the Poppy Queen and her court, and
JXritI ha
ton of Poppy Field from summer to
winter. In the following scenes the
little heroine has a most bewildering
series of adventures and finds her visit
to fairyland decidedly exciting.
A company of more than 100 people
is necessary for the presentation of
"The Wizard of o." The curtain will
rise promptly at o'clock every night
this week, and the matinees will begin
at p. m.
"Thc Night Before Christmas"
which scored such hit with lovers Of
the drama during it's run in st. Paul
last season, opened a weeks engage
ment at the Grand last night to a.
crowded house. The charming pas
toral drama has lost none of it's power
of awakening and sustaining interest
throughout, and the thrilling situa-
SAOA$Ot
comedy, did not pail upon those who
had upon previous occasion wit
messed the performance
The play is one of a number of re-
cent productions, which treat Of rural
life and rural characters in manner
which wins ready appreciation from
the public. The real tone of country
life, so hard to depict without the I'M
reality Of burleSque, Is portrayed by
the cast with remarkable fidelity and
justice. Nothing is overdone nor too
little done for the exact effect aimed
at in. the movement Of the play. The
comedy parts do not obtrude upon the
more serious, save where some CLEAN
is necessary to Tighten the strain of
some strenuous development. The
tense and exciting situations are we'll
sustained and unmarried by overacting,
so painful to the audience on such
occasions.
The scene Is laid In rural Ohio the
home of adroit politicians, as we'll as
Of a number Of delightful characters
depicted in this play. The plot con-
tains the usual love story and the
Vaccinations Of the villain, but Is re-
lieved here by an enjoyable variation.
The singing speciality introduced by
Alice, Emily and Eva Clifton, as Char
ity Smith, Ruby Carlton and Lewellyn
Carlton, is one Of the most charming
parts OF the drama The part of
Charity is remarkably well taken by
Miss Alice Clifton, and in the case of
none Of the players do the parts fail Of
a proper portrayal.
The Al Reeves company is an ag-
gregation of talent that is new to Star
patronsa Two big houses welcomed
the company yesterday and went away
apparently we'll satisfied with the per-
Torrance. Musically the show is not
as strong as the one last week, but in
every other respect 1t is superior. The
indications are that no burlesque will
be complete without the "Pinky Panky
Poo" song from 1.-THE Defenders" The
chorus last week sang it and the
the chorus sings it this week. How
ever, it is a pretty bit when properly
staged and will wear we'll There are
two first-ciass features in the olio and
number of other good turns.
There Is little doubt that first
money" belongs to MaZuZ and Masett
in 1.-THE Brakeman and the Tramp"
The woman Of the team Is a physical
marvel and the man is an acrobatic
comedian who would make a dyspep-
tic laugh. His comedy is as good as
his gymnastics Another clever act is
by Andy Lewis and company and Is
called "'The Cocaine Fiend." Lewis
makeup and impersonation Of the
fiend is splendid and has the hall
mark, or, one might say, arm marks of
the real dream-drug consumer. Miss
Louise Auber in illustrated songs, the
American quartette and AL Reeves. an
expert banjoist, complete the olio. The