The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-24
ADJUSTMENTS
Jefferson de Angels In "a Royn
Rogue mt the metropolitan.

L s
The position Of comic opera comedian is
i no sinecure. II the holder thereof is not
rlstricken with nervous prostration, he. is GER
y tain to become after. a season or two a.
n trained athlete And Jefferson De Angels
\ has been at it3so long that he no longer has
nerves and his muscles must vie with those
4 OF the village blacksmith, He comes this
year In "a new role funnier II possible and
certainly more trying than any Of it's prede--
. cessors Once he has made his explosive en-
trance he is always the vortex of a nfaelstrom
4 OF laughter. There was never more ill-
4 defangable nor a more resourceful fun maker
than De Angels. His fertility In devlsing by
play and business would suffice to clothe
4 even the leanest role And as he has the
4 "fattest" one possible, the result is almost
i a surfeit. Any other comedian would, in
i ;deed, be tiresome, but De Angels beguiles
lone into renewed helplessness by some un-
Hooked for absurdity at the precise moment
when boredom seems imminent. Blessed with
a Ia fairly good voice and understanding well
4 how to articulate, hescan sing topical song
intmitably and top it off with an altogether
Impossible dance, furnishing a convulsivant
4 variation for each encore.
"a Royal Rogue" affords Mr. De Angels
SIeyery opportunity for the display Of his
i VERSATILITY. Charles Klein has supplied a
hbretto full Of those troubles that are in
Indispensable to the operate fun-maker. The
I.story is absurd enough, but 1T has the vital
Espark Of interest to sustain it to the end
fThe score furnished by William r. Francis
has the merits1of being tuneful and gingery,
If not impressive, and although not richly
istudded with vocal gems. yet presents sew
eral that are melcdic and contagious.
4 The star So completely monopoizes the
1 stage that the comparative inferiority Of the
Isupporting company is not so great defect
! as it otherwise would be. 1t would seem,
however, as if Mr.. De Angels generous and
I,admiring clientele was entitled to better
Treatment especially as there is no danger
that his luster' could be dimmed by the dis
play of greater vocal talent+in support. The
company is noticeably weak in feminine
voices, none of the, principals being at all
Igifted. Henry Norman, Of DOGGY Man
fame, has pleasing barytone Of limited rangs
and earns applause by his songs devoted to
the delights of the, table,. He is the leader
Of revolutionary society known as the
Chapeau Rouge, though judging from the
color of the members headgear it should be
u rechristened the Chapeau Noir Charles Dun
gan and Frank M. Kelley, his comrades, have
81 fair voices but not much opportunity to dis
: play them. John Dudley, who has the tenor
role, gives occasional evidence that he could
a sing If he hal chance, but he is too busy
} 1being a ninny, role in which he is fairly
Isuccessful Edmund Lawrence plays a much
subdued and subordinated comic character
with good judgment. Helen Byron plays the
royal rogue's daughter with an airy grace
that goes far toward compromising for hel
, inability to sing. She dances ninbly ani
e daintily. Gertrude Mackenzie in her one
lsong exhibits a rather sweet, pure soprano
without much strength and act; well hel
T comparatively unimportant part. 'Adella Par
ker, the ambitious and susceptible widow
/ ther rival for the hand of the rogue, is prin.
tcipally valuable for her embonpoint Will.
:. Adine Bowler and Alice Maude Poole, as tn
:; 1.-TWO scheming variety girls are acceptable a.
actresses, but their voices are inadequate
, lone being weak and the other of unpleasant
l. Equality.
The whole performance is singrlarly cea3
3 Land free from anything Objectionable and
: brilliant audience that completely filled tn,
thouse enjoyed it thoroughly. The acces
t lsories were everything that could be desired
9iand Mr.. De Angels gave the whole illiI
), lof personal interest by one of his clever cur
:, Itain speeches, i'll which, far from appearing
| Lin his own proper person, he did quite al
imuch acting as in the play.
ell w. B.. Chamberlain.