The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-21
ADJUSTMENTS
Dc Wolf Hopper In. tMr. PicI<wck" at the
2 Metropolitan.


I Metropolitan. -"
Any attempt to call to life on the stage
some OF tn myriad characters that sprang
from the FERTILE fancy OF Charles Dickens
is interesting. His men and women, carl
catures though most Of them are, seem
very real and very human to his readers
TO put them on the stage and breathe into
them the breath Of dramatic life does not
seem a difficult task-until it is tried
Then 1t becomes evident that, though the
characters are ready to the adapter's
hand, all fashioned and even pictured by
the Dtckensian Illustrators, 1t is not SO
easy to give them a play. The Dickens
story battles the playwright It refuses
utterly to lie upon his Procrustean bed
and be stretched out or sawed off to fit.
It has remained for Charles Klein, a
clever librettist, to appropriate some Of
the characters in "Pickwick Papers and
thrust them into what is called-any other
classification being impossible--"a musical
production Without making any pre-
tense of constructing play, Mr. Klein
has succeeded in translating several of
the absurdly laughable adventures of Mr..
PickWick and his club to the stage with
highly entertaining results. To be sure,
it does seem a bit incongruous3 when the
Pickwick club bursts into song and other
comic operate things occur, but the
music is good and it is well sung. Man
Grant Stewart has furnished to some
lifting melodies and ringing harrnonies
that are very pleasing. And thus, "Mr.
Fickwick," though 1t would fall far short
Of satisfying a Dickens enthusiast, is
merrily contrived to entertain large au-
diences.
AS for the chief character the legs are
the legs Of Pickwick but the voice is the
voice of De Wof Hopper. It is possible
that il Mr.. Hopper tried very hard to be
some one else for a few hours on the
stage he could do it; but he never has
done it, and since in his own proper per-
son he is an exceedingly funny and en-
PERTAINING fellow, nobody is seriously dis
appointed because Of his lack Of a talent
for impersonation. His Pickwick make
up is a. marvellous success. In spite of his
great height, which one might expect to
disqualify him for the pudgy and pom
derous president, he gets himself up to
look exactly as if he had stepped out Of
an illustration in "Pickwick Papers," But
he capers about In a. manner that would
have shocked the real Mr.. Pickwick mex
pressibly, and continually cracks very
Hopperesque jokes.
Digby Bell plays Sam Weller quite in
character and realizes that SNUG young
person with delicious JUNCTION. Perhaps
LondOner would detect a. telltale nasal
twang in his dialect, but for us he is
Sammy nlInSelI come 10 llIe hairy NOT
man, big Of voice and figure as ever, plays
Tony Weller with a good nature that even
sad experience with "vidders'' cannot un
seat. Grant Stewart, besides making the
lyrics plays Alfred Jingle capitally. It is
an impersonation of that graceless vaga-
bond with genius for love-making de-
serving Of unreseryed praise. Laura
Joyce Bell adds another fine piece of work
as Mrs. Bardell to this remarkably strong
cast. AS the nemesis of Pickwick she
leaves nothing to be desired. Marguerite
Clark makes petite and quite 1rresisti
BILE Polly, dancing and singing her way
into every heart. The Arabella is Louise
Cunning and, in spite Of a habit that
singers fall into Of conscious appeal to the
audience, she pleases with her really art
istic singing. The other characters, such
as the Fat Boy of Guy H. Bartlette, the
Mr.. Wardle Of J. K. Adams, the Wrinkle
Of Louis Payn and the Miss Wardle of
Grace Fisher, are well done.
|, The production in short is merrily
wholesome. The stage effects, the cos
TUNES and ALL the accessories are well
conceived and executed and the ensembles
are strong and effective. s4;n.s -. 49,
l.i w. 3. Chamberlain.