The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-10
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st. Paul has not forgotten 1.-THE Prin-
cess Cnlc, that delightful musical sur
prise of last season which returned to
the ACKNOWLEDGMENT hight for weeks
run. One of the largest Sunday houses
OF the season gave the favorite a royal
greeting on it's return. Such tribute
OF continuous laughter and applause has
seldom been bestowed upon a like produc-
ton. As on the occasion of the first
visit, the crowd was wholly carried
away with the contagious spirit of the
sparkling comedy. "The Princess Chic"
is the most entertaining and delicious
comedy production that has visited st.
Paul this season It does not come with
the trumpet blarings which heralded the
approach of several other comic operas.
1t makes no pretensions. This is where
it both surprises and delights
Real humor in comic opera is a rare
thing in these modern days when the ad-
vertising man "cuts so wide a swath.''
'The Princess Chic" is charged with
real humor. Think of it, a comic opera
being actually funny without pretending
to- be! This is virtue not to be light
ly passed over.
printed in colored letters in the record
books, but he did a worthy thing when
he wrote 1.-THE Princess Chic The book
is bright, sparkling, moving; its at
moSphere is sweet and clean, veritab1e
tonic to the hay-fevered theatergoer
choked with the dry dust of useless
make believe. The music is well in keep
ing with the book, catchy, buoyant, ire
sistible.
The play is a winner because it is all
action. There is always something do
ing" There is no talkiness in it. There
are no footnotes to it to inaugurate con-
troversy. If you begin to link about
it are Jared in the ribs with ar on
slaught of merriment: attempt to
measure its meaning and you are tripped
by sly witticism. 1t was not written
to make you think. but to make you
laugh, and it fulflls it's mission perfect
ly. If "a merry heart doeth good like a
medicine then, indeed, is Princess
Chic public benefactor, for it con-
tributes wholly to merriness of heart.
Within it's limitations 1.-The Princess
Chic" is almost faultless It's equipment
| is certainly perfect The scenic accesso-
ries are Ill that the eye demands The
chorus is far above the average. The
coStuming is elaborate and artistic. The
company gives every evidence of being
most excellently drilled.
L LlG COuIpdHy IS composed OF ola IdVOr-
| ties. Maude Lillian Berri, the new
Princess Chic, was certainly all that
| could be desireu. She exemplified the
| spirit of the part; her buoyancy and
I abandon were infectious. She has a sweet
I appealing voice ana a charming, winsome
| manner. In form and figure, in bearing
| and in personal grace, in repose and in
| action, she was an ideal Princess Chic
| A right royal princess, indeed.
/ Mr. Thomas G. bas
the bulk of the comedy element, was as
good as ever. When he first appeared
| he was given a vociferous greeting Ii
| any man can be funnier in more natural
| way, he has not yet appeared in these
parts. Mr. --eary is a genius of his kind
and there are too few in the world like
| him. He kept the audience convulsed all
| the time he was on the stage.
| The Songs N Princess Chic are above
/ the average. 1.-THE Story Book Song" by
| Frederick Knights and Edna Floyd; 1.-The
LoveGight in Your Eyes" by Dorothy
Hynting; the "Nymph Song" by Miss
| Berri, were all received with the old
[ time fervor The hit of the evening was
| How Are We to Know.?" sung in q
most ridiculously funny manner by
! Leary, Lawrence, Metcalfe and MCNEIL
They were called back eight times.
| The trio, Soldiers of Fortune" by Lea
/ ry, Lawrence and Metcalfe, also took the
mouse by storm. Too much praise cannot
| be spoken for w. A Lawrence and I'D
ward s.. Metcalfe, who represented the
| two Soldiers of Fortune Their work
! throughout was of very high order.
'Ihe Anvil Chorus" at the beginning
! OF the third act, was one of the finest
+ things Of the evening, and it was nee
essary to repeat it four times before ne
audience would subside
| The entire company is excellent and
| 1t would be difficult to point out weak
ness. 1t would certainly be ungracious
TO ind fault of any kind with a perform
ance which so completely fulills it's whole
mission.
1t would be out of place to describe
the performance more. 1t is sufficient to
say that 1t fine, clean, wholesome. de-
nghttul thing. If a person would forget
the Hight Of time. let him go to the
= princess Chic" The man who sees if
VIII surely be better citizen for it.
one very ragged tramp, at times anus
ing usually very tiFesome, a somnambr-
Iist accused of numbering his father
the thrilling rescue of a precious mite
by the tramp from a burning farm
mouse, ard the midnight express tagged
IN TIME to save the heroine who has
pressed into service bob sled to carry
a governors reprieve to her condemned
brother-this is the combination that
/ A
Hero" to exist
The attraction opened a week at the
Grand last night, and, for it's first ap-
pearance, drew a big audience For
the gods the play was feast, ana
/ It's devotees divided their time between
hurting maleGictions at the villain and
cheering the hero to the echo.
Unless it be the many climaxes so
characteristic of melodrama, the play
tO II l.
on an impossibility, and is barely res
cued from the slough of mediocrity by
one or two scenes that have a glmmer
of life and lend Shadowy interest to
the plot.
Edgar Foreman as Willie Wildhower,
holds the center of the stage in "A Rag
ged Hero 1t was evidently built for
Kim, for he is in evidence in nearly ev-
cry scene. Mr.. Foreman is versatile,
occasionally funny and manages to make
fairly good a character that is hamper
ed by bad support.
Miss Julia West is the heroine of sew
eral thrilling situations that go to make
up the attraction. Of the female part of
the east she is best. Miss West puts
life into her work and helps some to
redeem a cast that is undeniabIy weak
Another character worthy Of mention
is that of Feb Judlzins, by Charles T.
Maroney. Joseph SelFnan depicts the
villain and call down on his head the
unGiSguiSed contempt of the gallery in
the shape OF liberal groans and Kisses.
There is some very good scenery, and
g Song or two by Mr. Foreman. The
attraction will he seen at the Grand the
remainder of the week, with the usual
matinees.
Fred Twins big show opened with all
of the available space occupied at the