The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-04-22
Gn~ wtiWeSTS BIG MlNSTRELS


police commssioners--to keep the crowd
back But this writer would not venture
such suggestion lest he be mlsunder-
stood and taken seriously. Jokes on
minstrel and jokes by minstrel are
probably two very different things from
the point OF view OF the minstrel, at least.
The minstrel is likely 20 fail TO see the
laugh In your joks--if for no other rea-
son than sheer revenge tor your failure
10 occasionally neglect to see the joke in
the minstrefs Joke.
We have pretty fancy. by the way,
that, when the minstrel dies and goes to
heaven. II will be his celestial sphere TO
sit I'm crowd by himself and enjoy fu-
tile attempts on the part OF the other
angels. who wouldn't laugh at him In the
good old days, on the planet 10 try 10
make him laugh.
But this is diversion just as Minstrel
sy is, itself. u is the purpose OF this
triter, as I'm duty bound ON Tuesdays. 10
write his little write about the West Min
strei Show. the only thing OF the kind
that we have had during the season, a
season OF much variety but. until last
night quite incomplete by reason of the
lack Of. at least one minstrel show. The
season is now complete.
We have only got as far as the band.
the minstrel band that plays I'm front OF
the theatre true 10 the ancient and classic
tradition that the high card for drawing
folks in 10 see the show Is 10 wind up
the band and set II agoing in front of the
opera house.
No one who heard that band hast even
ing could have failed TO feel good that
there are some things that an effete civ
liza ton cannot destroy--and that We were
up against tho real thing.
Being still young i'm years. II not I'm
spirit. our memory goes only back to
~ tl.as
Dougherty, Wild. barney and Mack band.
We never saw the show inside for reasons
that are quite unnecessary, and would
only be painfuN 10 recall. But we both
saw and heard the band. And when We
turned into Dorrance street last evening,
and heard the West Minstrel band band
ing vigorously, our heart warmed to that
band and We were glad that we were go-
ing TO the show-for auld lang syne.
Incidentally, we doubt IL there is any
evidence to demonstrate that the minstrel
band ever draws ANYBODY into the thea
tire. on the contrary, we should say that
no such mercenary design prompts the
playing of the band.
Minstrel men are men OF sentiment.
They revere their ancestors and
their traditions like those 9TH
er people OF changeless temperaments, the
Chinese. And the playing Of the band rs
a tribute thereto and Is calculated TO re-
move all doubts In the minds OF the cred
ulous that the particular minstrel show
is not masquerading under that name TO
fool people into getting up against any
other dramatized book or "A problem play.
The minstrel band as IL exists today is
an Offering To the gods OF the past and
guarantee of good faith for the present
The late Billy West was a minstrel or
sanizer. A pretty talented minstrel him.
crins talent in others and bringing it out.
The aggregation now at the Providence
Opera House. comprises some of the high
est lights OF unmodcrn minstrelsy. The
traditional first part. as presented on the
stage OF the Providence. Is a dream in
first parts with its rich costumes, its
glowing scene and it's impressive tab
leaux. Good fun and good music come out
of H. Billy Van. wen known I'm Provi-
dence as comedian of inimitably droll
fun is perhaps. the leading comedian.
But there are others-John II. King,
Frank Hammond. ~ 3. Carr each distin-
guished I'm his own special machinery for
producing laughs.
Frederick Mcdonald. full OF dignity and
pulchritude. is the interlocutor which IL
TO say the middeman. Van and King and
Hammond and Carr are on the ends and
they keep the ends scintillating Charles
stewart. George Jones. Harry Sylvester.
Wilson n Miller. and Charles Roscdale
are the sweet-voiced vocallsts and George
Collins directs the music.
There are new songs and new Jokes IN
the first part. and this is no Joke. The
chorus singing II especially notable FOR
tunefulucss. volume and splendid swing.
1t II great FIRST part.
In the ouo appear the Rio brothers. who