The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-01-19

and Tuesday, Harry Beresford =
IN The Wrong Mr.. Wright" :
Grand Theatre - Monday. =
Tuesday, Wednesday and mat =
= inee, calvin Joslin." 4
, = = y = = y = = ; , \ b 1
~ URELY nobody can complain of
- the week that closed last night.
II has been one glorious treat.
~ unsteady and laughingly. There
were no problem plays. no
Ilskes nor Carriers, but the three at
tracuons that supplied the menu were
az eiean-cut and sparkling in their
line as The most exacting could de-
sire. The town. Just at present is
crazy over the music of 1.-The Burgo-
master. Never Let Yourself Be WOr-
ried. with rolling r. such as that
clever comedian, Cawthorne, can pro-
cuce, IS on the lips of nearly every
theatre-goer, and for the plain reason
that the gems of 1.-THE Princess. Chic"
which followed at the Theatre, are not
so easily remem bered.
IN these two attractions we have an
example of the wide difference that can
exist in musical productions. 1.-The
Frlncess Chic after it is heard two
or three times, becomes more like
Robin Hood" than anything that has
a
decade. Its beauties are as numerous
and as frequent as the waves upon the
ocean, and 1t viii survive the title Of
pubic opinion for years to come But
The Burgomaster," with all its catchy
music, is different proposition. One
obtains the idea upon watching its
performance that Frank Pixley started
10 write an opera and after working
through the prologue. was compelled
TO resign the task. He made no at
Tempt to carry the story beyond the
prologue and the first act, but put to-
gether a number Of songs and strung
them in line, without excuse, which
made Of the musical comedy a vau-
deVi.le show pure and simple. but
mighty pleasing affair at that
In the farce presented at the Grand
all week there was another display Of
vaudeville under another name. Muir
ray and Mack caught on at the start
and finished their collection of turns
10 big business-the largest. perhaps,
ia the history Of the house-last night
1t Is not every one who can make
a fortune out of laughs. Yet this is
a result that has been achieved with
in the past few years by Murray and
Mack in their latest farcical creation.
Shooting the Chutes." Many years
ago Murray and Mack first entered the
augh-prOducing business IN knock
about work on the vaudeville stage.
Their instantaneous success led to
more ambitious efforts and soon the
inimitable comedians were branching
out into farce comedy, where they be-
came even more popular with the fun
loving public. Then Murray and Mack
got together q company of their own
and started out as stars. Since then
no comedians have appeared in the
dramatic armament who could dim the
lustre of these irresistible delineators
of Irish comedy. The first year that
Murray and Mack had out "Finne-
CAMS BALI they cleared UP over S25.-
600; last year with the same piece they
made almost double that amount. hav-
ing two companies on the road at the
same time. while this season, thus far,
has been the best these clever actor |
managers have yet enjoyed. With
Shooting the Chutes' they have been
meeting with the creates. success. In !
addition to this piece Murray and
Mack have eight different companies !
out, every one of which is coming
money. TO have the ability to cause |
laughter that Murray and Mack pos |
sess is better than owning gold mine. /
There Is not so much of an uncer-
tainty.
Speaking of vaudeville, most persons
have very hay conception of the /
of the term and its origin. !
That is not to be wondered at, for the |
term nas undergone numerous stages
Of evolution. which have materially I
SIS character. It had its be- /
ginning in Normandy late in the four |
tenth century. Oliver BasseIin was |
a popular poet and composer of songs. |
He lived in the Val de Wire VALLEY of /
the Vire). The name of the poets |
home gradually came TO be popularity I
5sed in designating his songs. Event
ually. airy sprightly song was called a /
wal de wire" In the course of years
this term was corrupted into "vaude-
vilie." and came TO mean any popular /
song with a refrain sung in the streets
Or during the interludes in the theatre.
Something more than a century ago
the term was applied to comedies of a
farcical character, in which a num-
Der Of songs or ballads, which usually
had no special reference 70, or connec-
ton with, the action of she play. were
Later the vaudeville was
modified into slight dramatic sketch
Dr pantOmime. with songs and dances
Most modern musical
comedies" are of the vaudeville char
acter Finally, the term has been ac-
.epted as applicable to a variety show
where a series of unrelated sketches.
scrobatic acts, songs. monologUes, etc,
ire strung together without the slight
sst logical connection. From the bal
ads of the sweet singer of the valley
IF the Wire to A troupe of performing
monkeys : far cry: vet il is the d
story of 500 years Of evolution of yau-
ieville.
During the last few years a number
u new words and expressions have
zen coined and added 10 the bulky die
iOnsry OF theatrical slang.
To those in professional life a sue I
essful production is hit and a
ailGse is a frost" In referring to !
God business it is said we stood 'em !
IN" and being denied professional
ourresies by manager is called !
turned down" An outsider who backs Z
show is an angel the smaller cities
re lay towns and the manager of !
country opera house is always ad- !
ressed as "Erohman" 4 comolimen- S
airy ticket Is a "feke" and the dead {
eads is che house are known as I
snow" Members OF the chorus are
The bunch, and those Of the company