The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-23
~ AT ST. PAUL
i fleatre.T


Do you remember that line in Mr..
Kipling's poem that read when the
thing that couldn't occurred?" 1t was
written about banjo, but it is really
neat explanation of the cyclone in
the Wizard of o." For surely be-
fore Mr.. Baums agile brain had con-
ceived and Mr.. Mitchelfs inventive
skill had placed behind the footlights
this latest musical extravaganza a
stage cyclone could be numbered
among the things that really couldn't
occur. Messrs. Baum and Mitchell
have made it occur and on this ac-
count as well as for many other rea-
sons they deserve the privilege of
cutting the highest notch on the scale
that measures the merit of musical
extravaganza productions. Another
season and that notch may again-in-
deed, it doubtless WILDE diStanced,
for the life of such productions is, at
best, a brief. one. Today, however,
this new wizards wand is tipped with
the magic power that evokes popular
ity.
An audience notably large, notably
we'll dressed and enthusiastic to the
point of hilarity witnessed last night
the first production of Wizard of OF"
in st. Paul 1t was very prompt au-
dience-for hadn't it been assured that
the curtain would rise promptly at 8
o'clock ?-but it's virtue was not re-
warded. It was just five minutes past
the usual slime for raising the curtain
at the Metropolitan when the chariot
race" wasirolled up and Kansas prairie
took it's places 1t was such q delicious
bit of Kansas, scenery that every Wom-
an in the audience forgave the hurried
toilet and every man forgave the has
How
enough perspective to the scene to
give one fairly good idea of a West
ern wheat field, but before the audience
had fairly grasped it occurred the thing
that couldn't-the cyclone and por-
ton of the Kansas map was swept OH
the stage to- make place for delicious
bit of fairyland, peopled with beauties
and beasts, wizards and freaks. The
freaks We're principally live scare
crow and a live tin Woodman, both
of them so funny that their mere pres
ence on the stage meant successive
gales of 1lerriment down in the au-
dience. Fred A. Stone is the name
this scarecrow bears on the playbill,
but so real a scarecrow is it that one
would rather not associate any name
with it. Some little reference must be
made, however, to Mr.. Stones I'M
nenselv clever work. His success does
not lie altogether in most lud1crous
makeup, but in fun making lifted SO
neatly to that makeup that the two
are never for one instance separated.
And Just as clever a bit of comedy work
Is David c.. Montgomery's tin wood
man. The witticisns and the songs
of these two are the funniest thing
in the "Wizard of o." Impish Miss
Laughlin- Gale, of Kansas-is
closely associated with these two IN
fun making and her infantile features,
her innocent stare her very New York
accent and her most expressive hg-
ure makes you really believe she mas
a good singing voice and clever lines
to speak. She has neither, however,
but she is immensely entertaining.
Helen Byron, who, If we mistake not,
was the life of another musical eX-
travaganza that appeared not long ago
in st. Paul, helps with her undoubted
talent to make things move in the land
of the wizard of o." Bessie VIM is
one of the beauties of the land. There
are many others in the chorus, which
is good to look at, pleasant to listen to
and very smartly dressed, indeed. Ar
thur Hill is one of the beasts-the lion.
Edwin J. Stone is another-the COW.
IF not convincing as animals both at
least were funny as comedians. The
ssWizard of o." indeed, assemblies
notable cast There is not one player
in it who does not SurpaSS mere SUI
ficiency. The music, though inferior
to the libretto, and Swallowed by
the mechanical skill of the production,
is bright and tuneful, though the Dig
gest hit of the evening was the inter-
polated song, .ssMr. Dooley, sung WITH
excellent effect by Bobbie Gaylor, VINO
played the part of the Wizard Of Or.
staged and it went off very smoothly
LAST night considering the fact that 1t
was the opening night. A belated train
caused the delay in raising the curtain,
but during the remainder of the week
the .sWizard of or" plays weeks
engagement in st. Paul with the usual
matinees-the curtain will rise prompt
ly at s o'clock.
"The Night Before Christmas" Hal
Reds charming play of rural life In
the Buckeye state, was witnessed py a
second large audience at the Grand
onera house last evening and bids fair
to excel the splendid record it made at
this theater last year. The story is full
of heart interest, and the vein OF COM
edy which runs through the piece Is
very refreshing.
"RudoIph and Adolph," the musical
comedy by Charles Newman, in which
Mason and Mason are so successfully
starring and which will be seen here
at the Grand the coming week, is I'M
like the average so-called musical COM
edy. inasmuch as it contains a well de-
veloped plot, which of itself IS Suff1-
cient to provoke roars of laughter
without the aid Of the many meritori-
Gus specialties and musical numbers
which are introduced during the play.
Mazuz and Masett, in "The Brake
man and the Tramp" made great
hit at the Star theater yesterday aft
ernoon and evening. AL Reeves work
on the banjo was clever.
On his tour rof the world next year
Sousa will have an opportunity to play
the national air to almost every coun-
try that has one. Some years ago
Seusa arranged the national hymn of
most countries that have one and play
ed them in a grand medley. 1t would
be worth while to hear Sousa playing
"The Turkish Patrol" (not nationaD
to bunch Of cross-legged Turks in
Constantinoplen. Sousa and the great
band will be here Wednesday, Oct. l,
for afternoon and evening concerts at
popular prices. Manager Scott is COM
PEELED to give these concerts in the
Auditorium.
sFlorodora" is to be sung at the Met
ropolitan all next week by a company,
including Corinne, Eleanor Falk,
Charles Dix, ALT c.. Wheelan, Willard
Curtiss, Charles H. Bowers, Alfred Ca
hill, Grace Hazard and Frances Tyson,
in the principal roles. Among the six
pretty maidens' of the famous double
sextette will on this visit be seen Miss
Marguerite Hilbert, of st. Paul, who
has adopted the stage name of Jane
Hall. The sale of seats viii open OH
Thursday at q. m.