The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-10-06
BEST OF GOOD ONES'
FIELDS MINISTRIES EARN
 RIGHT TO UEE PHRASE.
I've Great Audiences at Montgom cry Theatre Enjoyed Entertain ment Provided by Veteran
 Favorite of the Stage.

'"The best of the good ones." Is phrase which Al. Field appears to hav' adopted as the trade mark for his min strels. The bill boards heralding thu coming of his show were besprtnkied witf the statement. In two performances yesterday at the Montgomery Theater, the veteran and popular minstrel made good his right tc the laudatory phrase. The members of the two great audiences at yesterdays per formances were willing to certify to the truth and accuracy of the bill board claim.
 The business done by the minsstrels was remarkable. Every seat in the thea ter was filled in the afternoon. At night the audience was massed back against the wall. and perhaps a hundred parsons were turned away from the doors. The chief virtue of Fiei~'S minstrels which has elevated it to the top. is that he demands excellence in every detail. Only the best goes. The singers must be the sweetest and most pleasing, the com edians the funniest. the acrobats the most agile, the specialists the best, and the scenery the most beautiful. Excel lence is stamped on Fields minstrels from the first curtain to the last. The old favorites, who helped make Fields minstrels great. were on hand These were Reese Prosser. the ballad singer; Matt Keefa. the young warbler from California; Tommy Donnelly, Harry Skunk and others. and last Fields him. self-the most popular black face man of the stage.
 They were all accorded a hearty recep- ton. The audiences were glad to see them and qualification was expressed in no uncertain way. There were rounds of applause for the old favorites, and ap- plause for the new men who showed that they were worthy of their associates. Field, for many years past. has always provided a new and splendid stage picture for the first part. His stage setting this year will add to the reputation he has achieved. The curtain rises upon an emp ty but beautifully set stage. In the dis tance a fountain is playing, illuminated with prismatic lights Near the stage cen- ter are two female figures of heroic size bearing clusters of electric lights, and on either side the stage is shut in with artis- tic balconies. tastefully and handsomely carved.
 With stirring music the performers march gracefully on the stage, the sing CTS in court costumes and the black face men in the time-honored and familiar
 long coats and high hats.
 Time appears to improve Reese Pross- CTS voice. He seemed better than ever before. He has a sympathetic way of rem dering Dallau tn4t goes Oirect to ms hearers. His two songs, Dear Old Girl'' and Down in Old Mobile. Long Ago. " were cheered to the echo. The audience
 was loath to let him go.
 Matt Keefa's reception was almost an ovation The slender Californian sang
 Mothers Lullaby" a ballad. with a yodelling chorus. He was forced to res pond to a number of encores. Tommy Donnefly scored a hit with his
 t'What's the Use?" It was one of the best coon songs heard here since the
 rage for rag time was inaugurated. Lester F'airman, in a medley of topical songs, was most favorably received. The aggregation of singers billed as the | "Al. Fields Choir" delighted the au- dience with excellent selections from At | tilla and Lucia Di Lammermoor. Striking spectacular stage pictures of foot and mounted soldiers, to the accom- paniment of stirring choruses, were | shown.
 l The olio' was filled with good things The Mignani family gave an unusual and novel musical act It might be thought l that the possibilities of that speciality ha6
 been exhausted. but they rendered the l specialty in a new form.