The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-02
-Ar ST. PAUI.-----
T II EATRES
David WarfieId 81 H. Matronnlitan.


David WarfieId at The Metropolitan.
David Warf1eld de serves the thanks
Of his contemporaries for having Gre
ated new stage type. His portrayal
OF Simon Levi, in THE Auctioneer," is
quite as finished a bit of comedy in it's
way as anything before the public to-
day.
Perhaps somthings Of the excellence
OF the piece IS to- be accredited to David
Beiasco. whose marvellous knowledge
OF detail IN stagecraft has made Of this
rather common story of the New York
Ghetto thing instinct with life and
Ieehng by accenting the things which
snould De made to appeal, and subor-
dlnatlng those other things which are
merely incidental. Between them
Warneld and Belasco-for it is not to
De supposed that the putative authors
OF the piece had much to do with the
making of this play, which brims with
human Keeling and subtle stage effects,
they nave made a play that is most
satisfactory to the eye, the ear and the
sympathies.
The Auctfoneer" was given last
night at the Metropolitan before an
audience that was appreciative-dem-
onstrauVely SO. The play tells the
threadbare story of the Hebrew who
rises from very small beginning to af-
Huence, and who goes in for vulgar dis
play linen comes reverse, the wealth
is wiped away in tWinkling, and there
IS return to the old comforts and the
OLD conditions Villainy Of a rather COM
monplace sort is responsible for the
disappearance of the riches, and viii
Ialny is as properly and decorously
given a setback at the finish as it could
De In the most melodramatic of melo-
dramas
The story of the play IS trif1ing-the
opportunities it offers for the display
OF human and humane feeling, in COM
coy ana pathos, are many, and of these
every advantage has been taken by the
art of Warfield and Belasco.
IL IS net the buffoon type with which
we have become familiar on the vaude-
Vile stage that Mr.3Narfield uses in his
portrayal of the jew Simon Levi Levi
Is Jew Of the Ghetto-the real man.
not the burlesque. He is human, feels
laughs, weeps; is by turns crafty, po-
lite, dissembling-neye ferocious or
Vengeful. He is q sWeet-natured man,
VINO WreSts success from opposing for
tune without becoming embittered To
the world he shows the front of one
who Is quite ablelto take care Of him.
self; to his family and friends he is a
very different. being. His affections
leave him open to- the unscrupulous,
and thereby hangs the story of THE
Auctioneer'' So
1t is study, thisscharacter that Mr.
Warf1eid presents, and one that shows
really great capacity not only for por-
trayal, but quite as much for a realiza-
ton Of nicely of feeling. The actor
more than once,s in a dialect and with
manner overwhelmingly funny, car
RED his audience with him through
scenes OF infinite pathos = and that
without losing the sympathetic inter-
est or the people whose eyes still WeIled
with the tears of laughter
Mr.. WarheId was most capably sup
ported. Miss Marie Bates as Mrs Ea-
gan was deliciously funny and in thor
Ough control Of a part that was exact
ing enough at times. Miss Maria Da-
Wis, the gentle wife of Levi s a thor
1Oughzgolpg actress, who bears easily
the burden of playing to a Character
that requires much 'feeding.,S Robert
st1scheCsdoeS a really clever bit of work
In the role of Callahan, an East Side
politicians. Fhe other partssaef which
~there. are many, are in capable hands.
Inc staging of the piece is excellent
quite in keeping with what might be ex-
pected of a BeIasco play-though totally
dlss1mllar to anything Mr.. BeTasco has
done before. he detail Of the first act,
set IN secondhand store, really shows
a secondhand shop.
Mr.. Warfield was compelled to lay
aside his character of Levi twice
once when he thanked, simply and
briefly, the audience for its apprecfa-
t1on, and again when he was impeIled
20 remind the gallery that the play was
The Auctioneer" will be given for
three nights more, the Wednesday mat
fnee being omitted.
Williams and Walker at TIE Grand.
In -Dahomey," musical farce, with
Bert A. Williams and George w. Walk
er, colored comedians, as the principal
feature, opened the week at the Grand
last nlght. The audience with a heavy
sprinkling of st. PauPs coIored 400"
was liberal in it's approval.
AS a musical comedy supposed to be
endowed with a book, lyrics and IL
bretto, the attraction offers little that
would bring 1t within the legitimate
but II rag time, nonsense and the fun
ny doings OF Williams and Walker
count for anything, then In Dahomey"
has found its proper sphere.
Inc company, including the chorus.
is colored, and even If not of a high
class unsteady, has a fair sprinkling Of
sweet voices that can make the most
OF the vocal numbers provided by the
auInor. The support with which
Williams and Walker have been nro
Vlded is in every way adequate.
OF the two comedians, Bert Williams
is unquestionably the better, and his
work last night brought him applause
that kept him continually in the lime
light. George WI Walker is also a
comedian of ability and between the
two they carry I'm Dahomey" through
what would otherwise be an insipid
evenings entertainment
Walkers 1.-THE Car" and Williams
All going in, nothing comm out" two
vocal numbers we'll sung, are among
their best achievements. Williams Is
extremely funny and the ovation ten
dered him was vociferous.
The attraction runs largely to music
and some Of the numbers are fairly
credftable. Among those of the COM
pany unusually clever are Aida Over