The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-05
At st. Paul Theaters
"A Chinese Honeymoon" at the Met
ropolitan


ropolitan.
Clean, clever and tuneful is "a
Chinese Honeymoon the English
musical comedy, which has at last
found its way into the Northwest, and
was heartily enjoyed by a large au-
dlence at the Metropolitan opera house
last night
AS musical comedies go, "a Chinese
honeymoon" is several degrees higher
in the scale than the majority of the
native productions of this character
which have been witnessed here during
the last two seasons. To begin with,
1T tells story, its dialogue, which is
fairly bright, is written in the English
language, the lyrics possess a pleas
ing rhythm, the choruSes are spirited,
the costumes highly attractive in point
or variety and color. and the stage
management admirable to an excep-
tional degree.
The concerted numbers are not
lugged on and dragged off as so much
excess baggage that doesn't seem to
belong" On the contrary, they
spring up in seemingly spontaneous
fashion, and follow each other in a
happy, merry succession that pre-
cludes the possibility of firing the eye
or the ear. The groupings of the fe-
male chorus, which is ample, denote
excellent taste in the blending of COL
ors, and the exits and entrances mani
fest a creditable ingenuity, too often
absent from productions of this nature
Given the music and the lines, it
rests with the interpreters to do JUS
tice to the composer and librettist. 1t
may be said that the present COM
pany accomplishes this feat in four
conspicuous instances, which is a
pretty high average in these parts.
The bright particular star of this
organization is, without question, the
last and the Iittlest individual named
on the programme. Miss Toby Claude.
Here is an exceedingly clever, viva
cious, incessant, irrepressible come
dienne, whose equal has not visited st.
Paul for many, many moons. Gifted
with mobile features and rare powers
of facial expression, she is likewise
endowed with muscular activities, which
she employs in the most comical fash
ion. She impersonates Fl FL, an Eng
lish Slavey, cockney dialect and ALL
Nothing could be funnier in it's way
than her struggle with a trunk, twice
her size, and as for the way in which
she hops onto the lap of the giant
emperor CIV. H. Clarke) it is alb
sOlutely irresistible. Miss Claude is
essentially a pantomimist of uncom-
mon SKILL and thorough delight ev-
cry moment she is in view of the au
dience.
Miss Stella Tracey, in the role Of
Mrs. Pineapple, wife of the Englishman
who has taken her to China on a
honeymoon trip, contributed a pleas
ing representation. She won high favor
in the second act in which she sang
"Mollie Shannon" in imitation of Anna
Held.
w. H. Clarke, who played Hang
Chow, the emperor and who looked to
be seven feet high beside Toby Claude,
displayed his rich basso cantante voice
to excellent advantage in the numbers
allotted to him. The duet between the
emperor and Fl Fl, proved one of the
gems of the evening.
A barytone of exceptionally pure and
musical quality, was exhibited by Ed
ward Clarke in the role of Tom Ather-
ton, when he sang Gould I But Tell
You" 1t won him an enthusiastic
encore.
The women Of the cast are not
specially gifted in the matter of vocal
accomplishments. Miss May Ten
Brock contributed an amusing char
acterization of Mrs Brown, the official
mother-in-law and Miss Frances
Knight was attractive in the role of
500 500, the emperor's niece.
All the music is distinctively original
ana IQeIOulOuS. lie IlOIy GOly nuiIl-
Der, sung with commendable distinct
ness by Admiral Hi Lung (Charles
Prince) and chorus, was deservedly
encored. An especially ingenious
composition was the sextette, ringing
the changes on old nursery rhymes. Fl
Fis solo, in the second act, Il Want
to Be Liddy." proved highly enter
tanning.
Upon John E. Henshaw devolves the
funny mans task. Mr.. Henshaw is
as glib of speech as ever delivering his
lines trippingly on the tongue, with
that easy assurance, born of supreme
confidence. Mr.. Henshaw would be
funnier if he would make more, of a
pretense at ignoring the audience. AS
1t is, an air of self consciousness per-
vades his work. that detracts from it's
effectiveness, in other respects, as he
speaks his lines with good emphasis
and JUNCTION. F. G. H.