The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-03

That jolly. tuneful operate comedy, THE
Chaperons," came to Engish's for single
performance last night, and afforded a
large and well-pleased audience an evening
of light entertainment. The production is
more on the order of a musical vaudeville
than a comic opera; it has been shortened
since its first presentation here last season.
and is now a compact quick-moving and
melodious show. 1t has no plot worth men,
tioning, but, unlike the "gaiety'' at Eng
lish's the latter part of last week, it has
enough of story to hold ii together, and
while Frederick Ranken's libretto is not
OVERLOOKING with wit. it contains sufficient
humor to keep the piece from dragging
The musical score of Isidore Witmark is
bright and, in some instances, the melodies
are of the "whistling' kind that are al
ways heard about the streets after the
show has come and gone. Last nights
performance was in the hands of a capable
company, and the merry entertainment was
given with the right amount of dash and
vim. All Of the solos, duets and concerted
numbers were sung in excellent style, and
the choruses and ensembles were rendered
in manner that was very attractive
The Chaperons" was fully reviewed when
presented here earlier in it's career and
IT would be repeating an old story to de-
scribe the so-called plot and the situations
OF the piece. Eva Tanguay, who seems to
be charged with electricity from the time
she first appears in the glare of the foot
lights until the performance is over, is still
the most pronounced hit of the production
In her role of Phrosia, the girl detective
Miss Tanguay is living example of how
TO keep busy on the stage" Added to her
ability as singer and dancer. she pos
sesses the rare talent of making her au-
0lPnCR n
fun out of the performance as any of the
spectators who are viewing II for the first
time. There Is nothing mechanical about
MISS Tanguay. Her associates say that
she seldom goes through certain scene
twice in the same way, and this is easy to
believe. Her vivacity and joyousness seem
| TO have been contagious. for ii Is noticeable
that all of the chorus girls in the company
| took an interest in their work and did their
utmost TO make their share of the enter
| tainment enjoyable. Miss Tanguay's STYLE
| is all her own; paradoxical as il may seem,
| she Is awkward and graceful at the same
time. Her. singing of 'Sambo.' with its
| performance, and the audience Last night
| demanded ii over and over again. until the
| indefatigable little woman begged to be
excused. Walter Jones, a comedian with
| quiet methods of funmaking, was seen
| again in the part of Algernon O'Shaunnes-
| say, and made every point possible out of
| the role. The part of the Irishman has
| been rewritten expressly for him, and he
| was funny in all that he did without resort
| ing to horseplay at any time
Miss May Boley was charming in the
| character of the professional cnaperon and.
| although her singing was up to a high
plane OF tunefulness, she had that dainti-
ness and magnetism about her work that
| Immediately brought her success Miss
| Genevieve Days singing in the part of
| Violet Smilax was very creditable. espe-
| cially in her duet. Love in Palace" with
| Mr.. harrington. Miss Jessica Duncan and
Miss Mae Stebbins were sprightly in the
parts of the two French opera singers and
the latters dancing was of a high class
| AS Bassni. the proprietor of a stranded
| opera company. Edward s Metcalfe rem
| dered his several songs i'm good bass
| voice and made the most of a rather sense
| less role. George Il. lIenery, as Adam
| Hogg. n tourist from Cincinnati and Ed
| Roadway. the diminutive dancer, in the part
| OF the German billposter, did we'll what
! little was required of them Albert Far
| rington, who possesses a pleasing baritone
voice. sang the Juvenile role of Tom Schuy.
| Ter in excellent style. his solo, with the
chorus of students, Were All Good Eel
| lows. making one of the strong successes
| of the evening. Thomas III. Burton looked
| his part of the tall valet with the wooden
| face. and that was about all that was re-
quired of him.
| The piece was given a very satisfactory
| production scenically. the settings repre-.
| senting street in the Latin Quarter OF
| Paris, and a courtyard in a hotel at Alex
andria, Egypt, being very artistic stage
| pictures.