The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-19
THE T0READOR" SPARKLES."
Francis Wilson, Sammy Gigg,
Score an Old-Time Success.

Score an Old-Time Success.
While there is no gainsaying the fact that
comparisons are odious. there can be no
harm in comparing things that are for the
most part dissimilar-for instance. ginger
pop and champagne. 1t is true that each of
these beverages has sparkle to it, but it
isn't the same kind of sparkle, and there
can certainly be no question as to which is
the more exhilarating of the two All Of
which is Introductory to saying that 1.-THE
Toreador," while belonging to the family of
light and frothy modern entertainment gen.
orally styled musical comedy. is so much
superior to the Sally show and the two
or three other Broadway successes that
| Indianapolis theater-goers have had thrust
upon them this season that the production
was most heartily enjoyed by the matinee
and evening audiences that greeted it at
| English's yesterday.
| In the first place, 1.-THE Toreador'' has
| plot, which, If not very intricate one, still
| possesses more conference and sequence
| than are usually to be found In pieces of
| its class, and 1t also has q musical setting
| that is nearly always relevant to passing
events, instead of being mixture of in
congruous ditties thrown into the perform
ance for the purpose of keeping the minds
| of the audience from becoming demented
over the inanities of the libretto. 1.-THE
ToreadOr" is a syndicate affair, being the
work of six more or less well-known Eng
| lish writers, the best known Of whom in
| America are Ivan Caryll and Lionel Monck-
| ton, who composed the music Mr.. Caryll
| has written many charming compositions
| In the past, and he and his co-worker have
| turned out some exceptionally pleasing
melodies I'm this instance. The music of the
| piece is far ahead Of the libretto, but at
| that the libretto is better than most must
| cal-comedy efforts. The management has
| done a great deal for the entertainment In
| the way of stage mounting, the two set
| tingS being extravagantly beautiful; the
| chorus is of attractive appearance and is
| made UP of fresh young voices. The leading
| roles are in the hands of amusing perform
| ers. and so, on the whole. The Toreador"
| proved just about what 1t claimed to be-a
| diverting entertainment that was well
worth seeing and hearing.
The story concerns one Sammy Gfgg, an
| English tiger" as a footman is called In
| John Bulls country, who makes the blum
| der of answering an advertisement which
has been inserted in a newspaper by
| dealer In wild animals Ca sort Of Hagen
beck), who is DESTROYS Of securing tiger.
| OF course the advertiser wants one OF the
| feline variety, intending to use the big cat
| with comic opera license) in Kidding him.
| self OF a certain toreador OF whom he is
| frightfully Jealous Sammy Gigg naturally
| supposes that the dealer wants a tiger of
| the British type, and Immediately seeks the
| job. On first thought one might say that
| this is plot such as would be originated
| by no one but an exaggerating comic opera
| librettist But no-Sammy Gigg did exactly
| what any other Londoner Of his class would
| have done. and for once the comic opera
| librettist has kept within the bounds OF
| reason. Londoners are the most provincial
people on the face of the earth; If they
| have certain nickname for thing 1T is
| impossible for them to think OF that thing
| by any other name, and Sammy Gigg knew
| of no tiger but his own brand OF tiger-or,
| II he did, he wouldn't recognize 1t. Wen,
| he doesn't get his job, but he gets into all
| sorts of trouble instead, finding himself in
a scrape with the woman whom the adj
vertiser loves and later on becoming en-
tangled in Carlist political plots in Spain,
mistaken for a toreador and only saved at
the very last moment from being squelched
for all time in the bull fighting ring by the
arrival of the real toreador, who comes to
his rescue. Then does all the fun wind up
| in blaze OF operate glory and very tune
| full music.
| in the role of Sammy Gigg, but he was
| compelled to share his honors with Joseph
Coyne, who made most pronounced hit in
| the part of an ultra swell Englishman. Mr..
| Wilson has not been provided with many
| opportunities in this piece. and his ad-
mirers may have been somewhat disap-
pointed. However, with his expressly, I've
] buffoonery he managed to create great
| deal of merriment whenever he was on the
| stage. Mr.. Coyne gave very humorous
| Interpretation of the English swell. He is
| a young comedian who is coming rapidly TO
| the front by reason of his original methods.
| His work in his present role was entirety
| free from eXaggeration and was quite the
| best characterization in the piece. William
| Broderick, whose rich baritone voice was
of immense benefit whenever the score
| called upon IL, staggered through his part
| of the Spanish toreador in deliciously ego
| tistical style, and the other leading male
characters were well portrayed by William
Blaisdell as the animal dealer, Melville
Ellis as a young British consulate and
Joseph Ratcliff as the Governor of Villaya.
Dainty Elsa Ryan. an Indianapolis girl,
who has only recently stepped into the part
previously played by the popular Christie
Mcdonald. scored q hit after she had re-
covered from the nervousness Incidental to
first professional appearance OF any i'm
portance in her home city. She was fair TO
see and her voice was quite good TO near,
being of little volume, but of decided purity
and we'll adapted to the role OF Nancy.
which has been assigned to her. Her song
I'm the first act, THE Language OF the
Flowers" was the gem of the whole per-
formance and she sang 1t very gracefully
and sweety, and also rendered the inter-
polated number, ''Twinkling Star" during
the second act in a delightful manner that
won hearty applause. Miss Carolyn Cor
don and Miss Clara Belle Jerome were very
good in their respective characters, both of
them being exceptionally graceful in their
movements Miss Nora Cecil acted the part
of a hot-tempered Spanish woman In an
interesting way, but her voice was hardly
equal to the demands made upon ii by the
score. Miss Miriam Lawrence made the
most of the small part of an Englshwoman
with a cockney accent. The entire per-
Torrance went with life and vigor, the only
fault being that there was a tendency
among the chorus girls to laugh and giggle
at inopportune times. 1t Is all very well to
see chorus that seems to enjoy it's work,
but there is such thing as imposing upon
an audience when the by-play and asides
are carried too far. The audience comes to
the theater TO be amused-not to see the
performers amusing themselves.