The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-09
At St. Paul Theaters


The prettiest musical comedy that
visited ST. Paul last season was The
Prince of Pilsen.'' Numerous other mu-
steal comedies have had their first
local presentation this season, but
there is no occasion to change the YER
diet.
For 1.-THE Prince of Pilsen' made it's
temperance at the Metropolitan last
night, in new dress and with some
new people, only to demonstrate it's
superiority over it's predecessors.
Frank Pixley, librettist, and Gus
tave LuderS, composer, have put to-
gether in this creation a most felicitous
combination of words and music. Man
ager Henry w. Savage has engaged an
aggregation of men and women adj
mirably adapted to the requirements
of modern musical comedy. The cos
tuning is varied and attractive, the
stage settings pretty. The combination
of these virtues is bound to be highly
enjoyable entertainment.
The audience extended an apprecia-
tive welcome to the principals, and re-
peatedly encored the tuneful gems with
which the score is studded. In no sense
pretentious, these compositions are I'M
questionably melodious and admirably
attuned to the sentiment and atmoS-
phere of the play itself.
Nothing prettier could be wished for
than that dainty duet, "The Message
of the Violet" sung by Lieut.. Tom
Walker and Edith in the first act. 1t
may justly be declared the gem of the
piece. Soon after follows the male oe-
tette of soldiers in Heidelberg, the
effective harmonies of which provoke
encore after encore. The Tale OF the
Sea She'll" in the second act, another
1aajr of lovers SIM
plemented by the chorus, is perhaps
the most popular because the catchlest
number of all. 1t is likewise very me-
lodious.
1t is also to be noted that Mr.. Pix
ley has supplied rhythmic lines that aid
in giving effective expression to the
music The trio, The Widow in
Act l., sung by Mrs. Croker. Hans
and Artie, is an ingenious piece OF
writing. But the palm in point of wit,
dash and action belongs to THE Ameri-
can Girl sung in the second act by
the widow and female chorus. verses
exploiting the graces, charms and fol-
bles of the girls of all American cities,
including ST. Paul, are sung as long
as the audience demands them.
There are two conspicuous changes
in the cast, which, of course, make
comparison inevitable. Jess Dandy
Wagner, the Cincinnati brewer, in place
of Mr.. Ransome, and Trixie F'riganza
plays the sprightly widow instead OF
Miss Helen Bertram. Without DIS
paragement to their predecessors Mr.:
Dandy and Miss FriganZa seem to ind
these roles more congenial
Mr.. Dandy is irresistibly funny IN
the role of the brewer, who is. mistaken
for the Prince of Pilsen. His dialect is
ljkpWiSa his
facial contortions. He scored immense
" in the song, 1T Is the Dutch which,
if delivered without due expression.
facial and vocal, would fail to excite the
risibilitieS. AS it was, verse after verse
was demanded Mr.. Pixley has written
some decidedly funny lines for Hans,
which he speaks with much JUNCTION,
and which invariably provoke merr1-
ment.
In Trixie Friganza, the management
secured a clever coincidence to replace
prima donna The vocal requirements
of Mrs Madison Crocker are far from
exacting, consequently lyric ability is
not essential. Miss Friganza talks her
songs, to the accompaniment of the or
chestra, but talks them with such good
accent and distinct enunciation that not
a word is missed. She possesses mobile,
expressive features and most agree
full gowns upon a graceful figure. All
in all she is what the authors of the
musical comedy intended and what the
public is pleased to behold, chic and
fascinating widow.
Arthur Donaldson still impersonates
the real Prince of Pilsen in manly
fashion, albeit his voice is not as music
al as it might be, and Henry Taylor
as the young naval lieutenant displays
a melodious tenor in "The Message of
the Violet" Walter Clifford contribut-
ed an amusing portrayal of a feather
Drained English lord
Almyra Forest Lockwood sang quite
acceptably in the role of Edith Adams.
| the Vassar girl, and Ruth PEBBLES
! looked ingenious and pretty as Nellie
| Wagner, the daughter of Hans from
! Cincinnati.
The chorus girls are pretty and petite
| rather than statuesque and expansive,
| for which relief much thanks.
+. G. Fl.