The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-09-14
At St. Paul Theaters
'sWhen Johnny Comes Marching Home. y

a background is novel picture 1t is
a pleasing picture as exemplified by
When Johnny Comes Marching Home"
which was presented at the Metropoli-
tan opera house last night.
1t is boon to the public in that it
assumes that the war is over, a fact
that few old fossils seem to have
forgotten.
A real comic opera is the first act of
When Johnny Comes Marching Home"
IL fairly teens with musical numbers.
The dialogue merely puctuates the mu-
sic instead of an occasional ballad
relieving the monotony of inane con-
versation.
1t was happy thought. this division
OF labor between Julian Edwards, the
composer, and Stanislaus STANCE, the
hbrettist. STANCE writes a piece of
clever repartee. whereupon Edwards
breaks in with a merry melody and
real music fills the air.
For Edwards can write real music.
He accomplished this feat in Princess
Chic" and he has duplicated it in
When Johnny Comes Marching
Home"
But girls in the expanding hoop
skirts of the early sixties are the real
hit of this opera. Those who wear
them are not the prettiest in the world.
but what Of that? They impart color
to every sCene-a color, too, that
arouses the sympathetic recollection of
those whose mothers were the bellies
of the early sixties. Every time these
girls dance upon the stage they pro-
woke an approving murmur. The bal
loon-like propensities of their skirts,
which soar aloft in the may whirl of
the waltz, seem to constitute their chief
charm.
The first act of the opera is replete
with taking numbers. The ensemble
waltz, in which the Union officers and
Southern girls participate, creates the
best Of good feeling between the North
and South at the outset, for the waltz
is undeniably pretty.
Soon after follows a clever patter
contralto song, sung by Mrs. Constance
Pemberton, the catch line of which is
Just marry the man to be merry"
Miss Alta Yolo sings it with relish
quite irresistible Another gem is the
duet between Constance and Gen. Al
len (Hilliard CampbelD, which merited
its encore.
Miss Frances Merton displayed a
sweet soprano voice in the role of Kate
Pemberton. During her solo in the first
act "a certain quantity of barren spec
tators' in the gallery laughed as is
their wont, but the applause that re-
warded her, before she had sung the
last note, treasured her, and she sang
another verse with increased spirit
Miss Merton possesses a sympathetic
soprano voice, that is invariably true
if not strong, and a winsome manner
that entirely justif1es the behavior of
Col. John Graham.
Algernon Aspland, who impersonates
Col. Graham, has a graceful bearing
and a pleasing, though light, tenor. He
acted with discretion. A more robust
voice would have made his perform
ance more effective. although it must
be said the composer has not been gen.
erous to the tenor role.
The patriotic song, MY Own United
States" which has been much
heralded, is not by any means the gem
Of the opera. Its patriotic sentiment
is all that earns it a single encore.
But the score is abundant with
meritoriouS numbers. The ''varia-
ations." if they may be so termed, on
"Suwanee River" arranged for five
number is introduced near the close
of the first act, and is sung under
melodramatic circumstances that i'm
part additional zest. The Good
Night finale of the first act is an
other admirable piece of choral COM
position sung with fine expression by
the chorus.
lH0 f1OIleySuCh16 NIlTl, ny
Tom and chorus, at the opening Of the
second act could well be spared, for
Uncle Tom can't sing, and that is
fatal in comic onera.
1t might be added in this connection
that when Johnny Comes Marching
Home is not a comedians comic
opera.
Miss Blanche Boone, who imper-
sonated the f1irtatious Cordelia Allen,
FIR ic11 cd f1an -
"The Two Little Waits" at the Grand.
Like all melodramas, "The Two Lit
tie Waifs," the attraction that inaugu-
rated the week at the Grand last night,
borders on the impossible, but the plot
has the merit of being ingenious. They
have lunches" in "The Two Little
Waits and the story is so prolific of
them that there is no tax on the mag
ination of the audience. All it has to
do is to applaud and Shrek its ap-
prevail.
For instance, a young physician, who,
In moment of abstraction, allowed his
tender passions to get the better of
his judgment and caused the disrup-
ton of happy home, has a "hunch"
that he has been hoaXed by a double.
Lo, the double, appears, and he is vim
dicated. The husband also has a
"hunch,' the policeman has one thrust
on him, and so down the line it goes.
''The Two Little Waifs." however, is
a very good attraction Of its class.
Even if it is improbable, it is no more
so than others of it's kind. In this
instance it pleased the audience. The
five acts are filled with surprises, the
story is full of pathos and tragedy, and
the scenery is above the average. The
cast unravels the plot in a manner that
is satisfactory.
To Stanley and Lolita Lamb, two
children of tender years, the waits of
the story, must-be accorded more than
ordinary praise. AS juveniles of the
wonder" class they are a decidedly
finished product. Instead of loading
them with lines far above their years,
the dialogue has been limited to Ian
guage of their age, and they speak and
express it with a naturalness that is
really refreshing. A small vaudeville
sketch in the first act last night added
to- their popularity
The heavy work is in the hands Of
Blanche Shirley and Sully Guard, and
it is ably cared for. Miss Shirley in a
changes, shows a versatility that is
meritorious. The remainder of the cast
is adequate.
Vocal features that are very good
are introduced in the first act. Three
of the acts carry scenery that is real
iStic. One of them is a robbers den,
another a Christmas scene in New
York city, and still another the Little
Church Around the Corner.
r.,.,;zse I.Rta,., hA, ;ec4;oeU ~ 4ba Co.,