The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-19
AT THE TIIEATERS
Lyceum-.'La Tosca."

Goaded to despera tion; FlorIa Tosca
last night stabbed Mr.. Scarpia of Rome,
Italy, at the Lyceum. Then having ar
ranged the candles; about the body Of her
victim, she cried out ..Avengedt twice
and strobe out into the backyard, where
Mr.. Scarpia had arranged to have Dick
Ferris shot as the accompiice Of Cesar
Angelotti. Tricked by this Scarpia Miss
Tosca had betrayed the hiding place Of
Angelotti in spite Of shrieSs Of 'IIold
'silence! Letisky, from Mr. Ferris, who
had concealed the fugitive 'Angelotti in
his well. It had been a trying position for
a young girl like Floria Tosca. She was
bound by her promise to her lover, Mr..
Ferris, not to betray Mr.. Angelotti. But
Mr.. Scarpia was torturing MIR. Ferris in
the next room, and what could the poor
girl do? But her hour came when Scar
pia, after corrupt bargain with her.
which seemed her only way out, prom
Used to have blank cartridges fired at DiclS
Ferris. To kill Scarpia-that was Miss
Tosca's only further avenue to freedom.
So she killed him. But she was trfcked
again, for the blank cartridge deal was
not carried out. Mr.. Ferris was killed by
the firing squad, the members Of which
then turned their guns on Miss Tosca, and
she fell, exhaling her last breath prone
upon the body of the man she loved and
| unwittingly betrayed.
Miss Florence Stone Is really satisfying
as La Tosca. Her interpretation and her
| methods differ from those Of Bernhard
and Fanny Davenport-but who shall say
theirs are the only true characterized tons?
Hers is not the repressed La Tosca-but
1t is pleasing, thrilling and at all times
consistent. A. Byron Beasley's Scarpia
would be more acceptable, did he but im-
prove his enunciation. Save for the op-
portunity to wear tights three sizes too
small which is given Dick Ferris, the
| tragedy affords no line or situation or cos
tune effect to throw any other member.
/ of the Ferris company into relief. - g
i Garden Observation-Disclosures Of Penzance.',
1 A nursemaid's mistake, by which she
apprentices a young man of station to a
1 pirate instead Of a pilot, as directed, puts
j one Frederic in predicament and fur
nishes the basis of Gilbert and Sullivan
4 opera, The Pirates of Penzance, which
i the Garden Theater company is producing
this week Frederic is freed from the
band when he is 81, but the scheming pi-
rate chief finds that the letter Of the con-
tract says that Frederic shall be appren-
ticed until his twenty-frst birthday. He
/, learns that the young man was born on
! the 18th day Of February and, there
fore, is only 5 and a little over His sense
a Of duty impels Frederic to obey the con-
tract, altho Immediately after his re-
lease he had organized company for the
determination, Of the pirates bold. Now
that he is one Of them, he tells the CHIEF
of the impending attack, and ALSO, as, 9
} good pirate, betrays the father of the, cir
q he loves. But the company organized b,
Frederic overcomes the pirates by
Z strategy, and Frederic gets the girl.
: The Garden theater's presentation o.
! the funny opera is enjoyable. The lead.
ing parts are well taken, particularly thai
. of Frederic, by Jay G. Taylor, who sing.
"A the part well. Next to the singing O.
) Frederic. the best thing in the production
Z is no ia nf Edx1yor d o. on
I geant of police &C. A. Parker). The bang
: of policemen to fight the pirates create
4 much laughter. The airs, Of course, wer'
8 popular long ago. s