The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-01-08
PROVIDENCE OPERA HOUSE.


At the Providence Opera house for the
balance OF the week. with matinee to-
morrow. Fred r.. Hamlin's "Princely
Production" OF THE Wizard OF OF" a
musical extravaganza. the book and
lyrics Ivy l.. Frank Baum, the music by
Paul Tietjens and A. H. -.oane. the pro-
duotion arranged and staged by Julian
Mitchell.
Il truly IL ''Princely Production"
Just as the play bills say. The audience
that packed the opera house from band
box to we'll indicated that the> Wizard Is
not going To stay long enough to supply
the demand IL looked close to a record
breaking house.
This new musical plece-new. that Is to
the road. though IL ran for year or so
m New York, was the inaugural pro-
duction OF the new Majestic theatre I'm
the metropolis. a house that is dedicated
to extravaganza. It's fame preceding II
drew the house FUN.
The secret OF it's triumph was disclosed
before the hrst OF the three acts was
over. II is a novelty I'm motive. Which
ts TO Say, II il an old idea renewed since
there is really nothing new under the
sun. and only the very old Is able TO
pass itself OF for a genuine novelty.
country maiden was transported 10 fairy
land. They rubbed them again at
TRANSFORMATION scene" The entrance OF
q cavorting cow made them sit up Yes.
this was indeed extravaganza-4forgotte
art In entertainment for so many years,
surviving only for this generation in the
afterplece OF the cheap priced variety
houses.
Memory went back to "Evangeline"
r. . III
time-the famous heifer OF which Mr..
Henry II. Dixey was the hind legs. Ex-
travaganza were as common then as
musical camedies are now. They usurped
the place OF the memorable HiSmpty
Dumpty and then, themselves, gave way
eo other sorts OF musical entertainments.
Our English cousins continue to bring
them out every Christmas. for the hoh-
day pantomimes. regardless OF the vogue
that prevails for the rest OF the season.
But a generation has grown up since the
glory OF the extravaganza disappeared
from the American stage TO return for
new tr1umphs I'm the Wizard OF o."
and a string OF successors now sure 10
come along
The boys OF yesteryear used to call the
extravaganzas leg shows"
We don't know what the boys OF today
may dub them.
travaeanza. complete 10 the Fairy Queen.
radiant being. her straight front out
lined through hlmy stuff. with her gilded
spear I'm hand and her magic ring all
ready 20 bestow upon the maiden swept
into the fairy realm. The Fairy Queen
Of the Wizard" isn't called fairy
queen but. instead. the Witch OF the
North. We don't like the name so we'll
but we recognized her even in this dis
guise as a true and llneal descendant.
and one OF the family OF fairy queens,
the real thing.
In other ways. too. there are details re-
fecting the new age Of extravaganza.
For instance. the connery maiden IL car
ried into fairy land by a cyclone. Cy-
clones are unknown In the older time.
The process then was that the maiden
went 10 sleep. or was given a potion by
the wicked uncle. and was so trans
ported
And, OF course, the lime light and the
spot have replaced the red fire that used
to burn on a shovel and made the ballet
and the audience choke together. And
the snowstorm and the various effects
have been vastly improved
STILL for all these Innovations due TO
advance i'm stage craft, the new extrava-
ganza properly and respectfully allows
something 10 tradition. For instance one
OF the Wizard comedians Laughs I'm his
sieeve"-lterally giving the inside OF his
sleeve the glad ha-ha The grandfather OF
Lydia Thompsons leading funny man first
introduced that specially. Then one of
the comedians fires pistol at another
and the latter expectorates the ball out
OF his mouth. This is Of more recent
vintage-dating back, we should say, no
farther that What s-her-Names' British
Blondes Such occasional reminiscent It'd
bits made the bald headed row appreciate