The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-14
BARON HUMBUG
STIRS ST. PAUL
ROOSEVELT CLUBS COMEDY
MAKES A CAPITAL HIT.
Big Audiences and Bigger Hit Prom
ised for the Minneapolis Engage
ment Which Begins Tonight The
Piece Is Good and "Goes'' as Tho
Played by Professionals.

The discerning, but not always en-
thusiastic people of the sanity city
arose to the appreciation of the best
and biggest thing the Roosevelt club
has yet staged when they literally and
spontaneously applauded the various
features Of r. A. Barnet's musical
comedy, Baron Hunbug," as pro-
duced at the Metropolitan opera
house. st. Paul, Saturday night.
There have been several forms Of
entertainment, the use Of which has
placed the Roosevelters high in the
esteem Of their friends and the gen
eral amusement seeking public. There
was the minstrel show of 1901, 1.-THE
Viking" of 1902, and The Queen of
the Ballet" of 1908. But the friends
who have watched the histrionic prog
ress of the club were agreed after the
performance Saturday night that the
club had set up a new standard for it.
self and for western amateur theatre
Gals.
AS has been the case with the clubs
production Of the other two light
operas or musical comedies" as 1t
is the style to call them, there were
two occasions during the evening
when the audience became uproar-
iously hilarious. One OF these was
when the rising Of the first curtain
more or less femininely thru the
| mazes of the fancy dance. The other
was when one Of these manly maid
ens Gin Rickishaw by name, first
gave him-or herself to speaking
voice. But, as has also been the case
with former club productions, the
merriment at the ludicrous gradually
real worth Of the thing staged and the
talent displayed. AS 1t will be put on
at the Metropolitan theater in Mime
kapOlis tonight for three nights and a
matinee, the piece will be undoubtedly
| superior to anything western amateurs
have done.
The st. Paul audience greeted the
| first scene with loud applause and
much mirth, encored Phil Brooks and
the gypsy band, insisted on the return
of Mr.. Pillsbury and the six interna-
tional step-daughters, gave the same
encouragement to Mr.. Gearey and
Mr.. Hanson after their dancing spec
ialty and insistently encored several
others Of the solo, and all Of the en-
semble numbers.
/ When the opening Of the second
scene of the second and last act OF
the piece brings the chorus on in
hussar uniforms, to the accompani-
ment of stirring march, the recep-
ton was enthusiastic. -
| While Mr.. Barnet's latest effort does
not lack in really beautiful mum bers
Danube sung by Odon (Mr. -Stevens)
and the gypsy band and girls, and
Land of the Whispering Sea-" sung
by Mr.. Stevens and Mr.. Gearey, its
I topical. songs were the most popular
4 with the audience. Lives Of Famous
4 Men," sung by Slipik, the ringmastel
(Mr. Lane) and the gypsy band, ant
,of3 S a live hYy arr
i (Mr. Pillsbury) and the step-daugh
!, tiers, made the big hits. A good dea
of clever solo and chorus dancing hai
been made "a part Of this years pro
duction, Mr.. Pillsbury and Messrs
Gearey and Wells carrying off tn
principal honQrs. .&E II 4.
|, While general regret was expressed
. that G. Frank; Lane no longer ap
peared as "the ideal girl" he unques
tionably was the strength of the cas-
as Slipik, the circus ring master, VIII,
eventually becomes Baron Humbug'
in fact. He is equal to the many de
mands made on him, never fails t.
be funny, and. unlike many come
, dams, possesses a voice.
+ Hal J. Stevens appears to much bet
ter advantage this year in the roman
r tic role Of 0don, rightful heir t
: Munkacs, in which role his tenor i
frequently and pleasingly heard. Gil
r pert Il. byron, as fT1HCeSS 5DdA111OlA, !
Z as funny as ever, and wears his stun
ming gowns as If to the corset born
Two unusually talented amateurs ar
discovered In the persons OF j.. w
) Gearey, whose Countess Sylvia is tn
{ best Of the feminine roles, and r.. H
Wells, who as assistant villain t
Klimpa (Phil Brooks) in the gyps
band has much good business.
The tight-laced gentlemen who con
stitute the six international step
daughters Of the Princess Daz1hof1
and those other slender-waisted lega
!; voters who appear as the Rumanial
. gypsy girls and the Mayer girls, man
!, aged their skirts and their high heel
! to the admiration Of the real feminin
persons who sat in the front of tn
: house. <.&z*...
> ], There is promised - r.,
= management tonight the smoothes
: and most pretentious appearance tn
. Roosevelters have made before tn
: footlights in their own city.