The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-19
ATTHE THEATERS
Lyceum-"La Tosca. !"

Goaded to desperat ion; Floria Tosca
last night stabbed Mr. Scarpia Of Rome,
Italy, at the Lyceum. Then, having ar y
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 accomplice of Cesar
Angelotti. Tricked by this Scarpia, Miss
Tosca had betrayed the hiding place Of
Angelotti in spite Of shriels Of 'sI1old!
'slence! Letisky," from Mr.. Ferris, who
had concealed the fugitive nAngelotti 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 a corrupt bargain with her,
which seemed her only way out, prom.
ised to have blank cartridges fired atsDick
Ferris. To kill Scarpia-that was Miss
Toscas only further avenue to freedom.
So she killed him. But she was trickeds
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 Bernhardt
and Fanny Davenport--but who shall say
theirs are the only true Characterization?
Hers is not the repressed La Tosca-but
it is pleasing, thrilling and at all times
consistent. A. Byron Beasley's Scarpia
would be more acceptable, did he but inf
prove his enunciation. Save for the OPP
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.
Garden Tneater-"Pirates Of Penzance.''
"A nursemaids mistake, by which she
apprentices a young man of station to a
pirate instead Of pilot, as directed, puts
one Frederic in predicament, and fur
nishes the basis of Gilbert and Sullivan s
opera, 1.-THE Pirates of Penzance,'' which
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 first birthday. He
learns that the young man was born on
the 18th day of February, and, there
| fore, is only 5 and little over. His sense
! Of duty impels Frederic to obey the con-
tract, altho Immediately after his re-
lease he had organized a 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 d
| good pirate, betrays the father of the girl
he loves But the company organized by
| Frederic overcomes the pirates by
strategy, and Frederic gets the girl
The Garden theater's presentation OF
the funny opera is enjoyable. The lead
ing parts are well taken, particularly that
Of Frederic, by Jay C. Taylor, who sings
the part well. Next to the singing Of
Frederic. the best thing Ia the production
/ is the Hibernian face Of Edward, a ser.
geant of police &c. "A. Parker). The bang
4 OF, policemen to fight the pirates creates
! much laughter. The airs, of course, were
popular long ago.