The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-11-24
] He THEATRES
PROVIDENCE OPERA HOUSE,

Prince George OF Nebula.
Harry Davenport
BaIon sparta. ......"..... Harry Fisher
captain Shvowitz. ......... Joseph Carroll
Princess hhe............. Gertrude Witty
Or. otto Blotz Julius Steger
DIR. Popoff. ................ William burgess
Captain Calling. ..........W William Burgess
Parthenia Schmit ,..........A Anna Doherty
Hugo Won .Glcnwood White
Mayme .............. Grace Field
Marquise Frauziska........Ma Naudain
/ Rudolf. .................. Frank Stammcrs
Prince karl",...."....Ed Edmund Mortimer
Miss Stella Bcardsley
Countess a..........S Stella Beardslcy
Katharine Peepfosel. Irene Bentley
Ethyellc .Francis Harris
sylvia lsobel Plunkett
Prince
lmogeyne. Beardsley
.Maude Leroy
At the Providence Opera House for the
balance OF the week with matinee to-
morrow, The Lew Fields Theatre com
pan is presenting 1t Happened IN Nord-
land" a musical comedy In two acts, book
and lyrics by Glen Marlborough, music
by Victor Herbert. produced by Julian
Mitchell, under the direction Of Iiamlin,
Mitchell and Fields.
Last nights audience must nave been
DAtAAN h'dl ~ ltNOiu plFhhlil6 MAIN III
point OF numbers. The :. II. O. sign
adorned the curbstone in front OF the
Opera House and a lot OF 5. r. O.'s filed
the space between the back wall and the
fence OF the parauet.
The worst OF IL was that a considerable
part OF this usually big audience came
late. 1t must have been nearly half-pasu
eight before the last OF the belated ones
got along and into their seats. The COM
bination of a full house and n big pro-
portion OF ~stragglers worked unfortunate
ly for the larger number who were in the
stalls on time--for with the fine moving
machinery thai works this pretcntious
production. the curtain rises pretty nearly
at the minute of s o'clock and for the ball
ance OF the stay here il r. worth observ-
ing that the patrons owe 1t To many others
az we'll az to themselves TO be I'm their
seats on time for the beginning of the
show.
'The fame OF 1T Happened in Nordland"
has preceded IL in a general way and de-
tails have not been lacking. IL IL the kind
Of thing that New York likes heartily and
that out-of-town people itch 10 sec as a
matter Of course. What New York likes
heartily IL not always what the out-of-
town places so thoroughly appreciate. but
a big New York run IS on tho whole a
pretty good guarantee of something worth
while, even though We nay sometimes
wonder WHAT ~ the OASIS or some OF the
triumphs that are sent over from the big
town. On the other hand, IL Is fair 10
some Of these tremendous successes that
max YOU wonder in this way, IN take into
consideration the fact that much worked
up a~nticipationS are IN themselves a dan
ger I'm the way of threatening the COM
plete realization. We may expect too
much I'm a vague and underlined way. or.
not knowing just what to expect, And that
the ideal that has been formed Is not quite
reached.
1T Happened i'm Nordland' kept last
nights audience chuckling pretty steadily
all the way through after IL once got into
the atmosphere. Enthusiastic demonstra-
tons were the exception. however. The
fact is the production is in the first rank
Of many another OF the kind that has
come along, all the way from "Florodora'
to the present time. I'm a vital way there
is nothing new 10 Il. but it may be added
that i'm a vital way there IS small op-
portunity for making something new
along this line.
"Nordland' accomplishcs its purpose
quito as we'll as the best OF its kind with
out particular novelty. As n production
Il has never been surpassed and as a
ballet show nothing any prottier or more
lavish has been done Stage talent 90
the highest available order has been de-
voted 10 It's construction. and. n in any
respect. this talent is given a particularly
vivid expression over and above much
that has been offered along the same lines
for a dozen years, that credit belongs
20 tho ballet master. The ballets were
superb. There Is a big variety OF them
and the effects are in every instance eN-
traordinarily fine. Never have better
drilled corps been seen In prettier or more
novel evolutions. never was costuming
and lighting science carried 10 a higher
or more effective point. The indian bal
let OF the first act IS about as exquisite
a performance as has ever been sta god.
h Herbertian music is m~elodious.
often distinctive and marked by an en-
gasing rhythm. The Spanish Is much
utilized with reminiscent effect that Is in
evitablo. but with great beauty OF ex-
preston Just tho same. The lyrics arc al
most without exception dainty and pleas
ing. There are some mighty pretty sing
able songs I'm "Nordland.' The story is m
fantasy OF tho general character that in
dicatos the Mscdouough style-rather
than grotespue I'm its extravasancoa. and
marked by II lightSess OF touch that
takes II out OF the buffoon class. although
%bufoonery Is the distinguishing character
81 the leading f~unmakers. Never was
"a musical production. however. moro
obviously q spectacle and a ballet show.
with tho comedians utilized 10 MI time
while the rcdressing of the Choruses Is
going on, than H. "Nordland.'
The comedians do their work faithfully.
Mr. Fields II the kind OF a funmaker
who can "a on amusinsly forever. ap-
parcntly. Give him "a feeder or two
and he could I'LL n whole evening with
his nonsense. And nonsense is the cue
90 the "Nordland" style. The book Is
something between an Alice In Wonder
land and Carolyn Wells. so far as the
ak and fun goes. 10 g. nonsense all the
time. sheer Stiffness that keeps you
~siggllng rather than laughing out loud.
Mr.. Fields takes ten or IS minutes ~ time
In AZ act with Julius Steger Of having n
tooth pu~lled-nofhlng hut absurdlv funny