The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-24

Yaxs
The Roosevelt club, after prodigious
labors and lavish expenditures, gave
to an, eager public last night the first
view Of it's annual extravaganza, Gin
derellaa and the Prince - In all re-
spects the most pretentious and gilt
tering Of the series that began in 1901,
it's strongest appeal to the brilliant
audience that crowded the Metropolitan
last night was to, the personal interest
every, one took in the clever young men
ability to the mastering of their stage
tasks. With a personnel representing
the best of the business and professions
al young men of the city, the club fur
nishes talent galore with which to man
long list Of dramatis personae. This
membership has been drawn on most lib
orally and inspired by the confidence
Of previous successes, the management
felt justified in making any expenditure,
duction. In consequence, the fairy
revel' is put on with a completeness
that would be quite impossible in a pro-
fessional organization. :.
It must be admitted that R. A. Bar
net, who, as before, furnishes the
libretto, has not acquitted himself so
we'll as could be wished. Harking back
to the nursery tales that usually fur
travag CANA, he has hit upon the idea Of
| taken up the Cinderella tale at the
point where the nursery raconteurr
leaves off and tracing the career Of
that fortunate young lady after her
4 fairy godmother had turned the tables.
! This clever idea, however, is not very
well elaborated, altho Little Goldenhair1
and her bears, Robinson Crusoe and
his black men, and Santa Claus are
called to the rescue, the story struggles
| to the surface so seldom thru the drift
: of song and dance and stunt that one gets
but a hazy idea Of what it is all about.
Perhaps it is just as well, however,
for the young men are thus renewed
of any Responsibility for sustaining the
:, dramatic interest and may devote their
attention entirely to entertaining the
audience with q variety Of effective
impersonations, vocalization and salta
tion. y ~ -"
! The music Of the extravaganza, on
the other hand, is distinctly pretty. =
= has been derived from a number OF
|, sources, but, despite this variety. OF
authorship, the various numbers have
, enough family resemblance to give the
, score homogeneity, and yet are on Wloe
!, " differing themes well suited to thell
purpose. Some Of the ensembles nave
| fine choral swing and, despite the thral
: OF unwonted ,corsets pulled overnight
) the volume of manly, we'll trained voice
gives a. fine effect. The lyrics, in tn
Writing of which Mr.. Barnet had tn
. assistance of D. K. Stevens, are cleve
: in idea if not entirely smooth in verslfl
| cation. The stars Of the club sing then
with good effect, of one IS not over
: anxious to hear the words. For 1t mus
be confessed that these amateurs, nay
= Initiated professionals ALMOST too closet,
sometimes in singing their lyrics witt
Iindistinct enunciation. "
The scenic investiture-to borrow tn
. prandiose phrase of the advance agen
lis gailv brilliant. Special scenery o
: gorgeous execution has been PROVIDE;
and. with the moving panorama OF OIL!
liantlv clad actors and actorlnes an
octoroons, the stage pictures are beyon
j., doubt the most beautiful ever snow
in an amateur production anyWhee!r,t
=, The light effects are handled wlta J ne ne
changes'' are made with outwar
turned red footlights to conceal then LEI
r. evoking appreciative applause. :, In
COSTUMES. Of course, are on a brilllan
scale. There are fairies and fays,, house
maids and show girls, ballet dancer
and mandarins, Robin Hood . men an
bellboys galore-all costumed IN stun
ming style. I.
After the gasps and gurgles OF FEM
culine admiration that greeted the frs
appearance of the girls" had SUI
sided, the audience settled down to thor
enjoyment Of the evenings entertain
menf The performance moved yer
smoothly for a "tirst night an
there were few Of those hitches-s