The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-30
AT CASINO THEATRE.
Payten sisters Begin Engagement a,
 the Park


 the Park. The largest audience that has visited the Pickett Springs Casino Theatre this season comfortably filled the little play house last night to see the initial per formance of the Payton Sisters Com pany in Utah." a weli-known drama, and showed plainly their approval of the company's work by frequent ap- plause.
 In the first place, the selection of the bill was a good one and showed wise judgment on the part of the manage ment in not attempting to present some play of great depth or one that required much training and unusual histrionic ability Tho public does not expect repertoire company. and especially a summer stock company. to put on plays in the same style that Is required in theatres during the regular winter the- atrical season.
 The company is weil-balanced. There are no stars and the members of the company work together to gain the necessary results. In addition to the pleasing performance that the Payton Sisters Company gave, they have the best lot of speciality acts that have ever been put on the stage at Pickett Springs. There may have been indi- vidual speciality acts put on at the Casino that were better than any one act that the Payton Sisters have. but no company has presented as high a class of specialties.
 Senter Payton made hit in the char acter part of "Pa" Caldwell, a Utah farmer. and got all out of the part that could have been wished. Edwin Felix. who is pleasantly remembered as one of the leading members of the excellent stock company which occupied the Ca- sino the first part of last summer, held up the favorable impression created by his work last season by the clever ham ding of the part. John Farnum. vil- lainous father. Albert Russell. the leading man. is possessed of a good physique and is handsome enough to i'll the bill. His acting is. on the whole, good though a. little staginess Thompson handled the juvenile role in good style aud gave entire satisfac tion.
 Although on the stage for only a few minutes during the play, Bertram Mill lar gave one of the neatest bits of work done by the cast in his presentation of Bishop Cannon" of the Mormon Church.
 Miss Lola Payton showed greater ability than the rest of the female members of the cast in her character work as Mrs. Caldwell. She acted tho  part for all there was in 1t without overriding 1t, and scored one of the dis tinct successes of the performance. Miss vina Payton acted yivaciously and fn- telligentiy the soubrette part, and Miss Lucy Payton made an acceptable lead ing woman.
 The songs by Walter Thompson were rendered in a pleasing baritone voice. and the dancing by him and Miss Vina Payton was executed in a manner that drew applause.
 Arthur Woods caused much laughter by his parodies, and Miss Edna Bald win danced and sang acceptably. al- though a little vivaoity put into her work would render 1t of less mechani- cal appearance.
 Dan Holt. in a black-face musical sketcit brought down the house with his comedy. Ills act is clever and fcFms a just finale of the evenings en- tertainment.
 "The Way of the World" a society drama, Is the bill for tonight.