The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-15
THE Rance OF 0UDH'
DELIGHTS SALTWATER
ROOSEVELT CLUB OPERA TRIED
ON THE PRISON CITY.
Crowds See the Roosevelters Parade in
the Rain. and the Mayor Welcomes
Them-New Auditorium the Scene Of
the First Presentation of the Opera
Extremely Flattering Reception.

With spirits undampened by lower
ing clouds and frequent April down
started for Saltwater at noon yester-
day, to give the first performance of
"The Rance of Oudh. -
The Roosevelters, who do not hest
cate at playing many parts on any
stage. refused to mind the weather and
more than one hundred of them
marched down Hennepin avenue to the
Union depot just to show that they
weren It afraid of the elements, and to
let Minneapolis know that they were
still in commission, with treat
in store for them this week when the
france will be the attraction at the
Metropolitan.
In a special train Of three cars ac-
companied by the Battery band of
khaki uniform. 125 members of the club
arrived in Saltwater at 2 pm. Headed
by the band, the club members formed
four abreast at the depot and paraded
the streets for half an hour. Altho rain
was falling in torrents when the club
party arrived the people of Saltwater,
attired in wet weather raiment, crowded
the streets to greet them.
Flattering Reception.
Many Of the club members had
ception given the club was extremely
f1attering to the men who have worked
hard to produce the 1906 operate offer
Ing of the club. At 8 o'clock the cur
tain in Stillwater's new auditorium
rose on the last dress rehearsal, and for
three hours there was no letup in the
work of the principals and the chorus.
companied the club from Minneapolis
and Claude Madden, composer Of the
"Ranee' music, led the musicians.
At the close Of the rehearsal mem
bers of the club, accompanied by the
ladies Of the party, adjourned to the
Sawyer house, where the vocalists of
The cast sang selections from the opera.
After the dinner Mayor j. G.. Armson
appeared in the lobby of the hotel and
welcomed the members Of the club to
Saltwater.
At 8:15 the curtain rang up upon the
Indian scene of the first act of the first
public performance Of the 1906 Roose-
welt opera. The capacious house was
we'll filed and from the opening chorus
70 the grand finale Of the third act the
audience gave vent to enthusiastic ap.
hperfect ladies' in the cast.
Story of the Opera.
The story Of the opera as revealed to
the public in the first performance is
not an enthralling one, but it has more
continuity than most comic operas and
Is sufficient to form an excuse for much
clever dialog, many pointed loca
"'hits' and an unusually large amount
&c otnh tim f1
The fun begins in India, where Mrs
Crosburn Partbury, rich Minneapolis
widow with six marriageable daughters
is seeking recreation and incidentally
q husband for herself and six for he
daughters. The widow, played b!
Charles Lane, is title crazy, and whel
she espies the Rajah Of Oudh, PENN
portunitv of which she hastens to TAX
advantage.
The Rajah's Longing.
The rajah, Robert H. Brooks, has tn!
same longings for money that the ricl
august serenity as the playful says
is not in any noticeable way averse t.
accepting the advances Of the widow
In this way the plot is, created, and i
is thickened by the Vaccinations
the villain and villainess, the naneu
vers Of the daughters and their ao
mirers, and others. The stealing o
some Twin City Rapid Transit compan,,
stock is one Of the prominent features
and from its theft and recovery ar
evolved many interesting incidents.
Molly Nudge and Harry Shevente1
Smith furnish the lovers parts, Will
Nine. Renard and Blather Skite suppl
the necessary villainy, around whic
are worked many side plots and cleve
situations. In Chamois Skinner is see
Cooks guide, and almost including tn
audience in his mad chase Of sigh
seeing. <..-,...... 81. -
The second act is also laid In 1ndis
and the love motif develops as the re-
jah works for the money and the wido,
works toward the longed-for title.
Back to Minneapolis.
For the denouement the scene change
from India to Minneapolis, and at
grand ball Mrs. Partbury wins the n
daughters get their husbands, as do
everyone else who wants one, and tt
play ends happily with everyone in tt
merriest mood, and the courthou
chimes striking cheerily.
One of the characters most a
plauded by the saltwater audience
Selim, the rajah's faithful shade,
played ny NIP O1OOho. 1AItl
Belim takes no part in the developmel
IF the plot, he is omnipresent, and /
his silent counsel he furnishes mu
real, rare humor, and the raiah is e
We'd his faithful counselor, who alwa
agrees with his august serenity, ev'
tho he doesn It speak a word.
s.. John W. Geary plays Louise Be
pard French woman, who lives
her wits and injects some villainy in
the story by stealing Mrs. ..Partbury
stock and planning other clever fax
with Blather Skite, Hal Paris.
Molly Nudge civilian Newgor
furnishes Mr.. Sheventer-Smith (Fredt
lex W. Newcombe) an object for 10
and helps the story along in its sic
lights. =
! The event was of social signifcan
& for Minneapolis as well as for the ci
{ visited. Many Of the local friends
# the players accompanied them to Sti
& water and watched with interest tn,