The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-12-21
DoNALDsoNyILLE, La SATURDAY. DECEMBER q, 1907
NEW ORLEANS LETTER.
ventriloquist Coram aud His Boon Com
panion in Curtain Lecture--what's
Doing at the Theatres Holiday
Rush Begun.
STAFF Correspondence of The Chief.

town in a Prytania car with the Or
pheum press agent--one John Chatfe
by name and "a fellow OF infinite
jest" My friend John is finished
scholar of the school of George Ace
and informed me that he hadn't been
to some blow out the evening before
which was full dress affair because
of a disagreeable cold which had
settled in one. of his eyes, or, couehed
in his picturesque language: He had
such q bum lamp he decided he'd look
more than ever like lemon in one OF
those lizard suits" Mr.. Chaffe inter-
ested me greatly with an account of
Coram, the ventriloquist's attitude
in private life towards the lay figure
he uses in his vaudeville act. Coram
is ventriloquist of internationa
reputation and was one of the features
OF the Orpheum Road Show last week.
Honest, it's almost uncanny,o said
Mr.. Chaffe, 'sthe way the fellow talks
to that blamed dummy. Treats it just
like it were human being, and says
is's because he's been associated with
it so long in his profession that he has
come to look upon the figure with the
same feeling of 10y al comradeship that
another man might look upon faithful
and devoted dog. The figure is just
like the mans other self-his con-
science, in fact, continued Mr.. Chaffe,
"and the other night, coming in very
late and just q little bit oyer cheered
by the cupthat cheers, Coram entered
his room and was met by volley of
abuse from his dummy. "A pretty
lobster you are coming in at this
hour and in this condition, and Mrs.
Coram in New York, too, observed
the figure with sharp disgust. The
ventriloquist entered a sheepish pro-
test in his own behalf, but the dummy
interrupted brusquely, animated BY
Coram's disguised voice in his TRADE
of self abuse, oh, cut it! You know
you ought to be ashamed OF yourself
For heavens sake brace up and be a
man, and please remember you owe
that much to me. How can you expect
me to give an Intelligent performance
in the evening when you come home
in this condition the night befores
It's positively unreasonable to expect
it of me. Mr.. Chaffe declared that
the Ventriloquist's conversations with
his dummy are quite as if the man
were debating with his own conscience,
putting words In the dummy's mouth
and thereby threshing over matter
with himself just as another man would
with his own soul or his most intimate
friend.
It is too bad that the yer-loyable,
ever-clever Ethel Barry more should
be burdeced with such fimsy vehicle
as "Her Sister" for the exploitation
of her particular charms and graces.
The comedy is clever enough, if you
will, and abounds in repartee and
pithy sayings, but on the whole the
humor seems forced and the plot dull
and uninteresting. The play smacks
strongly of Clyde Fitchiness, but is
somehow lacking in that spontaneity
| that would render it worthy OF the
talents of SO captivating an actress
as Miss Barrymore.
"The Beegar Student is tie bill
for the current week at the Winter
Garden, "The Virginian'' at the Cres-
cent, and a fair vaudeville bill is TO
be seen at the Orpheum. William
Farnum OF 'tBen Hur" fame and ane
Oaker, who was at one time leading
woman for Wilton Lackaye, are sfel-
lar additions to the Baldwin Melville
Stock Company at Bianey's Lyric the
atre. The blood curdling melodra.
mas which were formerly in order al
the Lyric have been abandoned for
higher class productions, and the Of
fering for this week is Romeo ard
Juliet. " It remains to be seer
whether this departure will be met By
the success that is hoped for it by
appealing to the better element o
play-goers.
| AS "Iagon in "Othello" Rober
Mantell closed an interesting weeks
ngagement at the Tulane theatre
Sunday night. With. the exception o
"Richelieu, = which was the offering
Wednesday night, Mr.. Mantell ap
peared only In Shakespearean roles
He was somewhat hampered in hi
support, which on the whole might b
classed as mediocre with the exeep
ton OF Francis MeGinn and one O
two others. The entire cast shove,
| up to best advantage in "Othello.
The holiday rush is on in earnes
this week and the stores are croWde
daily with throngs of busy shoppers
The display OF novelties for the az
preaching season of gift-giying an
good cheer is more than usually a
tractive.
Merry Christmas to all B..