Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1908-01-02
"PETEa PAM"
And . Never-Never-Land Train Tina
Made Its PASSENGERS Wish to Fly.

PETER PAM"
And . Never-Never-Land Train That
Made Its Passengers Wish to Fly.
At last Randolph has seen "Peter Pan"
and that, too, without contracting the
Peter-Pan-phobia said to be an almost in
evitable consequence of witnessing this
remarkable production.
Patrons of the Empire theatre, New
York, and the Duke of York's theatre,
London, may allow themselves to be
wrought to such pitch of excitement
that strong men weep over the threatened
death of Tinker Bell and weak women
are carried out in emotional faints; but
not SO in this phlegmatic community.
Nobody was so overcome as to mead re-
moval, but one or two old fogies moseyed
out after thu second act on the plea that a
limited quantity of a Mother Goose per-
Torrance was all tn felt able to stand.
The play was well presented by a
Charles Frohman company at Chandler
Music hall last Thursday night, but why
it should be favorite with any one past
the fairy and hobgoblin book age is a
mystery. Its plot and characters appear
like the nightmare of some little greedy
who has dined not wisely but too well
and gets all mixed up with lions and
minutes before he wakes up and yells
for mama and the paregoric.
The piece was beautifully staged, and
the last scene showing Peter and Wendy
at the little house above the clouds, with
the stars peeping out below them, was
really lovely. The fly .ng machine, like
all of its kind, since the days of Darius
Green, refused to work, this time for the
lack of a gridiron over the stage to permit
of its operation. However, the absence
of the continuance was not really missed
by those who had never seen the play be-
fore.
Vivian Ma tin, young girl, played
Peter Pan and did it with a sprightly
grace that was very char ing. The char
acter of little Wendy was taken by anoth-
er girl, Violet Hemming, who carried the
role with credit in spite of the paralyzing
effects of hard cold. The other age
children were evidently not reiuvenated
elders but somewhere in the adoiescent
period, which made their work the more
satisfactory. James Grant was the faith
full Mana, and dog star of unusual bril-
liancy. He had all the engaging ways of
pet canine ana the only thing he forgot
to do was to hunt for fieas in his leisure
moments.
The special train bringing 800 people
from Rochester and its neighborhood,
Sharon, Royalton, South Royalton and
Bethel, was stalled over an hour at Royal
ton by broken engine. There the thea
ire party sat on the track until a freight
engine could be summoned from the
junction to pull them the rest of the way,
and in the hall those already in their
seats fidgeted until $40 before the cur
tain was allowed to rise on the first act.
After another interminable wait, during
which the orchestra calamity tried to res
cue the house from insufferable boredom
and to soothe the savage breast with
strains of music, the special dragged into
the station not far from 10 O'Clock, and
the 800 made a dash for the hall, exhaust
ing its seating capacity and leaving about
% to content themselves with standing
tickets.
As soon as the crowd recovered breath,
they burst into song under the leadership
of Roll Upper and DR.. Otto Greene of
Bethel and, to the tune of "Auld Lang
Syne,'' Justify informed the multitude,
"We're here because we're here, we're
here because we're here,' and so on for
couple of stanzas. Their effort was greet
ed with shouts of laughter and applause,
but they had been too long on the road to
1t was quarter past the hour of mid
night before the play was over, and then
through some sleepy-headed carelessness,
the special couldn't get orders to move
out of this station until 80 a. m. How
ever, the 1875 people from Rochester and
its vicinity reached home in good season
for milking, or about quarter to four in
the morning, and the others arrived at
their destinations between and 3
o'clock.
This first attempt at special train for
out-of-town patrons was an unfortunate
experience, but it is hoped our neighbors
will not allow their unavoidable discom-
fort to dull their taste for the drama or
to interfere with future qualification of
desire for theatrical enjoyment.
1t is estimated that between 80 and so
came from Bethel, as many more from
South Royalton and hundred or so from
other nearby towns.
Music Hall Items.
Manager Richards of the Peter Pan
company expressed his deep regret at be-
ing unable to give the first act entire,
there being no gridiron over the stage to
which the flying mechanism could be at
tached.
Our people took good naturally the de-
lay caused by the accident to the special
theatre train; for which the management
are grateful. Every effort will be made
to prevent the recurrence OF such delay
in the future.
Popular prices will prevail for the con-
certs given by Victor and his band on
Jan. 20. At the special bargain matinee,
every seat in the house will be reserved at
20 cents.
Lyman Howe's "Lifeorama," which
comes Jan. %, has been playing to capac-
ity houses in the West. The Milwaukee
papers say Mr.. Howe's moving pictures
are the best ever seen there.
Treasurer Raymond reports that S25
saw Peter Pan, thus testing somewhat
our regular seating capacity OF 692.
The Boston Globe has this to say of Ed
gar Selwyn, the Indian hero in the col
lege play, .'Strongheart," coming March
1S:-.Boston has accepted the new star
and will look forward with plaasurable
anticipation TO his return to the city.
Edgar Selwyn's 'Strongheart,' is CAPT