Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-22
THE ROUND OF THE THEATERS

THEATER-Thato old favorite THE
Alaskan" was growing frayed at the
edges and the management last year
called it into tho repair shop for
general overhauling. 1t was present.
ed In Its new and revised shape last
night before a fair sized audience
which voted that the only noticeable
evidence of Improvement was In the
SNOWFALL episode, in which the audi
ence and the players enjoyed them
selves hilariously for ten minutes
pelting back and forth with fluffy cot
ton balls. Aside from that. the
changes are not particularly evident.
except that the standard of the sing
ers has been noticeably lowered. the
company sadly needs some good vo-
calists, among both principals and ac-
tors.
The one instance of good voice
was the basso work of Mr. Poppen,
who has the song of THE Totem
Pole" which first brought The Alas
kan" into fame. It won the usual en-
cores last night. Many of the Jokes
were of a depressing character. and
the abilities of Mr.. Carroll as the ac-
tor, and Mr., Weinburg as the pro-
fessor. which might be strong under
other circumstances, were smothered
by the age OF the Jokes and the gags
with which their parts abounded. Miss
Stoner as the leading lady acted we'll
and looked pretty, but her voice has
n tendency to devate from the key.
especially when she sings some dis
tance away from the orchestra.
"The Alaskan" Will run up till
Thursday night with matinee to-
day Following The Alaskan" Man
ager Pyper's next attraction is a visit
from the old Salt Lake favorite, Rob-
crt Edeson, in a new play of modern
American life entitled "A Mans
Man"
ORPHEUM-While many of the acts
on the Orpheum program this week
are "homcrs," more or less of them
playing their third return engagement,
yet some are good, others are excel
lent. while none of them Is bad. For
instance, the presentation OF "Dobbs'
Dilemma" by Franklin Underwood.
Miss Frances Slosson and Mr.. Davies
has undergone a number of changes
since its early presentations, many OF
its timc-taking and unnecessary feat
ures having been eliminated. but the
skit is really enjoyable. and is clever
~ done. In the same category Is the
singing and comedy dancing divertisse-
ment provided by Belle Davis and her
southern pickaninnies. The picks"
do not grow less entertaining as they
grow older. and Miss Davis face and
figure have not become less charming,
the act goes through with vim
Abel and Irwin, black face entertain
ers, hand out a few "old-timers." as
fringe to some really good vocal
work, although the act bore no inward
evidence OF being a farewell tour"
The four Reddings. in their hand-to-
hand acrobatic fcats showed some
marvellous muscular motions in start
ling somersaults and flying leaps. Fox
and Foxie's circus Is possesseds of sim
liar recuperatlve powers. and the real
acts OF the little dogs and cats and the
"faklngs" Of the man were Just as
| pleasing as ever. 1t were unjust not
| to include In the review of remnants
| OF former glory the two antlquated
| kinodrome productions. One of these
Is the pictured progress Of the Incuba-
tion OF a chicken. and In itself Is in
| terestlng and educational. But nc
| cordIng to the best information obtain
| ablo. this Is the seventh time the pic
ture has been presented on the screens
| of local picture houses. To complete
| the chapter of ancient or untoward
evonts. several "mixups" occurred In
the seating of the audience. and at one
time just before the performance COM
menced, II looked MS II half the house
Wtie eIbNBSu III jumping up ana DOWN
to correct mistakes OF ushers in seat
ing them in the wrong places. One
gentleman who moved for the third
time. irately declared that he would
sec them" before he would move any
| more. Tt seems to have become 81
| confirmed habit in tho Orpheum now
| a-days to seat late comcrs. regardless
| OF the discomfort to which the early
comers are put. and all through the
| first part of the program. the view OF
those behind" was ofttimes obscured
| as the latc arrivals were conducted
| past the rows OF standing people
Turning from the less agreeable por-
tiops OF last nights performance. the
mind dwells with pleasing recollections
on the vocal work OF tho Basque grand
opera quartet. The repertoire OF songs
from popular opera produced by these
four singers comprises selc ,tons In
| French. Italian and English. Tho quar-