Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-04-18
D.rktovu Mlnstrels . Great Success.

O1fkIOWo NA1ooSAVAS - 49,
j A rattling good minstrel show 10 tn
universal verdict. Not In many year
has a minstrel show been put on here
we'll carried out in all Its features as IN
Darktown Minstrels, presented Thurs
day and Friday evenings for the bench
Of the Pythian Sisters. There was one
they say, twenty years ago or more, 60
M on the hang .the-expense plan, AM
Combining the best available singers
the two towns, which may have beel
equal to this from . musical point o
view, and rather laid over It In splendof
but that is the only one with which the!
compare It.
Not only were the solos good, and tn
chorus full, strong and ready, but wba
might be termed the "team work" o
the several parts Of the programme wa
carefully organized, there were absolute
| ly no waits or bitches, and the pro
gramme stopped at the right time, ane
was not carried, as there Ia some danger
of doing with a minstrel show, to tht
point Of getting the audience tired.
The curtain rose for the first part on
circle in the usual form, with Albert u
Park as interlocutor, and eight men II
black face on each side. The bones were
Fred Hall, Don Briggs and Ralph An
drews; the tambos Howard Shaw, Wen
dali Rounds and Raymond Penfold.
Miss Ida Dean was pianist throughout
the evening.
A good overture was the first NUM- Der
largely a chorus medley, but containing
q rendering of Ben Bolt by quartette
posed of Messrs. Shaw, Walker, Ed
wards and Hall, which brought recall.
The songs of the first part, with cho'
ruses, were, "Call Me UP Some Rainy
Afternoon" bv F. Wendall Rounds;
"Bronco Nell" by Ralph Andrews;
"We've Always Kept the Golden Rule"
by Harry Shaw; "He's the Man." by
Fred Hall; ION Mobile Bay" by Ralph
Edwards; "Listen to That jungle Band,
BY Howard Shaw; "Tbe Moonlight, the
Rose, and You" by Mr.. Hickey, with
quintette chorus; "I'm Looking for a
Nice Young Fellow, Who's Looking for
Nice Young Girl" by D'n Briggs.
Several of the songs had an original
encore verse which hit of local matters,
and the Jokes came thick and fast be-
tween the songs, most Of them with at
least local flavor, II not purely local.
Naturally Leander Billings got the bene-
fit of some of the-heaviest shot. The
Norway curfew law, the sewer and Its
opponents, the present disorganized con-
dirion of the fire department., and vari-
GUS other matters and individuals got
rubbed, and it all took with the audience
in good shape. A few OF the Jokes were
of color, and the tone of the show would
have been better II they had been cut out.
Following the circle, the first number
of the olio was duet, "The Garden OF
Love-" by Misses Ruby and Rose Clark,
which was musically one OF the finest
things of the evening, and was fully ap-
preciated.
r. l.. Starbird gave short stump
speech, and Ralph Andrews mono
logue, both of which were we'll received.
Penfold and Ralph Andrews
also sang good duet.
Two effective songs and dances, In
uniform costumes Of pink, were given
BY quartette composed of Misses Ruby
and Rose Clark, Rose Murphy, and Beryl
Millett Of Norway.
The cutest thing on the programme
was the Teddy Bear act by Muriel Bow
ker and Maxine Bennett, Miss Muriel
singing the song, while Miss Maxine, in
a suit made for the occasion, represent
ed the Teddy Bear to perfection.
The chrysautbemum drill was the
most striking feature of the second part.
1t was done by twelve girls, all in crepe
paper dresses of chrysanthemum shade
and carrying hoops of chrysapthemums.
Various evolutions were performed with
q precision which showed thorough train.
ing aud much practice, and the effect
was heightened by good arrangement
Of lighting.
A college quartette by Messrs. Shaw,
Briggs and Shaw, with the
whole company waving college banners
At the end, made good finish.
Full houses greeted both perform
ances, and the net proceeds will be very