Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-05-13
"The Circus Girl" Opens Mr.
PaytOn's Season of Summer
Extravaganzas.
CROWDED HOUSE FROM
PIT TO DOME GREETS HIM
The Production from the Time
the Curtain Rises Is APP
pIauded.

In the faces Of the audience in the
playhouse the feeting impressions Of
the drama. as ii is unfolded on the
stage, are clearly apparent. Before
the curtain rises all is expectancy.
That veil that divides the mimic from
the real world, that mystic drapery
about 10 be swept away. is to reveal
a land Of vision Perhaps "a strange,
an everlasting dream" 1t is this that
the audience are awaiting, and their
countenances are a blank, but not
without a trace of intelligent antici-
patton. At last the play is ended. the
people file out, dislocated, as It were,
as obstacles separate the different
groups. 1t is then that the real sue
cess or failure of the production may
be judged. It is then that this or
that .congeries express their pleasure
or their dissatisfaction. So 1t was
in the lobby of the Newark Theatre
last evening after the presentation of
'The Circus Grip by the Payton
Musical and Comedy Company. the
first offering of the summer season
of light opera. And the verdict was,
Success They would not be human
congeries If 'Discord. that sleepless
bag that never dies" did not make
her racucous voice plainly heard, but
save for her there was no element
of disapproval. When at the end of
the first act mir. Payton appeared be-
fore the curtain he thanked the au-
dience for their presence, their ap-
piause and their money, and well in
deed he might. A crowded house
greeted Mr.. Paytons company. Box.
pit and gallery could contain no
more, and the house rang with the
plaudits which rewarded the efforts
of the players, while flowers in profu-
sion were borne over the footlights,
gracious tributes to the favorites,
who were doing their best to amuse
and please their friends. If there
were notes that wounded the sensi-
tive ear, if there were pitiful, pathetic
attempts at bravura and crescendo,
II in their makeup some evidently
had an exaggerated Harlequin in
mind or a Columbine dipped In a
cask of May wine, like the mad
bacchante of a Greek fete, what did
for enjoyment and to applaud Mr..
Payton's attempt to give them pleas
ure at the lowest of prices, and they
were bound to show him that they
appreciated his purpose and APP
proved it as a triumph.
THE Circus Girl is an extrava-
ganza that has been so long on the
stage that it is needless to speak
of it otherwise than to say that
wherever it has been produced it
has been applauded. In my review
in the Evening Star on Saturday.
gave an idea of its motive and its
construction. The first is mirth; it
is as IL the author or the composer
had said, LET me play the fool: with
mirth and laughter let old wrinkles
come; and let my liver rather heat
with wine, than my heart cool with
notifying groans." And in this
spirit the players made their b-w
and laughed their friends in front
Into wit and virtue"-let us hope
And now let us more particularly
speak of these players. Contrary to
our usual preferred custom, we will
refer first to a man, scarcely a man.
rather a beautiful youth, endowed
by nature with a face that only
an artist or a woman could APP
preciate A Ganymede who, If his
voice were the counterpart of his
features. could move the world TO
wonder and admiration. This was III.
Herbert Broske, Vicomte CASTOR. II
his vocal quality we're not of the
highest, his voice had. at least
sympathetic, appealing note. which
with skilled training might improve
The two favorites among the women
in the cast were Miss Stella Tracy,
La Favorita in M. Deivelli's circus,
and Miss Mabelle Estelle. in the role
of Lucille a slack-wire walker. Both
of the stars are beloved of Newark
playgoers, as was evident from the
shower of beautiful blossoms which
fell to their share. The one was
piquant and pleasing, the other
charming. If Miss Tracy had the
liveliest fancy and more assurance,
Miss Estelle won the affections more
by her grace and desire to do the
utmost with her role. The others of
the cast. both men and women. were
above the average in such produc-
TONS