The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-09
SOCIETY MINISTRIES
MAKE MANY MERRY
Alvin Smiths Aggregation Furnishes
Three Hours Of Whole
some Fun.
PLETHORA OF END MEN
Audience Well Pleased With First
Night Performance and Academy
VIII He Crowded Again For Sweet
Charity's Sake.

Once more are the Society Min
strels in our midst and forgotten are
the treasured recollections of Dock
stader, Primrose. O'Brien, Evans. AL.
Field. George Wilson and other burnt
cork artists that have made us laugh
In days gone by. Their shoes were
filled to overlooking at the Academy
last night when Alvin Smiths local
aggregation whooped II up in lively
style for three consecutive hours Of
riotous fun and wholesome merri-
ment.
That the production was huge
and bowling success cannot be denfed.
Through the admirably arranged first
part and equally creditable olio. the
evidences or ample talent. careful
rehearsal and painstaking prepare :
lent in numbers and appreciate
sufficient aid to insure success.
a Plethora of Endmen.
In the first part we had plethora
of interlocutors. endmen and yocalists.
Gilmore Hc.chkiss seemed to be a
sort of master of ceremonies and pre-
scented as middle men" David Leake.
Charles Harris and Linwood Rowlett.
each of whom graced the part most
creditably. And then came Fenton
Jacobs and Croxton Gordon, endmen,
who had first shot at local hits and
were very successful in their sallies.
the Administrative Board being their
chief resource. Roger Millhiser and
Billy mot Biilie) Burke followed and
kept up the good work. The last
named was a scream, and his work
would guarantee him a professional
job at his pleasure.
Two Artists on the job.
Alvin Smith and Henry Hotehkiss
closed this part of the making
with a corking good line of Jokes of
many vintages, but all delivered in
true end-man style. In the vocal pro-
gram. N Blanchard Forbes was ex-
pected to exceed the speed limit with
The Rose of Ny Heart" but in his
anxiety to arrive, he anticipated this
stunt. something happened and Mr..
Wombie obliged with the same mum
Der. Croxton Gordon gave good &C
count Of himself in Might Time Down
in Dixie Land" C. S. Burnett sang in
clear. capital basso voice and with
ine effect, When the Bells In the
Lighthouse Ring"
Features and Featured.
Ralph Ludwig. with his very sweet
tenor gave There's Little Spark OF
Love Still Burning Alvin Smith
warbled. when l Come Back" and
proved that he could. to the accom-
paniment Of his own originally con-
ceived poetry Of motion. He was. by
the way. a most ubiquitous impress
sario. bobbing up here, there and
everywhere. and keeping things NOV
ing generally. Douglas Gordon trans
ferred for the nonce from In front
of to behind the footlights and doff-
-. "A To- l.t, .Nxf
tai baritone in pleasing style. Can
You Hear Me Calling. Caroline?" and
incidentally demonstrated one of the
many uses to which a palm leaf fan
can be put.
In the olio there were features and
features. Croxton Gordon and Fen
ton Jacobs In vaudeville skit, ana
Honey Boy Hotchkiss in a monologue.
breezy. funny. and delivered with his
own inimitable ease and sureness. and
packed full of witticisms and local
references. dancing turn filled In
and then the program closed with
Fenton Jacobs one act sketch Faith
ers Debut at the Country Club"
wherein many had chance to shine
or bask in the trying glare OF the
footlights. This sketch, by the way.
proved very amusing. The plot was
very hard to follow and WAS not pnr-
sued very strenuously. any way.
Jimmy Hutcheon was the ardent
swain wooing Miss Emily Wade. the
daughter OF I. NJ Rich tOtis AL
friend). He became go absorbed in
his poetic lines that he wooed the
audience. while Miss Wade gazed alb
stractedly in another direction. En-
tiers her father chr. Alfriend) who
ordered drinks around, guests saun-
ter from the clubhouse to the lawn.
and the thread Of the story is sud
denly dropped. while Roger Millhiser
initiated Harry Lauder with remark
able fidelity. the quartet sang a num-
Der or two and an act OF the younger
set gave a graceful. delightful ten
mis- dance, Mr.. and Mrs. Miilhiser
disa ppointed by being unable to APP
pear. Otis Atfriend then sang in
real comic opera style and clever
ness Susan Sews Shirts For Sol
diers." After which Mr.. Hutcheon
returns to the game, and wins the
hand Of fair Emilis
Miss wade Makes Hit.
Miss Wade. by the way. repeated the
splendid impression she has always
made here in local theatricals. Dainty.
graceful and bewitchingiy pretty. she
was always the center OF attrac-
tion and deserved the hand that was
given her. First night trips and lapses
were numerous and added to rather
than detracted from the fun. enabling
the prompter to assert himself fire.
quently and audibly The stage pic
ture Of the last act WAS riot OF
and very realistic. In
fact, the entire production was worth
while and as for the minstrels--we
shall not look upon their like again.
except at the performances OF today
MI ThA In h.