Page 8

THE SHOW WORLD
SeptembIe  c8. 1907,
THE BONDMAN WINS IN ST. LOUIS
St. Louis Bureau of
The Show World,
Century Theater,
Charles T. Cavanagh,
Representative.
S- 1'. I115I, Sept. 21.- The Bdoncdmian
ccc: d its first pcrouction in America
Ia st Monday evening at the Olympic
theater before the largest audience that
has assembled in St. Louis this season.
The Ilay is a magnificent melodrama
typical of the Drury Lane class, with a
variety of lige stage pictures, a dec-ply
stirring story and a novel thriller for the
apex of a series of climaxes. It is a
vastly better play than The Great Ruby
and other Drury Laie products which
have beeni successfully imported.
The literary merit of the lines lifts the
production far out of the melodramatic
class il which it belongs by virtue of
the character of the story and the man-
ner of dramatic treatment. There is a
turgidity in the dialogue and a tedious-
ness in the unfolding of the plot. which
no doubt will ice  eliminated in short or-
dr to mee tihe tastes of aix Aimi-riin
aitl  ge.t i     t is  is  doice, k iit is
1itt111-uestionc thact Messrs. Lackey,- andc
Brady will luave a   piece of propert v
which should have a long life of finacial
fl-ueiesIing role of "Jasoll, a Sicilian
who comes to the peaceful Islc of Man
On IIn errianed of velgeance to be inflicted
upon his oxn ialf-brother, lits the ipow% -
-rfil personality of Wilton Lackay *i
well axs any "straight'' part ie hIs  ,r-
had.
Supporting Company is Strong.
The supporting Culcpiany is unuxlsciIINy
strong.  Elsic Ferguson, as Grecei, is
one of the best leading women this toit
has seen in a long time. Endow  d witli
stiiking beauty, a stately figuie, witii
girlish grace and a melodious voice, seli
has cultivated her art with care and
cniiimated her role with endaring  uali-
ties. A slight icrvousness during  the
opening performance interfered witll her
work occasionally without seiiously icar-
ring the effect. Others in the large iast
who were exceptionally prominxnt ccere
Ethelbert Hales and Ial de     Forest,
When the country gets to know Lacic
in this part of "Jason" lie is lik-ly Ino
Ie styled the leading mlodramatic pl i  r
of the country; and mclmory does 1nt
furnish any names from England wIdh h
Would rise cuperior to his. Hot weath  I
throughout the week did not prevent Thi-
Bondman fronm having prosperous Iuc--
ni-cs.
New "Widow" is Clever.
iThe College Widow ls been ithe vc-cs
offering alt tlcc  Ce-itury.  '1'ic illiiI,
featuires of tice eixgageimenxt ccele lice hli
illecliccii thcis city of Gertrudei Quin
lan in the part of "Flora Viggins,- ad
the introduction of a new   "wxidow
lite person of Marguerita  Snow.   Miss
Quinlan has always been a favorite here
axd tercl ccs ixoucn  t riosity to se cc r
in er best kiois cork       roc .iiiorci
ondclusion is that tad Florat" isc lite
.seeix in otherI seasonis hcave ib-ec pic-I
faithfl iitators of Miss Qunl.a T s
the is lil m ioveltl in  ther p prduetind
Miss Sao ceas last   ere xvit JLacias
O      VNeill. She is probably the aest look-
Ing "cwidocw- cc- hiave seeic  cc-ichl is ;i
broaid stcateimxent, whein lice 'fetelciu'-ss'
of Tiloroty Tennat in tie ttlirt is
membIed. There is t c    ro m klo
natingi ilce patof eJae fViterspoic.
b   t Miss Sdow is second to ene of the
predecessors i      c her ixpcrsonation0 of le
pcopular young womfan.
Arizona has been the attraction at the
Graxd   Opera  ouse. and it is in til '
iands of an excellent company. Tosl
Mho sin most brilliantly ix the produlc-
iox ae Jlsepi  Green. Irving J. Lencts-
ter, Almxa Bradley, X. J. Htylan~d , Edccard
J. Farrell mnt W. H. Gerald.
Vaudeville PacksTheater.
c illy Zimnesi, i    is inipersoxna-
tilons. is lice tbrighctest featurce of lice
Gacrick  li this week.  Frcderick  V.
Bowers and his group of Collge Days
bner a    eglloped into lce regard f aheir
aldiences. Ray L. Royce di  sal nidly
fine  gork ix  tis  c paractyrizations  of
small-toen types, his crox being one of
the most paiselorthy thet tp e present
season   exs icrougt to ets.  Canfield aid
Cacrletonx, Hacry C. Stainley, Mills and
Morris, aicd Mule. 1-erixcatn are othcer
ecsprominenct in teprograxmne. Thxe
Garrick cointinues to turn acway several
hunildred people cvcry ixighct.
Te Coumbialis its best featulres thIs
week in the Four Golden Graces aixd Me-
Mahonx's Pulilman Porter -Maids. Tue
former novelty is rarely beautifull aixd
tice latter act icesanuabundance ofichumxor
ais well as singing aixddancing talenct ix
its arrangemxent. Bert Leslie ices ai 1(ew
editionc of togxns' Visit, T om Nawlx cc-
tulrned cvithc Pat aind Geii, and Gen.
Edward La Vinecwas pominentcwitix cis
comnedy. Bucsiness icas bceen excellent
tlhroughcout lice week.
Al. Merlin's U~ncle Tom's Cabin has
been at lice Imperial all wceek. A care-
fil and efficient management Ices taken
su~ch good care of this property tixat an
atmcosphiere of novelty siirrouinds and
pxermleates lice cintire produr'tion. Sacvc
the fundlamcental story, t1cplay is aixew
one and exceedlingly entertaiining.
Play Is Given Cordial Reception-A. E. Aarons Predicts
Downfall of Musical Comedy-Notes.
BY CHARLES T. CAVANAGH.
The  Mysteriouis Burglar at Ilalil's
provides tlhe imelodraia course for the
we-k's bill of fare. It is a very good
scenic priduction and the characters in
the liands of a group of players well able
to carry their burdens with skill and
grace. Burt King. Adele Lane and Flor-
rne Falkin are especially profcient.
'le Boston Belles at the Gayety have
furnished the best burlesque entertain-
menct of tic_ season so far. Edgar Bixley
led i i tie applause ccinning.
Sumptuous Burlesque.
,Tie Champagne Girls are at the Stan-
lard and doing a big business.    The
production is a sumptuous on and th-
1ompany a hard workin -clw of -oo
singers aid danccrs. John Lyonl>, the
xvauide\lil, louxs, s.  Ile is in anc unpre-
judicel attitude wvith plenty of box of-
fice information in his hands.
.'There caln be no question about the
public inclination toward vaudeville," ie
said.  "Our houses are doing all they
canl with their present capacities, and
our opposition are doing equally well.
There is roon for more and larger vau-
deville houses.  Their augmented pat-
ronage is coiming from the ranks of those
whose theatrical diet was the musical
comedy. The das of that form of fare
are inibered. Vaudeville has usurped
its domain. The wise manager will turn
to vaideville or to strietic lIgitimate op-
era and drama. Th, Red Mills, the Me.
Modistes and tlh  lRbin Iloods wcill al-
vay thrive. lis wcll IIh ----clis. dram-
DANS. FISHELL MANAGEROFTHE GARRICK THEATERST.LOUIS,MO.
comedy juggler, and Revere and Yuiraie
the best features of a bright olio section.
Manager H. E. Rice has had a week of
prosperity at the Globe with a bill which
included Dan Rice and his scholarly pigs;
Prendergast and Powell, in songs and
dances; Will Griikee. operatic tenor;
iHarry Kippy, the German comedian. and
Ltin Besselliman with illustrated songs.
There was also a good new set of moving
pictures.
iueJoseph F. Sheehan Opera Company
begain a four weks' engagement at wle
Gdloic last Monday nighct, lice first w~eek
being devoted to 11 Trovatore.   Large
adiences 1welcomed plIe    organization.
Mr . Shceehaix cvas spleixdid as Matilrico.
Others co scored in che cast Cwer:
Alani Turicer. Aninie Richcter aixd Ccctle-
rin, Iicgauoff.
TheCO udrlied attractios are: Lotls
Maicoin Txe White Heixatlice 01lyicilPic;
Thcoicas Jeffersoc In RipxVa 'Winkle at
lice Century: Thce Wizard of Oz at lice
Grand Opera hcouise; Murray & -Mac-k at
the Imperial; The End of the Trail at
the TIaylin's; Sheehan Opera Comxpany
in Faust at the Odeon; vaudeville and
burlesque at the other houses.
Aarons Discusses Vaudeville.
The advance of vaudeville means the
retreat of musical comedy. That is the
opinion of Alfred E. Aarons, whto was
here this week. No one would seem to
be ix a better position for ite formation
of an intelligent opinion on the subject
than Mr. Aarons. He is a producer of
musical comedies which have been suc-
cessful above the average, and lie is
general manager of the Klaw 1, Erlanger
is and sonc of th- straiglct fcrces. But
the nondecscipts, the 'dog fights set to
music' will have to go as road attrac-
tions. They cannot stray very far from
Broadway.
Talent to Find its Level.
"The tendency of the best managerial
judgment is towards straight productions
and high grade operas. A proper equil-
ibrium  will be established.  Theatrical
talent will find its proper level. Art will
cave  its  residence  in tixe  legitimate
oises d   moere entertainrnent will be
.supxplied icy fice- vaudev'ille theaters. I
have traveled through the country, visit-
illg the vodeville houses i  my charge
ild ic e coinditions hav-e hxeld a rec'ela-
tion for ne. Personally, I ae goig to
cofthe t y protciir g hereafter to the
est oeratic material available; and I
tave no hesitacy in  caking the propi-
ecy thact tile pcrofitable ventures of the
futtire ic lice first-class field wyill all be
of ltat chaeracter.  There cciil nec'er be
ainy seriotis scarcity of good vaudeville
acts,' for ltce increasing patronage will
indtce increasing efforts in the originat-
iigof novelties, aitd tie talent tlat has
hceretofore found its expression in theS
fileld of musical comedy will in the future
have its outlet in the region of vaude-
ville."
The St. Louis county fair opened at
Creve Coeur Lake Sept. 19.      All the
amusement features are in     charge of
Manager H. E. Rice, and that highly
efficient director has furnished a daily
program of ain unusually strong charac-
ter. One of the most interesting fea-
tures of the fair was a mile race on
I~-cbu-Icc---I     T~i" s' -i- Rie
I Miss Enm     Crocai   a      hetR b-
tw...n the fathers cf ti  cont stants
hiIh was not publiely announcd, cre
;,ting a spirit of rivalry that could not b,
surpassed in  an  internation l sweep.
st"kes.  The fair closed Sept.    l
aii  M l  rs . Rice, withI thecir  I leghter.
camiped onl the grounds thccccci>-ct th-
period and made their tr nt the cliter of
hospitality.
Write New Comic Opera.
John N. Edwards, night editor of fle
Republic, and William V. Bruncby, ct,
editor of the same paper, hav- completedI
the libretto of Coronado, a i-cc comi
opera of our Mexican      frontier.  The
music is by Victor Novi, a well-known
young musician of this city. The entir
manuscript is now   in the hands of
well-known producer.
The engagement of James ONeill in
Virginius, which was arrange,, for th-
week of Sept. 22 at the Olymcli, has
been postponed. The time will he filled
by Louis Mann in The White nonwhich
was originally booked for a lmilwinter
visit.
Harry Holthaus, stage man-cr of th
Olympic. returned to his desk last Mon-
day.  He seems to be fully relcovered
frolin te stroke of paralysis hw suffered
ill  Jul.
George Oliver Lake who hs been
treasurer of Delmar garden tiringhout
,liemsunnu e, Ices teenapi oilc-i ch!1-:
I sicr of f1ce Cenctury tlItll-.
Reinold Succeeds Hall.
I. A. Reinold has been anpointd mail-
ger of TheI Man of thle Hour compan
Ininig its tour. He takes the place o,
lhe late Josph F. Hfall, who died ic
'iiicago xlile the compancy was playin
it 1the Illinois theater. Mr. Reilcald was
imanager of thc   Wright Loriher com-
Ialy last season.
Will R. Antisdel is here as amnbassador
of Louis Mann in Thxe 'White Hn. As
it is tile gsntleman's first visit for tiw
seasolls. there cave been proper obserN-
cixes of the event.
Villiam L. Malley. under whose man-
.gemcnt Thom  s Jeff rson is no  touiring
.hals lien here for severlI days overflowc-
ilg wxith enthusiasm  over the   ,asonl
ProsPects for the Rip Van Winkle or-
i-nniz ition.
The  TWllston   Str at  Fair  opened
churs-dovn - with a parade that covered e-
-cy district of St. Loiws. Th( Show Will
-lose Sunday. Miss 'fflc HIt\ h.Ias been
iln do  queen  of the  fcair.  'l'hco  ( c11nc-ssion
were directed by T. IT. Stocci.- and tlc
Pike was the most pretentious that has
heon seen iereabout since tii  days o
the big WIorld's Fail-.
illis F. Glickman. of Chieingo support-
ai by Illm tiddish cnxapiy. Ic-ll cIppci
it Itco matinee pecfornlxxai, s cit tk-
Ilitilc tlcectcr ixext Molnday andcc Toes-
,ct \-iBokenc Hearts and Qcueeii Salb~
xiil Ice presented.
DAN S. FISHELL.
Manager of the    Garrick Theater, St.
Louis, Who Has Made a Record.
Iin S. Fis ell, ltem pohlae Ilila gern
lri Garrick eate i  St. Lnis, was
hon in Lo isiern  Mo.a Jne  176. H
iaoved to St. Louis text vokin-g and
cs made that city    is oe     ostoc-.
ioughmogt is boooc  aie   of th i
sas tfominently identified wo-im acniar
ti  icals in lce pa otand City. At tt-
ccgx- of 23 he took out a minstrel shill
if tis own. whic. played a season Si
lone performance, lost $17 and closed.
After a period in carge of irus shw
print department of the Grecit Western
Printing Company  ie was --geth ged i
ianagerofElerys aicd, wil wtichh
served for toree seasons. Durig thi
nsame period lie did tre booking and di-
reted fity e      publicity for e t estock-
Ferari Cartival Company.
His c xlaedagement of  sonic  of their
street fair engagemenits won  yi Geol-
tional reptation and caugit oee atteit-
tion of Janes A. Bailey aid Luis E
Cooke, who got  i  for the ttess sear
of the Barnum & Bailey circus. In thc
capacity AMr. Fis ll becace ce of 11c
best known press ageints iw ie usiness
si'hen tie joined te Subet forces i
1106 ie left an arny of fricoln cithth
tig tent sow. He marged  llGarset
all last season most successfully andI
nowv haicdling the Kiacy & Eclaxger Ad-
vainced Vaudeville interests ilc SI. Lotus
His ability and energy execitecd ix theit
behlcaf Ices made lice GaccicCk c,-of the
bxiggest money makers oic tic,- I  & E-
circuit, his publicity nmethcocds lcccicg pil
the house on a capacity ibasis continuO-
ously since ltce opencing ncight.
Two youthful Chicagoans hcave latelY
comxpleed acomic opera entitled Nangay
Dhu. Tce book and lyrics areby Georg,
Vautx Bacon. and Williamc Woebor Sitih
Is responsile for the mxusic. It is said
to be different from lice ordinary comic
opera, and judging from licetitle we ae
inclined to agree withc the statemcent.
Scott and Raynor's farce comedy, Ma'
New Husband, has beein so well received
since tlxe opening, four cveekq ago, that
ticey are sending out a seconcd companlt
to play western territories. Reicearsai]
commenced last week.
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