OCR Text |
Show PERFORMANCES OF THE BRIGHAM CITY DRAMATIC ASSOCIATION. During this week our theatre-goers have indeed been having a treat. We believe the Brigham City troupe have fully met the expectations of the public, and that they have created a high opinion of their abilities as artistes. Though by no means professionals, they certainly surpass many of the traveling troupes that pass this way. Indeed, a traveling troupe that could put on and perform such pieces as having been presented in our theatre this week, with such costumes, would be considered a very good one. On Monday evening, as was announced, "The Honey-moon" and "A Pleasant Neighbor" constituted the programme. The former is a high comedy, and reminds one of some of Shakespeare's comedies. It belongs to a higher school of plays than the sensational pieces often presented by our home company. Mrs. A. S. Young as "Johanna," the proud, haughty, and aspiring damsel, but subsequent changed and devoted wife, gave an excellent portrayal. Miss L. M. Snow as the witty and vivacious "Volante" displayed the ability of a true artiste. In some of the scenes and dialogues her acting was particularly fine and well finished. Miss Virginia Snow as "Zamora," the love smitten maiden disguised as a page, was dressed beautifully and appropriately, and played the part very carefully and effectively. Miss Wright made a capital hostess. Mr. L. H. Peirce as "Duke Aranza" alias the peasant gave a complete, finished and most pleasing portraiture of the skillful wife-tamer. This gentleman's style of acting is easy, off hand, rather quiet, never strained, but is, at the same time, very effective, and that, too, without any apparent effort on the actor's part. The ease and skill with which he makes a point in a dialogue or denouement is most pleasantly effective. Mr. H. E. Bowring as "Jacques," the pompous wearer of brief ducal honors, played the part capitally, and repeatedly called forth bursts of hearty laughter from the audience. Mr. Peter Baird, as Lampedo," The impecunious and unscrupulous surgeon, who was so neatly detected in his roguery, played the part exceedingly well. Mr. E. A. Box as "Rolando," the avowed but finally captivated woman-hater, played the part very well indeed, and similar credit must be accorded to Mr. McMaster's "Balthazar." Mr. A. H. Snow as "Count Montalbau," looked, dressed and acted the part admirably. Mr. Burt as "Lopez," Mr. Booth as "Campallo," and master F. Bowring as "Pedro" played minor parts assigned them in a manner that aided the success of the play. In the serio-comic farce, "A Pleasant Neighbor," the leading parts were sustained by Mr. H. E. Bowring as the happy cobbler "Christopher Strap" and Mrs. Rachel Wright as his equally happy wife. In this piece Miss Lana Snow as "Lady Elizabeth" looked and acted the part charmingly, while Mr. Burt as "Sir George" and Mr. Baird as "Thomas" did very well On Tuesday evening the romantic Cuban drama "Miralda" was presented, Miss L. M. Snow sustaining the title role. Her playing was careful, skillful, effective and at times actually touching. Mr. E. H. Pierce as the devoted lover "Pedro," played with his usual quiet effectiveness. But in this piece the character that "carried the audience" was the "Seth Swap" of Mr. E. A. Box. Rarely, in any theatre, have we seen a better portrayal of a Yankee. The live, enterprising, shrewd, generous and enthusiastic "Downeaster" as represented by Mr. Box, it is not too much to say, one of the best pieces of character acting ever seen in Logan. The tremendous applause which it called forth was attestation of the enthusiastic appreciation of the audience. Mr. A. H. Snow as the villain "Almonte" looked and acted the part excellently. Miss Wright as "Mad Cecil" showed marked talent for melodrama, and the other characters of the play were rendered in a manner that went to make "Miralda" a decided success. After the play Mr. Box recited "Sheridan's Ride" and was followed by Mr. E. H. Pierce who recited the parody "Schneider's Ride" in a manner that created uncontrollable mirth in the audience which could only be abated by the reappearance of Mr. Pierce, who, in answer to the encore read another Dutch piece entitled. "A Dutchman's Description of His Lost Dog." This created an uproarious hilarity that would have constituted a triumph for an Emmett or a Wyman. There is no question but that Mr. Pierce possesses rare "talent for Dutch." The evening's entertainment closed with the farce, "Betsy Baker," in which Mrs. A. S. Young played the title role with charming archness and naiveté. Mr. H. E. Bowring as "Mouser" was in his element and was the object of continuous laughter on the part of the audience. To say he did the character well would not do justice to his acting. It was simply immense. Miss Lana Snow as "Mrs. Mouser" played the part spiritedly and with marked success. The same may be said of the "Crummy" of Mr. A. H. Snow. On Wednesday evening the pathetic drama "Woman's Love" was exceedingly well played. Mrs. A. S. Young as the devoted wife played the role most touchingly. Mr. F. H. Pierce made another success in "Cutheroe," while Mr. E. A. Box played the fop "Searesbrook admirably. Mr. A. H. Snow as "Baldwin" improved upon either of his other performances which is to say considerable. Miss Tessie Snow as the child "Lady Jessie" played the part to perfection. For one so young she promises great talent for the stage. The "Lady Adeline" of Miss L. M. Snow was a finished piece of acting, and Messers. Baird and Burt were perfectly at home on the parts of "Hollyhock" and "Teddy" and played them well. Misses Lana Snow and Rachel Wright as the village gossips "Polly Pry" and "Chloe Castabout," played excellently. The play was followed by "Sheridan's Ride" recited by Mr. E. A. Box, and the parody Schneider's Ride" by Mr. E. H. Pierce, these recitations having been specially requested. While the reciters were making their preparations, Mr. David Booth favored the audience with a "Hardshell Baptist Sermon" which created great laughter. The farce of "Love in Livery" closed the entertainment. In it Miss L. M. Snow and Mr. E. H. Pierce did some excellent acting, and Mr. H. E. Bowring created roars of laughter by his capital rendition of the character of the stupid valet "Paul Patent." The minor parts were all well sustained. On the whole the engagement of the Brigham City troupe has been very successful, artistically and financially. Though the weather was against them in each evening, they played to full houses of our best people. They has left an excellent reputation behind them, with an earnest desire on the part of our theatre-goers that they may come again. In our criticisms of their acting, we have not measured them by the same standard that we would have estimated professionals by, though if we had they would still come off very creditably, but in concluding our remarks upon their playing we think we can safely say that it was the finest amateur acting ever seen in Cache Valley. |