Goodwin's weekly : a thinking paper for thinking people. [volume], February 06, 1909, Image 7

About Goodwin's weekly : a thinking paper for thinking people. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1902-1919

Image provided by: University of Utah, Marriott Library

                
With the First Nighters I
THE RED MILL.''
In recent years, the term "road agents" has
come to be variously interpreted. Those with
whom theatre goers have had the most experi
ence of late come ahead of a musical comedy or
something of the like, and depart exultant, hav
ing been aided and abetted in their process ol
separation by journalists who evidently care not
a whit how they mislead that part of the gullible
public dependent on them for next morning in
formation as to whether a performance is worth
two bits or two dollars.
To the ordinary mortal, it would seem a diffi
cult task for anyone to spoil "The Red Mill,"
especially in view of the fact that Victor Her
bert has supplied it wth so many musical gems,
but the gang that barked and whined through
the two acts here, accomplished its destruction
without a struggle. Bright and beautiful and
pleasing as it could be, it seems wicked that
when seen here for the first time with the house
packed at two per, the Montgomery and Stone
success was such a disappointment.
The program said "Charles Dillingham pre
sents ." In this case, he doesn't he exchanges,
and his trade is a sharper bargain than David
Harum ever drove. The orchestra was splendid,
the monkey was fine, the Dutch kiddies were the
cutie little artists, and there were a few others
who afforded some pleasant reliefs, but the
gi eater part of the collection offered unequaled
opportunities for relic hunters, and their voices
had evidently been carelessly dropped when they
were very young.
If ever a musical comedy was replete " with
chances for those who can sing, it is this same
Rod Mill; such things for instance as "The
Isle of Our Dreams," "When the World is Fair,"
"Because You're You," and many others, and
there are lines and situations enough to make the
reputation of anyone with a faint idea of com
edy. But the comedians seldom rose to the bait.
Waltor S. Wills as Con Kidder is ah eccentric
dancer of ability, and his Sherlock Holmes was
fine. Maurice Lavigne made a hit as the Governor
of Zeeland, and his song with Sadie Kirby was de
lightful. The4 chorus well you never can tell from
where you sit at least you can't tell and have it
published.
Among the theatrical arrivals of the week
was Martin Beck, general manager of the Or
pheum circuit, who is at present in personal
charge of the Orpheum road show, usually the big
gest bill of the season for any Orpheum house.
Mr. Beck's visit would be interesting if tor no
other reason than that he is today at the head
of" the vaudeville business in this country, and
one of the biggest men in the European end of
the business. His personal influence i3 unqaes
tionably felt to a greater extent throughout the
vaudeville field than that of any other one man.
Aside from this fact, however, Mr. Beck has
hosts of friends in Salt Lake. Accompanying
Mr. Beck are Patrick Casey and Mark A.
Luescher. Mr. Casey who is a general booking
agent is merely on a pleasure trip. Mr. Luescher
is general pre3s agent tor the Orpheum circuit.
& &
ORPHEUM.
Eliminating the self-styled and apparently ir
repressible "Man from 4 the West," and Carrol
and Baker, the Orpheum has a good show this
week.
There is little on the bill strikingly original,
but the acts average up well In their various
lines and are well arranged. Vernon is a head
liner with his ventriloquism, due as much to the
cleverness and freshness of lines and comedy as
to his ability in throwing his voice. Peter Don
ald and Meta Carson in "Alex McLean's "Dream"
present a splendidly executed Scotch dialect act.
Donald's dialect comes so naturally to him that
the act is unusually entertaining. The Franklins,
four men, have the only bit of sensation of the
week. Their strong arm work is a decided de
parture from the ordinary run of mioh stunts and
is good.
Una Clayton and company appear in Miss
Clayton's bowery sketch, "His Local Color," the
latter serving more to demonstrate the ability of
the actress than picturing at all faithfully any
phase of bowery life. Miss Clayton's Tina is
worth seeing. The musical end of the bill is up
to Anna Woodward, whose soprano voice Is
pleasing.
James H. Cullen still holds the West respon
sible for himself and .his act, according to his
program announcements, which proves Cullen's
tenacity and Western forebearance more than
anything else. His act is as good as ever it tM
couldn't be much worse. Can oil and Baker are H
the aswor to when is a joke not a joke, In their jH
efforts to be funny. H
"Babette," the opera which the Logan stu-
dents will present, Is one of Victor Herbert's H
works, and was written especially for Fritzl H
Scheff In seasons past. There are several parts H
that call for good voices, acting ability, and fa- H
miliarity with the stage. Professor George W H
Thatcher is directing the production. The leal- H
lng part, that of "Babette," who is at first a M
village letter writer and later a prima donna, H
will be taken by Miss Greta Cardon, and the part H
should suit her perfectly as she sings natmally H
and with charm and vim and is possessed of a H
most engaging personality. Miss Cardon ap- H
peared to splendid advantage last year In the H
company's presentation of Offenbach's "The Rose H
of Auvergne." Supporting her will be Mr. Kjar, H
Messrs, Stratford, Calne, Bowman, Windsor, Por- 'H
ter, Lawrenson, and the Misses Annie "Mathlsen, H
Luella Nebeker and Alma Knap. iH
& & j
Edwin Milton Royle's musical success, H
"Marrying Mary," opens at the Colonial tomor- H
row night for the week's run with Florence Gear H
in the title role. The romantic musical play Is H
one of Mr. Royle's successes of seasons pas H
Marie Cahill using it first. Mr. Royle's theatrl- H
cal handiwork is already pretty thoroughly H
known and admired by local iirst nighters, and H
there Is just enough Utah atmosphere in "Marry- H
ing Mary" to make it more than usually interest- H
ing for Salt Lakers. There are plenty of clever H
lines, original situations, and clever comedy work H
to carry the rest of the performance. M
The big road show of the circuit is an- H
nounced for the Orpheum next week. The acts M
are under the personal direction of Martin Beck, H
general manager of the Orpheum houses, and H
include Mile. De Dio, the French dancer, In her M
European triumph "Terpsichore's Dream;" "The H
Van Dyke," a tragedy, by Cosmo Gordon Lennox, M
with Harrison Hunter in the principal role; H
Merian's Canine actors in a new Dutch-Ch'nese
drama "The Elopement of Salome;" Ilyman M
Meyer is billed as the man at the piano; Charles H
and Fanny Van will appear in "A Case of Emer- M
AracricoP;rsoFao Colonial beatre-W I
Dainty FLORENCE I
Madame J
GADSKI GEAR I
JN THE SMART MUSICAL PLAY I
Salt Lake Theatre . I
Monday, February 8th S2il 11X1 ivl Q T V I
Prices 50c to $3.00 DIRECTION. OF JULES MURRY I
Management Fred Graham H
PRICES, $1.00, 75c, 50c, 25c. MATINEES Wednesday and Saturday, 50c, 25c