THE COURIER
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PANJANDRUM.
E WOLF HOPPER and and his clever
company of comic ojwmi artists, presenting
Tor the first time in this city, tho gorgeous
comic opera spectacle "Panjandrum," which
recently closed its long and brilliant run of.
15G nights at the Broadway theater, New
fork City, will he produced at the Lansing
theater Friday evening, April Cth. The
comedian's company, whbli makes its ini
tial appearance in this city on the alwve
named evening, is almost identically tho
same as in former seasons: and comprises
Delia Fox, Marion Singer, Nellie Douglas.
Louise Hilliard, Helen Beresford, Samuel
Reed, Edmund Stanley, Alfred Klein, Harry
P. Stone, Louis Shrader, Win. C. Jones, and others equally familiar
to and popular with the vast army of American theatre goers. 'Pan
jandrum,'" it is said, pleases the eye by brilliantly picturesque scenes
and sumptuous stage settings, and delights the ecu oy a series of
tinkling jingling melodies. It s classed as a light opera, or in other
words, an opera burlesqued, so arranged as to give DeWolf Hopper
the widest possible scoje for his gymnastic abilities, as well as his
unctuous humor, while the score gives him ample opportunity for
the full display of his vocal powers. The opera is divided into two
acts, its theme being an oriental one. and its story begins in Subaya
$$m aBh Is.-" -
a suburb of Manilla, the principal seaport of Luzon, one of the
Philippine islands.
A young sailor named Pedro is infatuated with Paquita, the
oquetish proprietress of the village inn, and who during her lover's
absence at sea has become fascinated by Diego, a noted bull tighter.
Arriving at Subaya from his voyage, the hapless lover discovers the
tate of affairs, and at once determines to foil his rival. Learning
that a great bull fight is to take place, ana that Diego, owing to a
-sprained ankle, would be unable to appear in the bull-ring as the
pada, or chief bull tighter, Pedro at once sees a means of covering
himself with glory and of supplanting Diego in the affections of
Paquita. So. arrayed in all the splendor of a torreador he enters the
ring, but unhappily is ignom:niously vanquished, and presents him
self tattered, torn, bruised and humiliated before his sweetheart,
who taunts him with his defeat. Matters are thus worse with him
now than before, but he still hopes to right himself with his adored
one. Finally, the action of the opera leads to the departure for
Spain of all the principal characters. The ship while at sea, is over
taken by a furious storm and wrecked upon the coast of Borneo.
The passengers and crew arc maile prisoners by the savage natives.
Meanwhile the young lovers have been left in a la'rge cask labelled
"rum" in tho jungle by their captors, who had anticipated a royal
drunk on its supposed contents, but were frightened away by tho
roar of a 4iger. They finally escape from tho cask, and shortly
arrive at tho King Panjandrums palace disguised as fakirs, where
they discover tho remainder of the party as captives, and under
sentence of death. Pedro determines to rescue his friends, and in a
brief conversation with Paco, a fellow sailor, ho learns that Panjand
rum, the king is dead, having died some six months before, but
owing to an inconvenient law which provided that in tho event of
the death of the king, the grand vizier, with all the lato monarch's
wives and numerous slaves must be sacrificed at the obsequies, tho
wily vizier very sensibly keeps the demise of Panjandrum a profound
secret. Pedro learns of this canker worm in the grand vizier's
breast, and makes uso of his knowledge to somo purpose. After a
brier negotiation. Pedro agrees to impersonate tho dead monarch
and makes his iir.it appearance on the throne at tho feast of the sun,
where he is transformed into a joung king by Paquita, his sweet
heart, This delights the populace, who believe in the supernatural
and who have crowded about the palace to witness the festivities.
Pedro retains possession of the throne and pardons the grand vizier
upon condition that the Spanish captives are returned in safety to
their native land.
One of the most important productions to be made at the Lansing
theatre this season will be that of "Brother John," a comedy written
by Martha Morton, a young American girl, for the comedian, William
11. Crane, and which was originally presented in New York last
spring. It is Mr. Crane's avowed purpose to present nothing but
native plays by native authors, and "Brother John" is essentially
American in 6cene, action and plot. Its characters are American
and it has a delightful American freshness ami air alnjut it accord
ant with American greatness.
The work is in four acts and was suggested by Cotton's lines:
"The world has nothing to bestow
They aro but fools who roam
From our own selves our joys must flow,
And that dear hut- our home.
There is not a bad man or woman in the play and not a syllable is
uttered which would bring a blush to the cheek of the most modest
maiden. Tho part played by Mr. Crane is radically different from
any ho has heretofore attempted to portray. As John Huikett, hat
manufacturer, residing in the little town of Bethel, Conn., ho is
allowed to play on all the strings leading to the heart. At times he
3 amusing and anon the heart within him is seen when his family
defy, repulse and snap their fingers at hiiii. Miss Morton's play is a
beautiful, pathetic, picturesque and entertaining work, free from
preaching, but at tho same time containing a good moral. It is
wholesome, pure in thought, true in tone, sweet in sentiment and
singularly free from artificiality and exaggeration of all kinds. It
attacks the evils of dissipated society which result from the con
centration of civilization in large cities like Chicago, New York,
London. Paris and Berlin. Soiled uoves do not flutter their un
clcaned wings in it and there are no dress-coated rascals hovering
around for prey. Mr. Crane will present "Brother John" at the
Lansing theatre Wednesday evening.
Thursday night A. V. Pearson's "Police Patrol" will be presented
at the Lansing theater. This play, of stirring molo-dramatic inter
est, has enjoyed a successful run. and is looked upon with much
favor by the class of theatre goers that likes plays with plenty of
action in, them. It is put on with considerable elaloration of
scenery and stage effects, and it is well up with the latest and most
pretentious plays of its denomination. "Police Patrol' will have
strong competitors next week, but it will doubtless have its share of
the week's success.
uiiinir "Veakn--
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rilla. The Famous will display today fifty entirely new Imported Pattern
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suit you.