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About The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903 | View Entire Issue (April 7, 1894)
14 THE COURIER night. There was a pleasing exhibition of Hopper's acrobatic com edy, and the rollicking fun that always accompanies this comedian was palpably in evidence, "Panjandrum" is a medley and a proper enough vehicle for the exploitation of the glittering speciaties that we expect when a Hopper or a Digby Bell is announced. tem IKff t w The week opened with "The Black Crook'' at the Lansing theatre. There was a fair sized audience, and the stag corner was particularly well tilled with such eminent ' patrons of the drama as Lieutenant Townley and Tom Ewing and Frank C. Zehrung and Mart Aitken and Frank Polk and Harry Krug and Tom Cooke and Charley Magoon. This part of the audience was very appreciative. Apart from the scenic effects which were, in some instances, very striking, the main feature of the entertainment was the dancing, or rather the leg performances of Blanche Henshaw and four other energetic young women designated on the program as the "French Quadrille Dancers from the Casino, Paris, and of four juveniles. For nearly ten minutes the intelli gent and discriminating audience was charmed with a bewildering variety of splitB, given by well fastened together females ranging in age from about six yedrs up. The split is one of the latest tributes of the stage to the culture of the public. In provincial Lincoln we do not often have the privilege of witnessing this elevating spec tacle; but when we have the opportunity we are appreciative, and we do not hesitate to manifest our approval. Surely it is a tine .thing to see these young women dance in the middle of the stage with one leg held straight up in the air, and then drop to the floor with legs split and at right angles with the body. It is a decided advance in the art of the theatre, One of the womon jumped high in the air over three of her companions, and then landed on the floor in a split position. Others walked up to the pillars next to the pri vate boxes and elevating one leg is a perpendicular position laid it along the pillar in a most edifying fashion. Then, as if to show the audience that there was no false modesty about them they stood on their heads and turned a summersault, with heels flying. All these things were done first by a quartet of young women. They were " followed by four little girls, probably from six to fourteen years of age, and each feature was repeated in a very; able manner. There was an Amazonian march led by a woman of aggressive shapeliness, corypheens, Ta-ra-ra-ra boom-de-ay specialty, some smoothly work-. ing scenery and glittering costumes. "The Black Crook was un doubtedly a great success. The contortionist exhibition in the ' bert ever seen in this city. 'The Black Crook" was the It is only charitable to suppose that Marie Tempest was physically indisposed Tuesday night when "The Fencing Master,' a pretty but medicore opera, was produced, with handsome Bcenery, and an ex cellently trained chorus. Miss Tempest has a winsome manner and a husky voice. In the scene where as Francesco she breaks the intelligence to Fortunio that she is a woman, she displayed real art. This scene was a very effective incident in an opera that was often dull. Some of the leading vocal work was notably well done, and the inevitable comediasu made the audience laugh. Lincoln theatre goers have been put to a pretty Bevere test this week. Several very strong attractions have been presented all in a bunch and in most instances there was an increase in the price of tickets. But the attendance has averaged good, and the theatre has made money. The Lansing will be dam all of next week. Four new boxes will be put in the Funke opera house. Designs for a new drop curtain are now being prepared. It is expected that the improvements and decorations will be completed some time in June. The Lincoln Light Infantry company will give a minstrel perform ance at the Lansing theatre, April 17. The performers have been rehearsing for months, and a very attractive program has been arranged. The fact that a certain young lady a blonde is wearing a new diamond ring is taken as a confirmation of what has been a more or . less general surmise. That .Lieutenant Pershing should have consented to lead the Patriarchs' cotillion is a compliment on his part to that organiza tion. The lieutenant, who possesses so many elements of social popularity, has been very sparing in his favors to society, he having elected to spend the major part of his time in study, in the face of many invitations from the gay circle. He is an excellent dancer and he led the cotillion Wednesday night with conspicuous success. Boyd Putnam, a member of W. H. Crane's company, is a relative of Mre. Putnam of this city, and was entertained at the Putnam residence while in Lincoln. Mr. Putnam was Henry De" Buy ter in "Brother John," a dissolute and unprincipled man of the world, and he was dashing and clever. There will be much regret at the departure of Mr. Lillibridge's family for Chicago. Miss Lillibridge, particularly, has a host of friends and admirers, and she will be much missed in social and musical circles. W. H. Crane and one of the best and most evenly balanced sup porting companies seen in Lincoln this season presented "Brother John" at the Lansing theatre Wednesday night. It was a notable performance in every way. Mr. Crane had an excellent opportunity to exploit his ability in real comedy, and he was assisted in a most able manner by the company. "Brother John' is a very funny play, but it is not up to the Crane Etandard. The democratic party has enacted no law in the past fifty years for which the country was not entitled to an apology. The party itself is an apology and a mighty lame one at that. The character of the men composing Caxey's army is not belliger ent. Not a man in the lot, but during his long career as a profes sional vagrant, has religiously avoided asking for alms at any house where there was a saw-horse in sight or a stick of timber that might be converted into stove wood. "The Police Patrol," a sensational melodrama with realistic ef fects, was produced at the Lansing theatre Thursday night, and was received with vociferous manifestations of approval. It pleased a good many people who doubtless would have found little enjoyment in witnessing the other attractions which Manager Church has pre sented this week. " THE BONDS CARRIED. The proposition to issue 9500,000 city refunding bonds, which was voted on at Tuesday's election, was carried by a majority of 399. De Wolf Hopper presented "Panjandrum at the Lansing last The fact of Herpolsheimer & Co. selling for cash only enables them to sell you good shoes that will fit for one-third less than usual prices. X f