AMUSEMENTS.
Last night the Hopkins Trans-Oceanic Specialty company played to a good business at the Lansing. The performance was opened by the Dixon brothers , who played ditties wild and wailing upon instruments wierd and windy. Their bell specialties were heartily encored. Next the famous Lars Larsen Family appeared in their great tumbling acts. Only three of the ladies performed, as one of them is ill from an injury recently receieved on the triple bars. The head to head balancing act was well executed and loudly applauded. Messrs. John and Harry Dillon sang several very coarse parodys on coarse songs. Much the best specialist of the evening was Kara, the juggler. His silk hat and ball performances are very skillful and clever and he has a truly wonderful little habit of keeping an entire dinner set in rapid circulation through the air. Next appeared Fulgora, the great "transfigurator." I doubt whether that word is in Webster, but we'll let it go. It was probably taken from the Century lexicon. His transfigurations, though differing somewhat from Raphael's , were very good, and he blossomed from costume to costume with astonishing rapidity. His elocutionary efforts were rather tame, and if he intends to give that racing recitation often he should learn how to pronounce the word "derby." His facial representations of great men would have pained the widows and relatives of the distinguished deceased. His Napoleon I. looked like he ought to be selling wiener wursts and his Abe Lincoln bore a striking and painful resemblance to those dark-eyed Latins who sell bananas. Mr. Will H. Fox whiled the weary hours by some musical wit that was faint and refused to come to. He achieved the startling feat of rendering "After the Ball" as a piano solo with his talented nose. This is the third man whom this paper has to chronicle in the sad list of singers of ancient song. The Larsen sisters again appeared, this time on the triple bars. Their work was graceful but mediocre. That part of the audience which had seen the bar performers in the Light infantry minstrels several weeks ago were a little bored last night. Misses Mellville and Stetson sang several lively duets. Miss Stetson has a genius for being wicked gracefully. Her audacity is startling, but not at all disagreeable. In short, she is naughty — but she's nice. Her "Don't You Believe It" was a study in shadowiness. De Brissel, the French modeller, successfully entertained the audience. Billy Van rather wore his welcome out. Papinta's dance creations were very showy and almost equalled those of Ida Fuller , with "Panjandrum."
On the whole the company was much above the average specialty company. Mr. Hopkins' advance notices say it is too bad Shakespeare is dead, he would have enjoyed the Trans-Oceanics so; which statement shows that Mr. Hopkins knows more about the real William than many people who probably read "Hamlet" oftener than he does. However, Shakespeare probably saw lots of Trans-Oceanics in his day and may be having a steady course of them now, for all we know.
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