National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-11-28
AKUSEMENTS,
THE NATIONAL THEATRE-THE FIFTH
AUENTTE CnMpANV


To an old tbeatre-goer the presence Of the Fifth
Avenue Theatre Company here suggests some
pleasant "reminiscences Of the stage and in these
parting lines il viii, perhaps, hereafter delight
us If thought or two is preserved. The role Of
Jovin has been played by Mr.. Chapman, name
old in theatrical history the Constitution OF
the United States. Mr.. Chapman is q kinsman
of Mrs. Harry T. Ford and Ella Chapman, and
OF that famous actress, in her day, Mrs. Drake,
Of Kentucky. The Chapman family are born ar
fists, and for long years their name has filled the
play bills from the Atlantic TO the Gulf Of Mex
so; In the wot1 IL a5t % S ia@;1
in politics. 1t runs in the blood Of the ChRpmans
to be actors just the same, by the way, as It runs
in the blood Of the Morans 10 be painters. Our
own Moran, the best marine painter in the world
probably, has little children who already make
wonderful sketches. Then there is in the CON-
pany the veteran William Davidge, who for more
than forty years has been before the American
public, and has yet to hear the hTst unkind word
said Of him. His name links the present with the
past. He was noted actor before Janauschek
and Salvini were born, and HIS name was a house.
hold word before Adelaide Nelson and Scott Sid
the stage with the stsr-syed Bijou Heron he re-
minds one OF the picture, From Shore to Shore, -
Of the morning and evening: Jupiter Is sinking
beneath the Oecident, and Venus gilds the Orient
with rosy dawn.
And there is our own toWns-woman, Miss Sara
JeUett She certainly Is entitled to high forms of
praise. 1t must be remembered that she has had
only two years experience on the stage.sWe know
Of no actress who has, in that time, accomplished
as much as she. Good judgment says at once that
Miss JeWett has the gifts OF emotion and Imagin-
alton in acting. She Is lady-lik and refined, and
her nature is pOetical and romantic, and she has
given proof OF having ambition: and, If she has
Industry, If she never tails IN perseverance and
hard work. her future artistic lie is one Of eXpan-
sion and Increasing beauty. Ifshe allows herself
public is prepared, ready and willing 10 accept
anything and everything without the regular
guid pro quo then she viii rest where she is now,
in the vestibule Of the temple Of fame. Fine
dresses, gltterng jewels, stylish person and the
injudiciOus praise Of the unthinking never made
L. ito a1N
Barrett. 1t was ambition and industry that bound
their broWs with the immortal laurel.
Mr.. B. ]. Ringgold, with whose assumption Of
the role Of Octave we have been Obliged to ind
fault, hns regretful good bye. for he is actor
Of acknowledged standing and repute. In gen.
ersl, his juvenile business is excellent. We re-
member him years agone, at Laura Keene's the
atre, and afterwards at Wsllaek's, where he held
an important position. His great success there
was as Berthe, in RObertsOn's drama Of Home, -
and at the same theatre he used TO get a call be-
fore the curtain every night as Don Jose, in
Don Caesar de BaZan,' and we are sorry in recOl
lecting that his venture with the low comedian
and character actor, James StOddard, was not q
financial success.
The picture Miss Alice Grey leaves of N adame
Guichard will linger pleasantly in the minds Of
Washington theatre-goers. The critical eye dis
Germs the fact that her assumption of this role Is
to certain extent, natural one. 1t is easy tor
her to play 1t, and traces Of Madame Guichard's
style on the stage could no doubt be detected in
Mics Grays private parlOTs. We know of but
one rival of hers in that role, and that is Fanny
Davenport, and she, too, plays 1t we'll for the
same reason that Miss Grey does. The latter is
q great faVorite here, and it would be a treat to
dertakes she does we'll. AS a leading lady her
reputation is most enVabe in our principal cities
Mr., D. H. HARKIEs
will take away with him the slneerest wishes for
an early return. This old friend and companion
Of Mark Smith, Harry Perry, Dan Setchell, Bur-
tin, Hackett, and other nlustriOus stars, whose
living light is forever plotted from the sky, has
won solid place in our estimation: People in
Washington laugh to this day over the ludlcroqs
WANTED, One Thousand Milliners-" Mr.. Har-
kins brilliant fame as an actor is not his only
possession. July l6, 1881, he raised the first
ment. Before Richmond he was on General
Slocum's staff and the provost marshal Of SlO-
Gums command. In the Valley OF the Shenan-
doah he was provost marshal OF Gen. Hunters
command, and during the war he participated in
more than eighty different battles and skirmishes,
and from all Of them escaped without injury,
though often in the thickesT OF the tight.
The heroic role OF Captain MOntaglin is Just
suited to him, for he is that sort of man. 1t is
his nature to be just brave and generous but still
the role Is by no means adapted for a display Of
his best powers. His health is perfect, and the
resources Of his voice and physique are, on the
stage, almost Incompatible. These are finely
displayed in his roles Of ack Cade and Macbeth.
Hacketts fame as Falstaff fills two continents and
We reeollect that the late John Forsythe, Of Mo.
bile, told US once that Hackett said Mr.. Harkins'
Hotspur was one Of the very best he ever saw,
quite as good even as Charles YOung's Young
place
Of George Frederick Cooke and John Philip
Kemble and Edmund kean. Cooke died in New
York in 1878. hean built his monument in the
old churchyard nearly opposite the New York
Herald office Afterwards It was rebuilt by Charles
Kean, and within year past Ned SOthern has
had it repaired again. Mr.. Harkins is less than
forty years Of age, and all who know his sterling
merits feel assured Of a bright future for him.
BIJoU HERON.
Yesterday we promised our younger readers to
tell them something about BjOu Heron. They
can see her at the National this afternoon and IN
the evening too. BliOu was born in New FORK
about twelve years ago, and is the only daughter
of Matilda Heron one Of the most famous actresses
OF modern times. Her mother has retired from the
as teacher OF elOcution and in fitting young ladies
for the stage. Gertie Norwood was cast for the
play last sPring-May, We think it Was-aE Mr..
Daly's Fifth avenue theatre. She was suddenly
taken i'll with the scarleLina, and some one had
to be substituted In her place. BijOu was then
attending one Of the public schools in New
York city for little girls, but a member OF
Mr.. Days company had heard her reeite pas
snges from plays, and with great effect the
poison scene from Romeo and Juliet. He
saw Bijou's mother, and obtained her con-
s sg take her out She was delighted with with
seen see M. DAILY at the theatre She then ran
homo and told her mother, and returning to the
theatre went on the stage at IL O'Clock for her
first rehearsal as Adrienne, and although she
had given but thirty minutes to its study she was
nearly perfect in the first act such is her wonder
full gift of committing anything to memory. On
her second rehearsal she was what actors call
'dead letter perfect in the entire part and her
memory has never failed her once since then. In
a few days the piece was played before the public.
She met, Of course, with a warm reception because
she was Matilda herOn's daughter, but on her
very first exit she received a call to come before
the curtain, and the theatre fairly shook with
applause. The public at once took hold Of her,
and she is now its youngest and most favored
idol. All feel, in witnessing the play, that the
part of Adrienne is too mature for a mere
child. The dramatist callE for efforts that would
tax the best endeayoTs of advanced actresses,
but she proves herself fully equal to the
trying situations and requirements. She has
played the role Of Oliver Twist, but without
the success Of her Adrienne. This fact
has greatly pleased those most interested
in her future. She is true woman; all
her instincts are enterely feminine, hence she
cannot assume boys part. She is not preco-
city, but a live, beautiful genius, and since the
days of the great Julia Dean she has the sweet
est, purest and most sympathetic voice. 1t is a
voice Of tears. Her action is gentle and with a
single attitude or word or a wave Of her hand she
can thrill an audience and evske its tears. We
shall, no doubt, some day witness her EVadne,
Pauline and Juliet, and then perhaps she will
rise into the grander regions of tragedy. She is
true daughter of God, and ell her wonderful
gifts come from Heaven. She is getting too large
now to play child's parts will be soon, and 1t is
mere than probable that she will retire from the
stage until she is seventeen or eighteen. She will
then come again before the public with her spirit
unbroken, her voice unimpaired, her strength es-
tablished, her education perfected, and fully pre-
Of fame. Her mother to-day is the best living
teacher Of the art Of acting, and Btjou VIII have
that benefit. Twenty years hence she will be
thirty-two, and with her ambition, industry and
genius what may she not become?
Twenty years is not a long time in theatrical
life. Go back to 1s5+-Jlmmy QuinlRn was then
lessee of Cbestnut-street theatre, John Gilbert
was stage manager and John Sleeper Clarke was
then getting only IS week. Clarke Is now pro
prietor Of Walnut-street theatre and Of Charing
Cross London, and has an income Of more than
$50 COO year. Adelina Patti was q little ragged
Italian girl in New York, and Mr.. Strakosch was
very poor. She had the divine gift though, and
now the world is at her feet BiiOu Heron
mother is now poor, but in less than twenty year,
she may be living in a place, for B1Ou is as goOe
and affeetionate and llal as she is beautiful and
| great.
A CREATE CONCERTO.
There was q create concerto Of ye Olde folkes al
the Foundry meeting house, which is settle up of
| where Fourteenth and @ streets do meet, las
Thursday, ye 18th Of ye month OF November
which was Thanksgiving nighte, in ye year o
| our Lord 1874. 1t commenced at candle light'
and kept ye oIde folkes out till eleven Of ye eoeh
singing sacred hymns and tunes; likewise worldly
songs of which were sunge in ye years Of oul
| Lord 1895 and lT6O, and eertaine years betWixt.
There was, for instance, "Auld Lang Syne" by
| all ye men and women singers, and New Jerusa
| lem" and "Strike ye Cymbal, and then two
| part tune by Mr.. and Mrs. ShOckey, and "FOrty
| Years Ago" by Mr.. Browning and Ie ok Folk,
and then q worldly sOnge by. Mrs. Pope, which
nT hnWH In