, 1879-03-02
THE STAGE.
THE DRAMA.
CHICAGO.
rFyrEW OF TUE FAST WEEK.

s--or,~ haze had measurably fair representa-.
j =. 49, and II NAV afford the public transient
1 N,o.,, of Measure to know that as between thu
Es,eocrs and their patrons there has existed
.ha rery best Of good feeling, That is to say
~ rsc the stock phrase, "onsfncss is good,'
snd this d:sposes OF the commercial aspect OF
;ror1d OF amusement The s'Pinafore II
.;a,, wave having not as yet come to submerge
~ ,,,,er theatrical interests-we had merely q
-,,osh of tone can take calm survey of the
s.1d and find in it not SO much Of mouoto.
-o,e character as appears to have for some time
-tr;.,cd less favored communities. 1t is not
,n1Eely that the sPinatore" 5" craze will reach
~ climax right here in Chicago, Mr.. Col. John
n parcr1v is already on his way back, and will
n Nh probability set about organizing Masto-
I'm or Molydon, or maybe Lamadon Pima
fore ), combination, which may bury all others.
ueenEbi]e re have been permitted to enjoy
his theatre the sensation OF pro-
,,nccd murder trial, that being the prin-
.;o,1 feature Of the new play By Mrs. Ettie
Henderson, "Almost Life" is in manner 4
~ar;ral Of class Of dramatic work which WAS
xridt1y popular some years ago. It belongs to
.he stiptensely interestlug'' school of drama
- unich .4Waiting for the Verdict" Is nota-
h1e sn,ci,neu. Yet it does not possess the merit
~ the niece just named, and besides, being full
- {oronoruities, contains not single character
.hst Is deserving the study OF an actor. 4
ronnq man gets involved IN an unfortunate
.crsne. from which it seems impossible he can
errr extricatc himself, and throughout the sue
..ss;ve acts or ,ableaux the audience Is consti-
+,,ei tarr to hear the evidence. The various
rprsonagcs aTe SO many narrat0rs ct Incidents,
andhaye ycry little to do other than annouce fresh
drrc]op,nents in the case. The case, by the
NV. seems to be tried, not before q court but
IN ante-zooms which are very like the ordinary
eunnosed to he ln prison awaiting his doom,
has 4 mysterious way of slipping from
hrhfnd the bars On all occasions. Perhaps that
l. he gsy they manage these matters in France,
Int to The American mind it looks like viola
tiou Of probabilities, or else betrays 1ooseness
in The matter OF prison discipline which would
rot be tolerated, not even in Chicago The
r0osecu;tn. attorney in the case conducts him
sell in way that in q free country like this
would certainly bar his chances Of reelection.
BE is made heavy vilain," in fact, and his
abusiuess II is to fly into frequent paro1ysms Of
1eud to the acQuittal OF the unhappy prisoner.
Not only that. but he deliberarel; attempts to
SUPPRESS evidence, and bullies every ono who
makes an effort to find out the truth. Even
CHARLEY Reed, with all his honest ambition to
obtain conviction, would never have gone go
fur as that The only part Of the ulaV which
possesses dramatic interest, aside from that
which arises from the uurayelinE OF the plot, is
the passage in which the Two women contend
for the possession OF the young man. Some fine
work Of an intensely emotional description is
done here by Miss Maud Granger and Miss
Emily Rigl, both Of whom IN that one scene,
and in that only, gain complete possession OF
the svnpathics OF the audience 1t may be
said, in word, that the company Is occupied
With piece that is beneath their capacity, and
Il is owing to them rather than to the author
TINT the play has enjoyed such fair success dur
Mr. Emmett's new version Of st Fritz which
has been played to fine houses every night at
Hooley's, is By no means the same drama which
Charles Gayler wrote mauv years since. nor is 1t
N the whole so good play OF course, It at-
ords Mr. Emmett abundant opportunity to
lsplay his varied musical gifts, and his charac-
er sketches are certainly as amusing as III
0rmer days As to the other dramatis per-
onI, they are mere fsure-heads. requiring IN.
10 instance auv special ability to represent. We
Georgia Snyder, child OF s, who plays child |
part very swcetly and intelligently, the charm |
Of her actine being that she really represents
child, and not dwarf woman as is too frequent |
II done By the infant phenomenon OF the stage. |
Iii. Emmett is coming to Hayerly's Theatre |
Mr. Jcryis' Irish drama, 'sThe Falls Of Clarah,''
has met with marked appreciation at tho Metro |
poftar, the management having layished con- |
siderable expense and care In the mounting of !
the work.
LOCAL NOTES.
1t Hayerly's Theatre the Standard Company |
remain for another week, playing "Alnost /
Lafe," With the same cast as before.
Miss Laura E. Dainty has returned from a |
reading tour In Nebraska and Ohio, and starts |
tomorrow 1or trip through Michigan.
The Josh Hart Combination at the Academy
Il Music have given one OF the most ENJOYABLE
'ariety entertainments that have for some time /
,een offered in Chicago, and the house has been
hronged every evening.
Edwin Browne will appear this week at the
Metropolitan in an idyu OF the Sierra Nevadas,
liter the style OF THE Danitcs,'' entitled !
Good as Gold" written by ". L. Bowen. The
nay will be preceded bY the usual olio.
Nf. Dominlck Murray, character-actor OF re- |
aarkable ability, appears at Hamlin's this week !
, play of his own entitled t. Innocent; or, The
'atuolers Crime, " in which he will be support
bS Miss Clara Cole and selected dramatic
ompanv.
Ar. VIII E. Day, well-known journalist Of
rance, and will start out with the acting dogs
ooot the beginning OF April. These dogs take
prominent part in Mr. frances drama, and
le} Weigh about 150 pounds each
Mr George S. Knight, the popular dialect
,ned1an. Will begin an engagement at Hooler's
ncAre tomorrow evening in his well-kuown
ay OF "0tto,'' in which he introduces his |
!it e specialties, including the s. Water
ul - recitation Mr. Knight is accompanied
select com pany, under the management Of
I: JOHN Rickaby.
"a ne Rice Surprise Party, which has achieved
~. nl, success In their popuiar burlesQue Of
Aooinson Gru6oe," are booked for another
eeS at alcVicler's. They will present to-mor-
," evening the farorite Extravaganza tBabcs |
J, ahe Wood" and on Thursday evening the bill ]
III oe changed to ''Horrors,'' which. We un-
'lstand, has been entirely rewritten since its
St production here
ffot. Robert E. Cumuock, the distinguished
'eutionlst Of the Northwestern University, has |
eoIned from an extended reading tour through |
Z Eastern States. Prof. Cunnock met with |
cess rarely accorded to any reader To Ed
1u M Eggleston, the novelist, is accredited the ]
:Ians that BROOKLYN never listened to finer |
lungs than we're given in that. city by him. ]
ased, the Brooklyn Eagle and Times nearly
.a rslo u. Esgaeston's opinion through their
amns |
At Hooley's this evening h1r. Hoechstcr's |
anan % dramatic company will appear in 6.
M a"'e' great drama, Paula" This play has !
'el celore been performed in this city, and |
as ssssee y mas yet been produced it achieved
' saa success. The cast for its production to-
'ilpM ~, evening is an unusually strong one, aud
.lo .lo nartly be improved upon. 1t has been In
i