National Republican., 1885-02-28

bangs his hair aud parts II In the middle, and
has Il slight impcdlment In his speech. Men
tally, however, there is nothing Of tho dude
about him, Judging from the excellent work
he has one IN Victor Durand" While this
Is the first play of his which has been pre-
scntcd in public, 1t Is not the first he has
written. Some years ago Mr.. Carleton wrote
grand blauk.versc hst0rco.lcgendary
drama callod "Memnou," Of which more or
less was heard In the newspapers lilo offered
1t to the managers but none Of them thought
it practicable. 1t was too elevated for the
public taste and would have cost $4,000 to
mount IT, Mr.. Carleton himself thought, aud
still thinks, that "Mcmnon" contained some
really crcditnblt literary work, TAR above any.
thing In Victor Duraud." However, as ho
could not get It produced, he resolved at last
to write play the managers would accept.
lie did It In three weeks, and called II t"Victor
Durand.' II was pronounced success from
the start in New York, and Mr. Carleton draws
$3.50 week royalty on Il.
nFa
The mania for aplng foreign customs acutoly
prevalent in certain strata of our society
is, in my humble opinion, pitiablc cxhibl.
tion Of moral and mental innnition one
foreign custom, however, which is founded IN
reason, | should like 10 see become general In
American thoatcrs wherever the architectural
facilities have been provided mean tho
custom Of moving about In the aislcs lobbios
aud foyer between the acts meeting and ex.
changing views with friends, aud keeping
cramps and aches ont of ones limbs sides, and
back. This breaks up most agrccably tho
tcdium Of an evenings: sitting, and when
the curtain finally comes down there is none
OF that sense of wcariness which most people
feel Hiter even the most delightful entertain.
mcnt not thus diversified. The construction OF
the average American theater, know, will not
admit Of general omptying of the seats be-
tween the acts, and is notably lacking in foyors
for ladies. One of the Washington theaters is,
however and before the burning of the Ma
tional two Of them were), so commodious In
construction as to allow pretty free circula.
tion of the audience. Abaugh'B was planned
with an eye to this very convenience. Its
aisles and lobbies are spacious enough TO &C.
commodate quite a throng OF promenaders,
and the generous distance between the rows
of seats makes 1t possible to get out without
seriously cndangering the integrity OF ones
own or ones seated neighbors clothing.
sfa
From time to time, know, II is the custom
of the funny men OF the press, and occasionally
llOTt btIlDus NElltEst 10 NlNhNh lnul DDIllOl VI
an audience which has the moral courage TO
obey the natural instinct to stretch their limbs
between nets. As n rule II is young men IN.
accompanied by ladies who do it, and they
arc Immediately dubbed dudes, and paralyzcd
with time.honorcd remarks about spices, &c.
This Is all right so far as supplying hard.
pressed newspaper boys with something to I'LL
up their allotted space; but the men who 10
hptXyppn thn IN In M
always have tho best oft. Ifaman drinks at
all, 1t is no worse to take his favorlte tipplo
between the acts of n play than any other
time. And rs for smoking, know no more
pleasant medium through which to mentally
recall and scrutinize tabeau or situation
than n white fragrant haze of cigarette smoke.
If the situation was strong and effective, the
smoke invests its psychological negative with
the supreme charm ofn soft, lazy, hazy indis-
tinctncss. If II was bad, the same softening,
soothing medium tones down its defects and
puts one in mood more readily sympathetic
with whatever of merit there may have been
In it., BY all means, young men, and old, and
ladies, too, leave your seats between the acts,
stir about, chat, and smoke and you will dou-
Bile your emf joyment of the play or the opera.
Don't act rs If the thcater were Quaker meet
ing house, or school in which the most
solemnly and prlmly behaved attendant
would get aprlze.
~
Poor "Falka' in general and John Howson
In particular made some of the local critics
real mad early in the week, | see, Well, I'm
afraid "Falka" is slight. vain, giddy French
thing to tell the truth, and she will never be
as well beloved or us highly respected us her
sisters Oliyette and Bettlna, or her cousin
| Patience and many other members of til at cx
tensive family. But many less amusing operu
| bouiiG performances, containing not nearly
so much pretty music, have escaped with mncl
mllder criticism. What was the reason? The
| highly proper and highly popular Boston
Ideals have been giving us genuine comic
opera performances, while the McCaull com.
pany only pretend to give opera bouifc. This
distinction the people and the critics failed tc
note, Having listened to the Ideals for two
weeks, the people went around and judged the
McCaull troupe by the same standard, and
condemned them.
As for the criticism on John IIowson, as
Mackay would say NOW, that's not right
The role of Won Folbach is not intended to be
especially comic; It's predominant character.
lstlc Is stupidity, and ilowson makes as much
of II as his regard for his own reputation as Q
serious comedian, and for the cohorency o
the chaotic plot, will allow OF course, if he
wishes to maintain and increase his reputa-
tlon as q comedian, he should not undertake
such parts. lie entered upon his present engage
ment with Col. McCaull in preference 10 rest
ing in New York, where he had for some tint
been drawing n handsome salary from Mr.
Lester Wallack without doing Il tap of work
lie had contract with Mr.. Wallack for