The Evening critic., 1885-02-03
ADJUSTMENTS LAST MIGHT,

NArtoNAt THEATRE.-wlth the exception OF
the audience That assembled TO witness the
nrst representation Of Howard Oauolls
"Amerlcan Countess" the gathering last
evening at the National Theatre was tho most
distinguished that has been seen In that place
OK amusement this eeas0n. President Arthur,
Mrs. and Miss McElroy and DR., Mason, who "a
aguett at the White House, occupied one OF
the boxes, tho others containing Secretary
and Mrs. mooulloch and party, Mr.. Russian,
the French Minister, and party, and Mrs.
and Mrs. Haynes ana Mr.. and Mrs. ]. o. Ly-
ford, Among the audience were Represent.
atiyes ochiiree, Paige and slocum; tho Span
| lnh Legation, Colonel Rockwell and
ladles, Major Peabody, Colonel W. d. Slack,
Judge shellabArger, Colonel Euoch Totten,
Hallet Kilnourn and many weli'kuown society
| people. The audience was in excellent teul-
| per, responsive to every exhibition OF dra-
matte fervor by the actress who assumed the
| title role At iimee It grew enthusiastic and
would be satisfied only after the portrayer OF
| FtdOTd had repeatedly appeared. Elgnt times
was she called before the curtain before it
| fell for the last time, and the gathering dis.
| perecd. AZ other times hush fell upon the
house that was almost painful In Its Intense
ness. Miss Davenport passed rapidly, but
gracefully, from portrayal Of deep emotion
10 an Rffeciation OF light gayety ia a manncr
mat carried her audience with her, display.
Ing ability In both emotional and gGy scenes
Of n very high rank. II Is not necessary to
nnslyze Mise Davenport's conception OF Sar-
dou's "Fedora,"to specify the scenes in which
success. All mat was done long ago. It is
enough to cay that the verdict ~ eminently
Just. IL was master hand that wrote "Fe.
dofai' 1t Is an artists mind that c0nceives
ite portrayal Fedora is q great character; II
is equaled by lite impersonation. The play is
essentially a one.part play, but tina. parts ever
present, the central figure ofevery dialogue
and action. Miss Davenports performance
was OF the kind that eleyRtes the stage. Tne
support was excellent, Mr.. Mcdowell, as
Ne SSTieUI, Mr.. Jepson, as Gretch, and Miss
Weaver, as Counties Olga Sontdfef, being par
tcularly commendable. Mr.. Henry Lees
Lofs LpGnoB wac strong piece OF acting. the
stage settling was Admirable and provoked
hearty applause. Altogether the perform
ance was the most satisfactory OF any given
this season in Washington.
GRAND OPERA HousE,-Henry irving and
| the admirable Lyceum Company appeared
| al hlbaugh's Grand Opera House last evening
In the wlerd and morbid tragedy OF "rhe
| Bells" No higher tribute was ever paid 10 an
actor than by the proportions, tone and actions
OF last evenings assemblage. The audience
| was wen proportioned, every seat In the
orchestra being taken, the circle we'll nlled
| and the crowd decrraeing as II assembled to
| the higher regions the house.
The audience wnJ distinguished, intel
| lectuBl and critical me, and the fact that II
was sundemons,ratlye IN the moments Of most
Intense emotionalism proved the despotic
power which the great actor exercised over
It's interest and attention.
At times the applause burst forth, and twice
MIR. Irving was called before the curtain.
OF the comedtetta, "rhe King and the MIL
ler," which preceded the play, little can no
said. Unfortunately, the little comedy Is
commonplace in plot and action, and, whlle
admirably acted, fails to make an impression
upon the audience When the comedy Is over
and the curtain rises on the fret act OF "rhe
Belle" the audience f0rgives the mouotony OF
what has gone before aud appreciates the con
trast keenly. The regard for the harmonies,
| the artistic conception and execution, the per-
fectton OF furniture and sittiugs, In the
opening scene at once command admlra-
the % moonlight noe e'''S streamius sS " in % through through
| the latticed window and rejecting from the
snow.covered landscape, AFFORD an Immediate
assurance that the play is % show that su-
| periority in these respects for which Irving
| has rendered every scene OF his great produc-
Ton famous; Every character IN "rne Bells.
| drawback anywhere to mar the perfection OF
the rendition. The play Is painfully morbid
| and depressing, II is grandlv realistic and In
tensely emotional Tho character OF Matthias
Irving Justly regards as one OF his greatest
roles. The part OF remorseful murderer,
haunted with dread OF discovery, and a fear
OF betraying himself In an unguarded mo-
ment, Chords q grand opportunity for the dis
play OF lrying's peculiar powers, and an ex-
| cuso for what his critics censure as his de-
| fects. The company needs no commeudation,
and the parts wero admirably suited 10 those
portraying them. Tonight Irvipg. as ShVlock,
and Miss Terry, as Rortta, insure one OF the
largest audiences and greatest performances
| OF the week.
FoRD's opERA.HousE.-Miss Carrie swain,
| in her new drama, "rhe Little JOKER" de.
| lighted q large audience at Ford's Opera
House last night. Nearly every seat In the
| house was occupied, and more entertaining
and amusing play has not visited the city IN
| long time. All grades of city life we're repre-.
| fented true TO life. The first two acts OF the
| drama TEEN with life and merriment while In
| the three following acts the serious is OBJ
| served, and the plot Is more pronounced and
deepened. Mise Swain as CAi,p is the feature
and life OF the plRy throughout, aud her
| dancing and singing are superb. Sue Is ably
supported by Mr.. W. A. Lackey, Washington
boy.
HERZoG's MUsEUM.-"Litue Mufrets," by
Miss Jennie Calef and her excellent company,
at Herzogs Museum last evening, was wilt
messed by the usual spectacle-a crowd OF
nlp nd heI A
more thoroughly enjoyable entertainment was
never given at this museum Miss Calef is a
| charming little actress, vlvaclous, mlrthful
and efrervescent, and possesses that influence
| that can move the audience TO merrlment or
| tears AZ Will. The songs, the capers, the
| laugh, the occurrences and deprecatlng mau-
ner, the odd surrender to pathos that checks
smiles and suggests a tender feeling-all are
| portrayed in Little Muffets." The, play is
good one, and is the subject of a deep.laid plot
| by which MuBets is kept in ignorance as 10
who she really is and what properly belongs
to her. When but a baby she was left In the
care of a good old Irishman and his wife by
her enemy, who promises TO call regularly to
see her, but fails TO keep his word. Ia the AZ
teen years that elapse My0ets develops into
most beautiful young LADY though as Wild
as an animal, and Is loved by all With whom
she happens 20 cast her lot, especially by Mr..
| and Mrs. Hdh0ncH whom she believes TO be
| her only father and mother, always ready to
play Joke on her. She accidentally came In
| contact with the box that contains the papers
OF her inheritance, which had boen care
| fully kept by M. JfdhOney who could not read,
and as Joke she takes the documents ont and
replaces them with worthless papers. II Is
then that her enemies come in possession of
the box and destroy the papers. II is in the
third act that Lfhie MgBetS SHOWS forth In full
| power-When she produces the documents and
claims her name and her property
THEATRE COMIQuE.-A large attendance was
present at this house last night, and It en-
toyed treat, Moore h Holmes British Novelty
and Burlesque Troupe being the magnet; and
great entertainment Il ls In It's entirety
Somo OF the acts, notably those OF the Cragg
family consisting Of ive persons), were won
derful and lndescribable. They do Incredible
things, and are as graceful as they are 1.-The
and agile. Marie Loftus, serlo.comlc singer,
deserves the appellatlon OF the queen or all
who essay that line OF business. Pat Fecury
is a genuine Irish yocalist-not the horrible
stage Irlahman, but the true depicture OF the
Irish character as 1t is TO be found In every
day life in tho Emerald Isle. Patrick sings
Ike bird. Barney Fagln, Morue Collins,
Alice Daily, and, In fact, the entire company,
caught on "immensely last night The
ladies are handsome, and Colonel Sneloaker
will have fne weeks bueiness this week.
This English novelty company will not regret
their trip 10 our Capital. There is a matluee
to-day,