The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1886-02-28
AMUSE MENTS.

ward to for some time by fashionable people, both
residents and visitors. The social position of the
ladies and gentlemen who lent their services on tho
stage and in the management assured from the frst
high measure OF success to the affair. The play
was given for the benefit OF the Mount Vernon Fund;
and as the ladies who manage that fund arc among
our wealthiesi and most energetic, II Is not strange
that the affair turned out TO be financial triumph,
rs well as fashionable event OF the first moment.
The general OF the affair may perhaps he d.
vded into four equal parts, and attributed, when so
divided, to four ladies. Its social success may ttor
lnstance) be assigned to Mrs. whitney, the charm
ing wife of the Secretary of the Navy; Its financial
success to Mrs. McAllisier Laughton, the president
OF the Mount Vernon Association; Its artistic sue
cess the stage to Mrs Potter the star II one may
say so; and last but not least Its artistic success,
behind the scenes, to Miss Tilliughast, the stage
manager. Not OF course, that many other ladies',
as well as gentlemen, did not contribute their re-
spectlve shares OF endeavor; but probably to these
four, more than to any others, does the principal
praise belong. The affair being so pronounced a
social success, 1t seems to be the province OF THE
HERALD to give 1t somewhat extended notice, and
as the quality of most Of the actors was somewhat
above that of amateurs, propose to treat the per-
formance to modlcum OF friendly criticism. 1t Is,
perhaps needless to say because tho daily press has
already said iD that the auditorium was packed
with all that there Is Of the gayest and
most fashionable, whether residing or sojourn-
Ing at the Capital. Cabinet minister's ambass adors
and social and political lions occupied the boxes
and the stalls. ('Stslls' Is "meant sarcastic" for
Manager Rapleys tiny orchestra chairs) Every
seat In the lower part of the house was taken,
some OF them unfortunately several times over.
But no quarreled (audiby) with that, for 1t only
helped swell the fund. The management showed
excellent judgment in retaining the services OF the
regular ushers tho only really uubearable amateur
being an amateur usher. One criticism we have to
offer on the man lgement, and only one. We refer
to their attempt to frame the stage in bower Of
vines and plants aud flowers and general under.
growth. AS q thing by itself, this bower was
slightly, and, We dare say, admirable. But as an
adjunct to theatrical performance 1t was quite out
Of place, out Of place In the sense as, and In
greater degree than the lugubrious sounds that in
varlably proceed from the orchestra when the
heroine Ia proposed to- or disposed Of In the last act
Besides, there people 10 the boxes who, after
oil, 1t may be supposed came to the play. Ought
not they - have been given CHANGER But the
worst fault Of the bower was the added chance
1t gave for fre, or for panic Of fire, than
which nothing could have been more deplorabe.
Passing from the hither to the yon side of the cur
tain, We have nothing but praise to give the manage
ment. Everything was done In the way OF stage set
ting that could be done, and In this respect we think
Miss Tillipghast We'd successfully with the dantiest
OF the metropolitan managers. Ofthe play there Is
not much to be said, except that 1t seems to be a
COHoludtlUu vi ''Lhuy VI Lyohs anu tuo
ing of the Shrew," with a strong flavor Of the es
sence Of Tartar just now fashionable In literary
circles The heroine, q Hungarian Katherine, falls
In love with andmarrcs Russian Petruchfo The
latter, to humble the proud temper Of his beautiful
but passionate dame, returns to his estates In Rus.
sia, where he Ia unknown, ian essentially Russian
feature that) He there assumes the disguise OF
| shoemaker, and becomes journeyman to one OF his
| own tenants, loan. His wife, on arriving at her
| husbands estate meets with an accident. Her car
rage breaks down. and she IL detained In the house
Of Team. There she IL informed that, instead Of
| marrying prince, she has welded peasant, and
| beheld Katherine aud PetrucI,io transformed into
| Pauline and Ciduie. The denouement is some
what lame, and depends for ability to march upon
| the curious but convenient power OF the Russian
noble to divorce his serfs at will The heroine
asks for q divorce through the Princes sister, who
| has become BY this time party to the plot The
Prince (still faooJ) grants it. But the lady now
changes her mind, and langushes for the discarded
| peasant, after the most approved Deschappelles'
methods. This produces the Prince, In full regimen
tails latter which EXPLANATIONS, reconciatlons.a Rus
| sian peasant dance and curtain. Mrs. James Brown
Potter Is lady OF the first rank in social as In ANA
eur dramatic circles of her own city; but 1t is only
the latter regard that We have any right to speak
Of her here. She has acted, we believe. very much
more frequently than the ordinary amateur, and has
acquired dramatic facility, as well as an histrlonlc
|
| Her performances noted In the dramatic papers
| and In dramatic news. She has come South with q
| number Of ladies and gentlemen of her own set to
give performances here and In Baltimore; and,
| while these performances are for charitable pur-
poses, yet the sale of tickets Is free. These con-
slderatlons, while they shield Mrs. Potter from the
| rude criticism 10 which the professional artist must
of necessity be subject, still we think entltle her to
such friendly suggestions as do not oversep the
bounds of that courtesy which, as visitor and q
non-professional, I'VE will not say amateurJ Is her
| due. Mrs. Potter Ia very handsome woman, and
has an excellent Gtage presence. Wehave heard her
| lkened to Rose Coghlan. But the very fneness Of
her features aud the dellcacy Of the lines of her
| figure deprive her OF much Of the advantage pos
sessed by that actress in this respect. Miss Coghlan
can ill the stage: Mrs. Potter at present cannot,
| or does not. Mrs. Potter walks well,-mght l sug-
gest, tribe too we'll. That 49, at times her
| gait Is a tribe too STACEY to be natural.
Her elocution Ia good. but her voice, though
of an excellent quality. was decidedly weaker
| than we had expected to Ind it, There is decided
room for Improvement in respect to meditation.
II her voice were better used 1t would be better
heard. In the matter of dress Mrs Potter carries
the clothes of a Russian Princess SO very well that
Ia not strange she does not carry those Of Rus
sian peasant so WELL After all, we suppose in this
consists the chief difference between nrst-class
amateurs like Mrs. Potter, and professionals like
Miss Coghlan, for instance. The former have not
by long practice learned to throw off at pleasure
that distinctive bearing which marks the person OF
breeding. You don't have to scratch the soubreue
The lady shines through without 1t. AS TO those
other points, such as position on the STAGE by-play
and that indennable something that makes play by
Augustine Days troupe run so smoothy-ths all
depends so much on the support that 1t would be
unfair to say anything about it. In other words II
Mrs. Potter were to appear with Mr.. Daly's troupe
she would give much more satisfaction to herself IN
these minor points than In acting with the support
OF an amateur company. In conclusion, We hope thai
this fair artistic III we may be permitted to call her
will come again; and, at all events, that she
Will not take these few remarks az
reason for not coming again. Mr.. Coward
the Petruchto- Claude Of the piece, Is an excellent
elocutonist, and as an actor would take high rank
among the walking gentlemen OF the metropolitan
stage at once, wsrehe to adopt the profession. Mr.
Bedlow gave faithful and amusing representation
Of the Russian shoemaker. He is very painstakng
and reliable actor, and has had much experience on
the amateur stage. Mr.. John s. Webb, as Russian
ntendent, or steward, sustained the honors fol
Washington admirably. Mrs. Teale acted the par
OF the Baroness a. II she had always been one
Perhapsthe triumph of the evening was that
Of Mlss Waite, who acted small soubrette part OF
Q few lines exactly right. On ne Deut dire plus
The performance closed with Russian peasant
dance, led by Misses Stoughton and Beach, accom-
panied by Messrs. Rogers and Johnson. Both the
movement and music OF this were decidedly Mika.
dolsh but asthe girls were pretty and their costumes
picturesque 1t was quite "fetchlng." The dancers
acquitted themselves handsomely. The Russian In
fantry also "done NOBLE" The troupe repeated
their performance on Friday In Baltimore, but 81
! far as known have no more dates.
This week we are to see at Albaugh's Opera HOUSE
the latest and most successful OF spectacular per
formances, "The Ratcatcher; or, The Pied-PIper o