The Sunday herald., 1886-11-21
ADJUSTMENTS.

presence each evening Of large assembly Of our
scientific citizens, who appear profoundly Interested
In this speclesot horticulture. II is the same gor
geous old century-pant (or rather nigh,-blooming
serious so Tar as It's fun IL concerned) which daz-
zlcd our eyes In the centennial year, with Louise
Seare and Laura Joyce to furnish the songs, Harry |
Hunter the funny business OF the lone Fisherman,
and Harry Dixie, II report he true, the antics OF the
rear end OF the Heifer The sumptuous magnin.
ccnce OF its revival and phenomenal run In New
York last season. magnincence whereof In no whit
ahltcd the Washington audience can now Judge |
for tsefs the most striking Illustration possible OF
the advance In the methods OF spectacular production
during past ten years. The lines othe play whose
prehistoric puns founded on the style OF the rhym
ing British burlesquc familiarized by Lydia Thomp-
son, have not materially changed for the better or
worse, assuming the latter to be possible. 1t still
Burpand In atroclty, and forcibly |
eNemplines the true aim OF this kind OF dramatic
composition, viz: to give the mind the least possible
occupation, and the eyes the most But the feast OF
the eyes is spread with most superb Indifference
to cost. The scenery and mechanical appointments
are rich and ingenious. The costumes, marvels OF
taste aud aesthetic beauty, compress oil the re-
sources OF feminine adornment into the smallest
conceivable limits. Aud lastly the crownlDg mas
terpecc OF creation-a beautiful woman-is repeated
and redupllca.ed nnumerably and bewderingly
on this Kaleidoscope scene that the bald headed,
front-row Paris knows not where to bestow the
golden apple OF his regard In competitive exami-
patton OF loveliness where each contestant ia a
Venus. No more scintillant galaxy OF grlish grace
and beauty, enhanced by no more charmlngly nebu.
lous diaphaneity OF vesture, has flashed upon our
theatrical Ornament for long time. THE HERALD
dramatic man has taken this matter very seriously
to heart, and must he pardoned some natural In
conference of language and tropical luxuriauce Of
metaphor beatting the subject. But to come of the
roof of enthusiastic generalization and descend the
stepadder of critical detail, 1t may be said that all
of the principals acquit themselves most credably
in their roles, even where they incur contrasts with
the original caste. Pretty and amiable.looklng
Irene Verona fairly effacas saucy little Fay
Templeton as Gdbriei-sings better, acts less
suggestvely, dances like the sylphide of a dream,
and beams upon the audience with smile that
seems to radlate from all the dmples OF her pretty
arms and-tights, as we'll as from her riant mouth
and arch and melting Rlances. Miss May Stembler
sings the music Of Erdn0eine very sweetly and acts
with grace and spirit. Mr.. Motfitt makes q most
quaint and amusing Lone Fisherman, MIR. Morris
the same sidesplittng irish Policeman ever, and
Mr.. Schiller succeeds John Mackay quite acceptably
| as lie Blanc, the Notary. OF George Fortescue as
| Cdthdrine-but really we haven't space for Mr..
Fortescue. The Atlantic Ocean would be pent-up
Utica for his natatorlal performances, should he
| ever decide logo swimming, and his colossal dra-
matte merits can scarcely be accommodated In an
ordinary newspaper column. Suffice 1t to say he Is
the same irresisbly funny giant as ever-the figure
OF the Colossus Of Rhodes surmounted by the face Of
| a good-natured, pretty baby. What a song-and.
dance team he and Bariholdis Liberty would
make, II she could only be persuaded to break her
| engagement with au unappreclative Government.
| The music of the new "Evangene" ismostly recent
and very bright and tunefu, the male quartette In
Great Pyramid OF Saratoga trunks and
| female choruses-notably those in the African gold.
mlne-being especially melodous. The Amazon
march In the second act was the most brilliant and
beautiful OF all the Amazonlan phalanxes
that have borne down upon us In warlke array since
| the original "Black Crook" of blessed memory
And the same superlative of praise would not be
mlsapped predcaed OF the performance in its en-
tirety.
At the National Mr.. j. b. Polk, veteran and pop
ular actor, with a competent company, kept large
audiences nightly convulsed with merriment at the
farcical situations OF somewhat nondescrpt com.
edy adorned with the hardly eucidativc euphoni.
GUS title of "Mlxed Pickles" MIR. Polk belongs to
the older school of comedians, eXemplifying the
academic bu. pains.takng and hard.working
methods OF j. $. Clarke or the English Too!e. But 1t
is style the sp.shod and inartstic ways OF some
Of the younger men, who seem to believe the actor
like the poet is born, not made might well take pat
after. AT least, to Judge by the demonstrations
OF approval at every performance, 1t is style which
peases the great, unprejudiced, and unaffected pub
lie, and after ALL that Is the best test OF successful
merit.
This week at Albaugh's Miss Maggie Mitcne
will appear In attractive repertory. She will pre-
sent "Fanchon," "Little Barefoot" "Pearl of Sa
voy," "Lorle, )" and Maggie the Midget" There will
be grand Thanksgiving matinee, which will allow
the ladies' and children an extra opportunity SET
the universal favorte as Fdnchon. The star will b,
supported by carefully selected company, ant
each production will be perfect In every detail. o
Maggie Mitchell herself 1t Is needless to speak. .Sh,
play goers of every shade for many years. Al
earnest admirer OF Maggie Mitchell writes: ''Pre
nd frss a with Win Mss oS 10
! OF her age as though years were kind of stag
! property TO be assumed at pleasure. They I'm,
= fault with the woman playing youthful parts a
though 1t were an innovation not before heard OF
although 1t ought to be matter of the highest com
e mendation that any lady can retain the power an
evidently please, as is plain from the crowds al
tracted whenever Miss Mitchell appears. Wi
csra Fher Maeder apd Mrs @ M oh
OF Barton Hin, ceased tn acceptably represent sou
brette and juvenile characters? Did not the greal
j assume the noydens, ilrts and pert young misses 3
). comedy until she was old enough to be a grand
/ the sprghtllest humor long after she had nimbere
i the years OF half century. Co.ey Cibber says
Mrs; Bette,nn , =. Inat when far advanced In year
i. famous Mrs. barry. in the hower of youth, coul
: not equal herr; in the I,ecoids of Veteran "
@ learn that Quick, the actor, spoke In raptures
II Peg woninlnNon, though abe was over fort
she pssa and the audn
r. youth until she was elshty.two, and Mr.
se GfP tns asse nsT enat os
il eighteen. Mrs. Mattocks at slxty.one played vii
the e a@a and P e IN her .
changing her costume for black silk and being e
before the audience by the celebrated Cooke. Mi
n, yioidnte Susan In 'The Folles of Day, and Ldf
as Tsaz!s when thirty-eisht and Mira. Jordan, born
Ia ias2, played Rosaiind IN 1873 Examples might b
y, ,e show how absurd Is the sneering about MagR
ie Mltches age which her klndest friends tell you
'e ell does still play Juvenile business and PLAYS it
well that We and the public anticipate the pleasu
OF seeing her do SO for at least decade TO come
long after these gentlemany critics have found o
B., that bucslic industries are more in their line thi
dramatic crltlc,sm."
Miss Minnie Madden, ably seconded by sup
y. rior company, appears the coming week at the
n tional Theatre In her greatest success "Caprlce
en The New York World speaks Of the little favorte
ed eI follows: "When we come to speak Of the acting
lie this play We have TO deal with the unique qualiti
en- which Miss Maddern, for tho second time in Ne
er York, presents to u.s. and which, unfortunately
eu the stage, are very rare indeed These qualities
ms exquisite senslbilty and the power OF present
er womany pathos In q way which sezes the univt
,y sal heart She manages by the rarest OF all gifts
seize, by some inexpcsble faculty OF her own,
OF the sensibty OF her auditors and listeners and
ey do the most marve0usly subtle, tender bits of ~
ing which II has ever been our good fortune to
lg Thus, for example, she last night conveyed In h
IN own way the hcart-brOken condition or the wi
,el the deep, abiding love OF the woman, and the te
In derness, sweetness, and exquisite decacy
on the lover, Without once oyersepping the limits
naturalness, or even using single theatrical devi,
30 that at the end OF the third act, finding that
her Efforts TO reclaim the man she loyes were fru
st less, and that le had deserted her In a moment
ar. another woman, she stood alone In the middle
ria the stage lifted her eyes and clasped hands, and
m one great paroxysm OF despair that touched eve
Ter body SIMPLY acknowledged that she had lost eye
,n thing, and fell swoOning to the nOor No amount
IL theatrical culture or Stage tradition acadeiI
Ella rule could have enhanced this scene one iOa.
m was the outcome OF w0mans heart exhibited wi
re- out any waste OF material, which deliberat,
rn- take pains 10 assert IL not only the economy
ma art, but the triumph OF genus. Similarly,
er- through the elements which caught and held /
audience, were the tenderness, sincerity, and purl
never once verging upon what was melo .dramai
- earlier association Of their love- she went 10
iah plano and sang .The Day That Youll Forget Me-
~ a most extraordinary manner, little ditiy with,
lh the slightest claims 10 vocalsln. but which was
"a, | frelghted with feeling, and palpitated 30 homes
el with the love and fidelity Of heart torn at the We
-. moment with anxiety, that her audience felt
ne magic power, aud gave the very highest tribute
@ as bedillIaed eyes and throbbing bT6asls,h
the m. 49,. . -
my After two weeks Of musical comedy Mama