The Washington critic., 1888-08-28
TIE AMUSEMENT sEAsnN.
Two OF the City's Theatres Open-List Of
Coming Attractions.

!
though rather top heavy, occupied the
! National last night to witness the op-
cning performance of Duncan u. Ilaui-
sons Military Mclodramo. The Pay
| MASTER II was also the opening night
| of the season and the audience was in
Il pleasant humor with the result that the
| first night was an all round success. The
! enthusiasm, particularly ulOft was unrc-
strained and manifest and every good
| point IN the play got a boom. The
| Paymastcr" is an Irish mclodrama,
| slightly more mellow than dramatic but
| with several salient features which 20
! lar TO atone Tor several other features
| less salient II rcvOlvcs upon the same
| old pivot Of mun's misfortune ana
! WOman'S trust, and the Trust us usual
comes out on top. The scenery is above
the average and the water into which
the hero and heroine plunge several
times is the genuine article and not
corn meal MS is too often the case on
the stage.
Mr.. Harrison, as Robert O'Connor the
hero. did fairly well, but he carried the
burden of his sorrow little low down,
and il ragged. Mr.. O'Mallcy's Larry
was cheerful, and Miss JcIlries's Moynia
was pretty. Mrs. O'Sullivan Dimpfcl,
the Baltimore belle, who plays Nellie
O'Connor the Paymdstcr's sister, mod
CStly assumes u very subordinate part
and makes the most of IL. She is
handsome woman, with good taste in
dress, and quiet, pleasant, unobtruSivc
manner, which rs not the rule with So
cirty ladies who essay the stage. Miss
Licbs Ethel Milbcy was very well done,
and her plunge into the cold water was
courageous. All the parts were well
taken. The Paymastcr" is not u great
play, but il has an element of popularity
IN II which keeps IL alive and stirs up IN
audience.
Albaugh's Grand Opera House viii
open about the middle of September
with the grand spectacle Midsummer
Nights Dream now at McVickcr's in
Chicago Mr.. John W. Albaugh has
purchased all the rights of this produc-
tion, and the company in future will be
under his management The spcctacu-
lnr features of the classic company will
be presented on grand scale The
principals Of the company include
Mcsscrs. William Morrow, Edward j.
Henley, Wilton LaclSayo, f. Hight,
Misses Harriet Ford, Minnie Seligman,
Katherine Alvord, Carrie Daniels and
Lille Post. Among the attractions for
the coming season are the chief dramatic
shows now appearing or in preparation
for appearance OH the American stage,
such as Robson and Crane, their last
season togcther), the Casino Opera Com
pany, "'rhe Stowawny,n DiXcy in
"Adonis,n Lolita, "Thc Little Tycoon
Company" The Ruling Passion, 81
beriN,7 The Twelve Temptations" the
London Gaiety Company, with Lydia
thompson, the Kellogg and llauli Opera
Company, Mary Anderson, Rhea, The
Bostonians,n Mrs. James Brown Potter,
Kate Castleton, Fashions," the McCaull
~ Igla foil
Davenport in La Tosca," and the
TroubadOurs."
The management at the National have
booked n list of attractions of the high
class for which this cosy resort is noted.
The season ut llarris's Bliou Theatre
was brilliantly uShcred in last night
The theatre was crowded and the au-
dience contained II large number OF our
best theatre gocrs 1t has been some
years since MIR. Mobiles appeared in this
city, but the cordiality of the greeting
accorded him showed that he is still
pleasantly remembered. Love and
Law scored an Immediate success
Like all of Mr.. Nobles's plays it COM
bines an excellent quality of pure, whole
some comedy with the best elements of
modern melo-drama. The language IS
always good and particularly bright in
the comedy dialogues. Dollie Mobiles, in
the character of Rita, made an in
stantanepus success From the momenb
of her first entrance as the Street
Singer until her final entrance in the
closing scene she held undivided sway
over the hearts of her audience. Her
singing revealed pure, cultivated So
prano and elected spontaneous encores.
The supporting company contains
| such we'll known names as, Ida Lewis,
Mary Davenport, Emma Haggcr. Alfred
| Hastings Chas. ii. McStayer, l.. F. How
ard, Il. l.. Mortimer and W. III. Cooper.
| There was scme new and handsome seen
cry. The view of New York bay and
harbor being particularly good and geo
| Crosby street, New York. was very
realistic.
The following is q partial list OF the
attractions which Manager Harris has
engaged for the coming season:
IIaIbor Lights. oliver Dond Byron, Mrs.
Mckee Rankin, We, Us & Co., Dan Sully,
BARLOW Bros Mnstrels, Skipped by the
| Light of the Moon, The Two Johns, Gus
Williams, Bunch OF Keys, The White slave,
| Aladdin. Dore Davidson's Dr. Jelsyl d Nlr.
| Hyde, McCollin Opera Co.. True Irish
Hearts, Edwin +. Mayo, Wilbur Opera
Keep 1t Dark, kindergarten, She, and Ada
| Gray.
about October ]. Everything about
|
| is only half constructed and in order TO
be able to open or the date named, the
work will necessarily have to he hurried.
Either Tony Pastor or Hyde ~ Bchman' $
| Speciality Company will appear on the
opening night Among the attractions
booked are Tony Pastors Great Com
pany Hyde's Big Speciality Company,
| Lilly Clay's Company, Parson Davies. &
VIM. Muldoon's Speciality Company, May
IIoward's Big Burlesque Company, How
ard Athenacum Speciality Company,
Rcntz-Santley Speciality Company, Reilly
London Specially Company, Rose Hills
English Burlesque, Nelson's World Com,
pany, Prenevan * Moore's Gigantic Fc-
male Minstrcls, Harry KernclPs Great
Company, Gus Hills World of Novelties
l.eavitt's Gaicty Company, Harry Will
iams'S Combination and several of JAS
l.. Kcrnans own speciality shows.
Tho Naval Combat
between the Monitor and Merrimac will b(