The Washington critic., 1888-01-10
At THE THEATRES.
M-nlrcn.s Mns. tANnrnr.


'As IN Looking Glass" with Mrs.
Iangtry IN the part Of Lena Despard, drew
a good house at Albaugh's last night, and
the box-sale promises good week. From
financial standpoint Mrs. Langtry is,
as usual, success As a work of nature
she Is noteworthy, but as a work of ard
she falls considerably below the ideal.
twithstanding the many evidences Of
cultivation which are visible in her work,
there remains a very pcrceptble crude
ness.
Her popularity as an actress must still
be regarded as the outgrOwth of her fame
as beauty. AS In a LOOking-Glass' is
an adaptation from a wellknown novel Of
rather unwholcsomo morals The play
has considerable strength, much Of which
is dssipated through mediocre support.
IL affords Mrs Langtry an opportunity to
display her charms 10 advantage The
death scene In the last oct is impressive.
The star depicts the agonics Of poison in a
manner which Is warning 10 wOuld-be
suicide, that rather than take poison
he had better jump of a cliff
or stand in front of a locomotive.
During this scene she introduces ~ en-
tircly novel method of dying, by
yiciously chewing the upholstered cor
ner of n chair, across which she has
thrown herself in her frenzy of agony.
on the domain of repulsive realism, de
ponds, Of course, on the sonsiblitics of
the spectator. OF the supporting cast
Maurice Barrymore looked the part of
Jack Fortinbrus admirably and played it
creditobly Frederick Everill as DroBi-
irof displayed genuine ability in the
Characterization.
The London NcDs, in q criticism on q
recent performance of the same role hy
another actress, says. "Bv the way. tie
heroine of the book takes chlOral aud dies
II painless death. am certain that were
Mrs. Bcrnard-Beere to do so, and then
read in her low, pathetic voice the
touching, last letter of Lcud Dcydrd 10
her husband, there would scarcely be Il
dry eye in the whole theatre.
TIiE NArIoNAI--BosroN IDEALS.
A fine audience, notwithstanding the
disggreeable weather, were in attendance
at the National last night 10 meet the
Boston Ideals in "The Daughter of the
Regiment" ponizettis famous and tune
full opera is not new but it has the quality
TO which novelty is not a necessity 10
give 1T popularity. The Ideals in their
present condition do not exhibit appre-
Ciablc evidence that an earthquake had
rent the old organization in twain, and
the performance last night was quite up
to the standard of excellence character
lElnE Iit company Ill lIS OIlElihl til-
tircty Mile. De Lussan as Udrie of course
took the hOnors of the evening, and she
was entitled 10 them. She is pretty and
cute and sweet and has voice like u bird,
but she has been ilattered into n selEcon-
ciOusness which, while il is her misfor-
tune rather than her fault is none the
less to be deprecated. Mr.. Clarke made
Sergeant worthy of promotion; Mr.. Bax-
ter's lover-like tenor was something no
woman in her right mind could resist,
and Mr.. Miron's Corporal basso proluudo
was great enough to make him Secretary
of War The others in the cast did all
there was for them 10 do, and the chorus
and the orchestra completed handsomely
very pleasant ensemble. Tonight Car
men,"
HARRIS BIJoU-"HER AroNENENT"
The title of the attraction at the Biiou
this week will recall It as having been
popular some years since at the higher
priced theatres. It's merits as drama
were tested then, and in the hands ofgood
r people it was not found wanting.
JOSEF HoFAfANN.
An elegant audience, not quite filing
the First Congregational Church, heard
Josef Holman, the boy pianist, and
those concerted with him, last night Tha
| this boy, only ten years old can play
most difficult music, without the
before him, and play II in n mails,
! which artists after years of study AZ
/ practice fail TO acquire, is 10 say the least
remarkable, and that his wonderful
| genius is appreciated was attested last
night by the genuine applause which he
was accorded. He is boy all over, Just
the same, and wins the hearts of his hear
crs by his boyishness, as he wins their
applause by his music. In the brighter
light of the young pianist, the other
stars of the programme are somewhat
oim, but the singing Of Nine. Hastretcr
and the harp solos by Mime. Sacconi are
worthy of extended notice, while the
magnificent baritone of Sig. de Auna is
one which stands alone in compass and
sweetness of tone. The last concert will
DO given tomorrow afternoon mt 3 o'clock.
THE boston SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
Tomorrow afternoon at Albaugh's the
famous Boston Symphony Orchestra.
under the direction of Herr VIM. Gericke,
| will give q concert, assisted by Miss Aus
der Ohe, the well-known pianist. A pro-
gramme of great excellence has been pre-
pared, which will include an OverSS 81 ~
Mendelssohn, Shumann' $ pianofSf,S' JsSn-
certo, a new arrangement of selections
from Wagner's "Siegfried' and "GOtter-
dammering,h made by Hans Richter and
a late symphony by Dvorak.
HERMAN s-THE KERNELS.
Harry and John Kernel, two OF the
funniest men on the variety stage, are
playing a return engagement at Kernan's $
this week. They were greeted by large
houses yesterday and gave an excellent
show throughout.