Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-13

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the Washington Theater (Carusi's) and the re-
quest came through the columns of the National
IIteti'J'ncer that she would favor the patrons of
the drama with Nancy Sykes in .'Oliver Twist, ;"
IN which she bad, some years before. made q
great hit The request was repeated and 1
called on her with some friends to urge the re-
quest She said: ''Oh, Mr.. Coyle. don't ask me
to play that character. determined never to
play IT again. | would rather not. but if the
public want it | will waive personal objections
and announce it," She did so and the per-
Torrance was great one. think Mr.. Studley
played the revolving BIZ Sykes and made it, IL
possible, more powerfully so than the author.
IL was determined TO repay Miss Cushman for
her kind obedience to the request, and n COM
phmentary benefit was rendered her by letter.
signed by almost every Senator Representative
IN Congress. the cabinet and Our best citizens
1t gratliied her very much and she wrote a very
graceful reply. naming the night and the play
Hamlet The little thcater conld not con-
tain the crowd. Every inch of space was occu-
pied by very brilliant full-dress audience
1t was gala night The bills were printed on
satin and in gilt and the curtain rose on the
handsOmest Hamlet / ever saw. 1t was indeed
an Ideal Hdmff. She played it beautifully.
Her readings admirable and her acting superb.
She had very good support. / cannot recall
them. but the whole play was excellently pre-
sented. and Charlotte Cushman, just as she was
In every character she played, never appeared
to greater advantage than in Hamlet. One of
the incidents of that night her eXtraor-
binary resemblance to the Hon. John &. Breck-
lnridgc, who was in the audience and who was
| one of the haudsomest men of his day. l had
the pleasure OF meeting her years afterward
and she spoke of the event as one which gave
her great pleasure.
FIGHTER.
How few remember the Hamlet Of Fechter.
At the time he created something of sensa-
ton by changes in the costume and make up,"
"a light wig, &c, but it was an admirable per-
formaEce, but soon forgotten. l make it n
point to see Hamlet when l can. for to me it Is
always of interest and generally manage to
sit it ont. which for a blase theater-gOer il n
task. 1 went one night to see man named
I Keen in the Bowery, but when he commenced
the soliloquy laying on his stomach. sugges-
tive of having eaten green fruit like Mark
Twain. when Ie saw the dog licking the food
being prepared i'll a Turkish cafe. passed, That
stage business was too much for me, much as
loved Hamlet
[ / enjoyed the Hamlet of Wilson Barrett when
he, was here, and with all my preconceived
ideas Of HGHbt that performance was one of
the most agreeable surprises. for had seen so
much written upon it and some unfavOrable
comments from those whose opinions respect
that was prepared to condemn it. Instead of
CONCERNING it | enjoyed q performance of
great merit. ] saw no innovations. as had been
charged. and an article read of his in explana-
ton of his deviation from .he beaten track was
to me very convincing. His stage presence
was all that could he desired by any admirer Of
the young Hamlet. as he assuredly was and
his elocutiOn was admirable and his acting
graceful and beautiful. | saw few nights ago
a very carefully and well played Hamlet BY Mr.
Nantel- His performance and the cast WIS
very lar ahead of that have seen in the metro
poll:an city. AZ New Workers delight to call New
York Before closing this Hamlet review want
to protest. as !; WashinGtoliian. against Mr.
Booth avoidance OF Washington Ii is rlayed
out Is an advertising Dodge and it is unworthy
Of the name he bears. He can come here with
out his personal safety being threatened. am
sure and why he should keep up The memory
which lac so fears to confront is something be-
yond the ken of the general public.
CoLUNECs DEEws EECOII.ECriONs
The letter from which make extracts comes
to me from an old Washing toniaII. Mr. Column
bus Drew, now and for many years residing
ut Jacksonville. Fla. where had the pleasure
OF seeing him when being ''cast Cor the role of
Visiting Statesman Ill 1876 | visited Flor
lii. Mr. Drew memory goes beyond mine
and his Judgment on theatrical matters is val
liable. as i'll our youth he was olir beau ideal of
histrionic talent. His william Tell is remem-
bered with pleasure vet by the '.od stagers,"
who still speak of those DAYS of lang syne with
delight. While on that theme his letter recalls
the tbesnian corps we had years ago We
took the American Theater for night or two
and there produced Rob Row." with Patrick
Cation as Rob Roy" Lem. Towers as Helen
McGregor. and beautiful performance it was,
too. John Towers our late mayor. was ..Dugai
Cratur. Patrick III. Brooks, as Captain Thorn
tom. and Mr.. Tscheffaly as ..Baillic Necol
yarvle. The same company played William
Tell. with Columbus Drew in the title role.
IN which he won high praise from appreciarive
audiences and If he had adopted the stage as a
profession he would have attained distinction.
Reading The STAR. as he saws, regularly and
finding matter in its columns 40 full of interest,
he writes in acknowledgement. and gives us
some of his own memories of the DAVIS gone by
When he speaks OF the old American theater
he may be accepted authority, for he
knew il from his early boyhoOd. and saws: Il
was an intimate playmate with Charley Burke
when we were. 1 think. about thirteen years
old. He used to take me in and out of his
mother and fathers rooms which were back
of the old theater III Washington, where they
resided at different seasons. Little Joe was
brought on the stage for a child now and them
as in the case of ROlla's child in Pizarro. when
Dave Ingersoll passed the hills in his escape
as Rolia, with his child held up in his strong
arms. 1 fancy Joe was then not much
over four or five years old or less
/ thought MIR. Jefferson was mistaken
in his reference to the old frame theater i'm
Washington where his childhood was spent |
am pretty slre II was brick building. Charley
Burke early appearance in that theater was as
a vlollnlst. and a most accomplished one
There was boy star by the same name Mas
ter Burke, about the time. whom Charlev's
stepfathe-. Mr. joseph Jefferson used 10 en-
gage. and whom | have often heard play This
was along about 1888. lived near the theater
and from INV intimacy with Charley had free
admission IN the front and rear of the theater
and used to drop in as fancied, and il was a
grea: pleasure"
''Mr Jefferson omits many interesting incl
dents from his papers. especially the grand
performances OF Mrs Chapman and her stage