The Washington critic., 1890-05-06
AMUsEM ENTs.


:
etcr last evening to welcome Miss Maude
Granger on her return to the boards of
the National, and We'd with the weather
in the warmth of their demonstrations
of approval. The play which Miss
Granger has selected for her re. entree
Is a four-act drama called Inherited -
the product of a collaboration bv Mr.
Richard Davey and that distinguished
Franco. American, Mrs. Lucy Hooper.
II had successful presentation under
another title in Paris, and is understood
to have been negotiated for by Bern.
hardt, There is much indeed In the
high strung emotional key in which II
is written to commend II to the eXoep.
tional genius and methods Of the great
and only Sara, yet it is not too much to
say that Miss Granger last evening fully
demonstrated her ability to cope with
its exhaustive requirements.
In this day, when Zola and his
followers have so powerfully developed
the role which hcredity sustains in the
drama of human life, 1t was time that
the principle should receive some an
propriate recognition on the mimic
scene. This has at least been accom-.
plished by this somewhat hysterical
play of Mrs. Hooper's, with its pa.
theuc central figure of young and
beautiful woman, loving aud beloved,
but denied the womau's right of happi-
ness by an inherited taint of insanity.
That she defies the warning, runs the
risk and reaps the consequences, goes
without printing, but will do for q
synopsis of the drama. Miss Granger
as the unhappy heroine has lost none
Of the sweetness of face. voice aud
presence, nor the power of intense, yet
naturalistic pathos, which never failed
to win for her the tears, sympathies
and affection of her audiences in the
past.
Mr. Mainhall appears to pump little
100 much for his emotion and bring il
up by main strength, but makes on the
whole fairly acceptable robustious
sort Of hero. The comedy element is a
trii1e perfunctory and not over felici-
tous, though almost anything in that
line would be likely to go as a relief to
the somewhat debilitating drain upon
the lachrymals of the sympathetic spec
tator. The play is handsomely staged
and costumed, and with its undoubted
elements of strength, and presented as
it is by generally competent company,
should meet with continued success.
The "Iikado" Mt AIbaueh's.
VIII people never tire of the "NIi-
kado?'' is often asked, and the answer
comes back from the fat and smiling
cash drawer of the box office, and, In
the language of a certain other peren-
nial yet ever precious dramatic chestnut,
Never! or, at least, WELL hardly ever. "
The dear old bit of Satsuma bric a. brac
never gets so far back on the top shelf
OF the theatrical china cabinet, but il is
liable to be brought down, busted off
and pllt right where every one can ad =
mlre its quaint forms, queer conceits.
bright fancies, brilliant colors and in
imitably clever and artistic workman
ship just as much, and possibly more,
than they did when first it met their
delighted gaze. Not while human ma
ture is what it is will anything which
comes as close to the heart of hum unity
as this genial masterpiece Of Gi'berti an
humor ever grow old and stale. Its
melody, too, is of the sort that never
seems to cloy, and it has seldom been
better sung than last night at Albaugh s.
The Carleton Company's perform
ance of Dorothy" during the past
week undoubtedly impressed upon the
public mind an idea which had grad
ually been percolating therein, viz. /.
that musically, the present organization
is perhaps the strongest, best balanced
and capable of the most artistic work
OF all our troupes of summer singers.
From musical point of view, last
weeks performance contrasted not uu-
favorably with the splendid presenta.
ton of Dorothy by the Duff Com.
pany, headed by the peerless Russell,
and this weeks "Mikado" seems to
follow In the self-same pathway of ar
tistic excellence.
1t is scarcely ne cessary to specify fur
ther than that Miss Clara Lane, warmly
welcomed after her recent severe iii.
ness, Miss Vincent and Miss Langdon
were three quite as bewitching little
maids from school as the laws of Japan
will allow; that Miss Wisdom made a
truly appalling hatshd, and that Miss
Alice Carrie, in the trunks and tights of
Ndnkt P00h, is IAN iridescent dream"
and a revelation of bewildering curves
that would paralyze the faculties of
league pitcher The 10. R0 of Mr..
Bigelow is funny enough to break up
funeral, and the singing of Mr.. Garlic
ton and Mr.. Murray as the lMikado and
the versatile Po0h Bah quite up to the
usual high standard of these accom-.
plished artists. The opera is put on
with unusual elaborateness, and both
chorus and orchestra are EN- inently sat.
isfactory.
Little Nugget" at Harris.
The fun-lovers who attended Harris
Bijou Theatre last night to witness
Little Nugget, were more than salts
fled with the performance. The play
was brimful of sparkling hits. The
Cawthons proved to be popular pair
of comedians, while Miss Sednie Gold.
thwaite, as Ltle Nugget brought
down the house. The play in its en-.
tirety Is rich, rare and racy, and must
be seen to be appreciated.
Big BIi at Kernanis.
The sensational Western drama, "a
Checkered Life" was produced in
great shape by the Atkins. Crolius Com
bination at kernan's Theatre last night.
George Il. Atkins, as Br0neh0 Blu gave
realistic representation of the Wild
Westerner and came upon the stage
several times at a full speed on live
horse. Miss Edith Crolius as Reckless
NeH, and Robert Fitzmorris in dual
character both did superior acting.
The play in its entirety was full Of
startling situations, fun and excite
ment. William G. Murphy, the light
ming crayon artist, was clever as were
Wilson and Brevarde, the Irish sketch
artists. The tistic encounter between
James Hogan and Jimmy Ryan, both of
whom have good records, was rat.
Ting affair. Tonight an unknown, who