The evening world., 1890-02-26
THE GRAND eUcHEss"

An impetus was given 20 various indus
tries at the Casino last night. There will be
new Lillian Russell cigarettes; Nine. Chose
will rush into the market with a new brand
| of Lillian liusseli c%orsets; the anti-fat gem
tleman will Issue a Lillian Russell supple
ment; the photo srapher will rcvel in Rus
sell pictures. The bcauteous Lillian has
made a great hit as the Grand Duchess, and
surprised her many friends.
Miss Russell was certainly astonishing. |
confess that | imagined the Grand Duchess
was the very last role to suit the flabby
,weetncss and the phlogmatic complaccncy
" the Lillian. Grand Duchesscs are Gener-
ally chic, and tivacions, and bubblesome,
and nervous. ! don't know IL there is II
theatrical costumer's where an actress
can purchase chic, but Miss Russell had
certainly discovered last night An admirable
substitute. Her loveliness didn't seem in
the least ponderous. ] have often seen the
Lillian when her physical beauty appeared
TO be a burdcn, but last night 1t was light
and winsome and attractive. The role Of
tho Grand Duchess evidently plea"cd her.
Few women can resist that magnificent en-
trance, and the complete suborlination Of
everybody to theNke. Lillian couldn't, and
she made no p~retense of doinRao. She
smiled perpetually, and her happy spiA8
were contagious.
There may have been more lively and per-
vadinR Grand Duchesses than that we saw
last night az / were an old fossil | could re-
member n few. but I doubt IL there has
ever been n more lovely ono. Lillian Rus
sell was simply a joy to the eye. You
felt you must look at her all the time,
in that sheer appreciation OF the beam
tiful and artistic that every one pos
sesses hidden somewhere about his
individuality. ] prefer to see Lillian
in the Rarbs of a woman than in the tights
Of which we hear so much. She was q
picture rs tho Grand Duchess. That mauve
costume IN the second act was lovely. and
the white III the third act was no less
charming.
The limc-light man who followed Lillian
around the stage tGhalo her 9Th white
glory did what every other man in the audi
enss wouldn't have ntpded doing in the
TOeach opora-glasR directed at Lillian
Russell had contained q lime-light lillian
would have cauGht on fire. Miss Russell
sang with birdy delicacy. Her voice was
clear and ringing. Only in a few Of the
melodies did she come to grief. She dotted
on the military - admirably.
The Grand Duchess" was the most
gorgeous production that tho Casino has
ever made. Greater spectacular magnif-
conce has rarely been feen in this city.
The Casino was in n blaze Of glory.
1t was not vulgar dazzle or ostenta.
tious %gaudiness, but artistic brilliancy.
With the exception Of Miss Russell, however.
the cast was not worthy. Mr.. Hallam was a
very bad Fritz. weak voiced and sticky;
Miss Fanny Rice's voice was not equal to the
role lof Wanda. The comedy element was
simply atrocious. Fred Solomon was loud
and solf-assertive.
Richard f. Carroll brought the methodo
Of tho low comedian into his work, while
Max Lube was vulgar. Miss isabelle Urqu-
hart looked charming. but she had very
little to do, and evidently didn't Apjoy the
situation. Miss UrquhNt is one of the
comic-opera singetS with whom to look
Juno-osquo isn't the ,s'fmmum bonum OF
happiness. NhsS Anna OSKeefe was another
lady who was Cast for 4 good thinking part.
ALAN DALE.