The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1890-12-16
AMUSEM ENTS.
"Thc Rivals at the national.

oil the WONDERFUL ola comedy Oh MN WIZ
was accredited with the best play, the best
farce the best comic opera, and the grand
est Grafton of his time, IL is doubtful TX
THE Rivals ever had worthicr repre-
scntation than that of last evening. II Is
perhaps the highest possible tribute to the
versatile and immortal genius of Richard
Brinsley Sheridan that the wit and lumor
and subtle touches of the human nature
Of hundred and twenty years ago can
still move an American audience to mirth
and laughter in only less degree than a
man falling through skylight or being
hit with stuffed club in a Hoyt farce.
comedy. Last nights audience at all
events developed all these gratifying
symptoms Of intelligent enjoyment with
a fcrvor that left little room for question
of its sincerity. The marvellous art and
subtle skill Of Joseph Jefferson are at their
best in the whimsical humor and moro
Whimsical terrors of Fighting Boo Heres,
and time has added a mellow charm to
this ever memorable impcrsonatlon,
which, If possible, enhances its familiar
merits. II is very high order of artistic
attainment which achieves its results by
methods so fine and true; u look, an into
nation, q gesture so quiet and natural as
to be hardly noticeable till tiual wave of
inexinguishable laughter sweeps the
wonderful IA ever are those eloquent and
electric eyes, and the facial changes which
are cpcs without words, while the genial
and lovablc personality of the man per-
meates with magnetic life and thrill the
work and consummate art of the actor.
The personal equation" is, as always,
an even stronger factor in the achieve
ments Of Mr. Florence, andi is this which
gives to his Sr Lucius o. Trilger an at
traction and sympathy peculiarly its own.
1t is an unctious,r jovia and wholly like
able Si,' Lucius, whom II would have been
pleasure to know so long rs he did not
insist upon your fighting a duel. As such
1t is IN all respects worthy companion
piece to the Acres Of Mr.. Jefferson, and the
tri,pci,dto of greatness, with apologies to
the sex, would not be complete without
the immortal 4Ms. Ma'oprop of Mrs. John
Drew. IL is still az we have so long
known it the same priceless and clcan-cut
cameo of dramatic art, the secret of which
will perish with the artist and the gem it.
self only remain in the cabinet of MEM
Dry. IL is not well, as Mrs. Mdlaprop her
self felicitiously observes, "to antici-
pate the past" or pose in the ungracious
role of tduddtor temporjs dcH. But 1t should
be remembered that with this matchless
trio we will very nearly bid farewell to
the grand old comedy of legitimate art
and traditions. There is no Joseph JEFF
ferson the fourth To continue the success
sion, and no where from the ranks of the
"trouser" drama or the gloritied variety
show which now hold the stage, does there
seem reasonable assurance of perpetu-
alton.
OF the Sr AnHoay absolute of Mr.. i. c..
Bangs, and the less prominent Ddvid of
Mr.. George Dcnham, IL is proper to say
that they were genuine comedy creations
worthy to rank with the very best in the
past. Miss Viola Allen was an interest
ing Lydia LdnguiA and Mr.. Frederick
Paulding ms Captain absolute, and Miss
Lombard and Messrs. Ross and Warren
in the minor roles were so entirely compe-
tent that the play, AS whole, was given
with all the smoothness of finish of the
best of the old-tme companies. "The
Rivals will be presented this and Wcdnes-
day evenings and at the Saturday matt
nee, and the "Heir-at-Law'' on Thursday,
Friday and Saturday nights.
"Thc IiIiputians" Mt Albaugli's.
The very novel exotic which burst in to
bloom under the fostering care of Mana
ger Albaugh last night at the Grand Opera
House was Liliputian, indeed, as otis PER
| sonnet, but wholly vast and Brobdingnagian
| us dramatic surprise and success. The
| large and appreciative audience was as ex
| ceptional in some respects as the perform
ance, and the Diplomatic Corps and Wash
ington society, in full dress from the
| POrterCampbell wedding, and our sub
stantial German-speaking fellow-cltizcn:
were very equally represented. The GOOD
points of the Teutonic humor of the
| play found ready response from such an
assemblage, and the applause and laughter
were well nigh continuous. 1t certainly
was a very amusing entertainment ant
| well worthy the favor with which it wa.
| received.
Ten funny little men and women,
whose aggregate length would not reach
halfway across the big stage of AL
baugh's, for nearly three hours CAV,
opera, burlesque, farce, pantomime ant
highly creditablc in the same number o
iirst-class artists Of the regulation size. II
was comic opera troupe ID petto, and tn,
acting, singing and dancing very mucl
| more artistic than we too often find then
from Thcspians big enough to do better
BY long ~ odds, the biggest man in TIN
cast, by virtue of his being the smallest
was Mr.. Franz Ebert, whose ERICKSON,
Puck was one of the funniest little chap
conceivable, and whose colossal spree an,
great disrObing act fairly convulsed tn
house with laughter. The quaint it'll
Tyrolese, Messrs. Wolf and link and Mis-
Toni Meister were scarcely less diverting
and, indeed, all the midget prime dome
teao,i and suppositious basa covered thei
minute selves with glory.
The minor personages of the play are
in measure, the major ones, inasmucl
as, to the last good looking ballet girl
they would appear to have been selecte,
with view to height and contrast. eth
Pupil in Magic" as the drama is entitled
ranges, geographically, all the way from
Berlin via the North Pole to the realm
of Fairy Land, and musically iron
"Lohengrin" and "Tannhaeuserh to tn
Grand Duohesse" and 'Mikado." Alto
gether it is so bright and novel that
should crowd the house through tn
week.