The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-01-20
IN THE SWIM.


An amateur performance Is haruly
legitimate subject for press criticisms.
When n number of ladies and gentlemen
undertake the often thanklcss task of per-
forming in public for sweet charity's
sake. criticism is quite disarmed and the
friends who fill the house are more oc-
cupicd in seeing people they know in their
strange environment than they are in
sharpening their critical knives. In the
case Of the performance last night of the
amusing burlesquc on Meyerbeer's grand
ouera of "EAfricainc," the singing aud
acting were so remarkably good as to be
artistic and therefore entitled to more
praise than If the cast had been n pro-
fcssional one. The burlcsquc was ad-
mirably mounted, the orchestra under
Donch excellent, the costumes appropriate
and effective and the ensemble picturesque.
The cast was as follows:
Selika, Queen of Madagascar,
Mrs. Charles Wholan of Philadelphia
nc2, Princess of Portugal,
Miss Margaret Elliot of New York
Sardini, King of Portugal and father of
lnez, Robert Lee Keeling
Nasco da Cana, the hero Pierre stevens
Nasco's attendant. t........B Baron Beck Friis
| Dom Pedro. ......,...,,,..,Mr. llosmcr
Chimpanzee. Mr.. Paul Hunt of Boston
Gianni, pagc........"..Aliss llilda Everett
The ladies in waiting, composing the
chorus, were the Misses Hunt, Miss Sadie
Thompson of Philadelphia, Miss Edie,
| Miss Everett, Miss Betty Henry, Miss
Hudson, Miss Brooke, Miss Cammack,
| Miss Condit Smith, Miss Taylor, Miss
lIosmer, Miss James, Mrs. Lay, the Misses
Ernst, Miss Van Rensselaer,, Miss Andcr-
son, Miss Jackson, and Mrs Fred. Whelan
of Philadelphia.
The attendant lords and demons were
Mr.. Levi, of the Italian Legation; Mr.
| Alan Johnstonc, of the British legation
| Count de Chambrun, Mr.. Rowan Stevens,
Mr.. Jack Webb, Dr. Rossc, DR.. Chaplin
Dr. Robertson, DIR. Thaycr, Mr.. George
HELEN, Mr.. Jack Biddle, Mr.. selfredge,
Boeufue, of the French legation; Mr..
Morgan Brown, Mr.. Barry, Mr.. Ward
Thoron, James q. Blaine, jr., and Mr..
Elliot.
The four inquisitors, who were robcd in
black gowns, decorated ON the breast with
large white scull and cross bones, were
James G. Blaine, II. j: N. Levi DIR.
Mrs. Whclon, whose lyric triumphs on
the stage upon charitable occasions only
have been most signal, gave a Washing
ton audience the rare opportunity of ap-
preciating her extraordinary gifts as a
singer and an actress also. She is a tall,
splendid type of the Southern woman as
she ripens into feminine beauty grace
| anu llntltSS ulNtI lllt NdTul sun anu
languorous air of Louisiana The dignity
and ease of her every movement, the rich
ami mellow tones of her voice, full of
pathos and spirit and with tinibre of tone
as subtle rs that of a violoncello played
by master hand, the radiant glory of
her magnificent eyes, dark hair and bril-
liant brunette complexion, all went to
and fascinating. From first to last one
could see "rhc mind, the music breath
ing in her face" Her serious acting was
strong and dramatic, while in the comic
situations she displayed an original and
inimitable vein of drollery and humor.
Mrs. Whelan may fairly be ranked as me
of the most talented and magnetic of the
great American amateurs. Her voice is
one of the richest and most sympathetic
of contraltoes highly cultivated, full in
register and rich in feeling, quality and
keen pathos.
Miss Margaret Elliot of New York as
Inc. was most charming and graceful
character. She is not only extremely
pretty but has a lovely voice, was beau
tifully dressed and sang and acted with o
spirit and dbdndOR that made her share
with Mrs. Whelan the honors of the even
ing. II she were professional she woulc
be a reigning fayorite in comic operas, fo
she has all Of the qualities calculated t.
command success as an artist. Miss Ell
lots laurels were fairly won and worthily
worn.
Mr. Robert l.. Keeling, handsome
young Baltimorean with good stag
presence and easy manner and very
! agreeable and sympathetic voice, made {
capital Sdidiai, Alag Of Portugal, although
! rather too youthful in his makeup for tn
father of a princess in her teens. Mr.
Keeling sang with taste and expression
the several songs which fell to his ro!,
, and went bravely through the ordeal o
|, playing father and King when he nigh
Congenial character as an impassione
, lover. lie has future shonld he adop
, the stage as profession. while societ
| would miss his voice, which has give
, great pleasure in many drawing.room
. | here.
+ Baron Beck Fris, as Easco's attendant
} was most amusing and droll character
The Baron's talents are evidently not cor
E fined to diplomacy. lie entered fully int
,, the spirit of the part and was simply in
= imitable and refreshingly grotesque. TIL
a Baron and other gentlemen, connecte
. with the foreign legations, deserve tn
!. hearty thanks and the warmest CONNER
. dation for the cheerfulness and Sindnes
|, in which they entered into the spirit c
: the effort To make the occasion a success
!, 1t showed that they were in sympath
with whatever appeals to their man
!, friends in society here and were read
, and willing to come promptly forwar
n and contribute their best efforts to max
! the affair go.
. Mr.. Pierre Stevens, his agreeable voiC
s and his personal popularity have bee
- familiar to Washington society for SON
= years, and he has appeared often enoug
, in private drawing.rooms, and occ
!. siOnally for charity, for his merits as
singer to be well known and fully appr
g ciated. II is needless to say that as Vas
v dd Cana Mr.. Stevens fully sustained h
: well.deserved reputation as one of Il
!. general favorites in private and amatel
'. short notice and made all out of it pJ
. sible. His costume, appearance, actir
II and singing, formed, combined, q stroI
feature in the cast.
IS Mr. Paul Hunt of Boston, the broth
II of the Misses Hunt, to whom the publ
80 are indebted for this production Of ii
e burlesque, entered fully into the spirit
Is the grotesque part he played and was il
G, mense as the lOve-sick Chimpdnzee, sufft
&c ing with sporadic attack of sentiment
lc grip. His experiences at Harvard al
,r natural cleyerness fitted him to do an
al thing captally he might have undertake
A. That duet with VdscO was great.
10 The ladies of the chorus were so mal
dreams of lovelness and youth Al
is dainty, gorgeous costumes. Many of Il
IF reigning beauties and lovelest buds of b
pf season were there, all AS bewitching
Ie possible.
ie The audience was composed of h
lf elite of Washington society, with MAJ
IS from Baltimore. The ViCe-President az
Mr. Blaine and the representatives
many Of the foreign legations, the hi
dignitaries, the great social magnat'
A. beauties, and all that is included in l.
- ! most exclusive and brilliant circles