Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-27

B1Jou THEArER. Jack Royal OF the I'D
DUoUEsSF THEATER. .slnoao
GRAND OPERA HOUSE birds oil Feather
ALVIN TErATER ................ Richard Mansfield
HARRIS Neutrality-suspicious. Lord faunueFoy
WILLIAMS ACApEMY....S2m Devere's Company
DAVIS MUsEUM-TaEATER.....- Curiosities etc
The above are the theatrical attractions
for this week
A curious tumble of plays and actors has
occupied the various stages all the week,
and they range from classic plays and the
greatest actors down to the Teriest drivei
and the poorest interpreters possible. The
good has predominated, however, and MI.
Jsferson's short visit was as usual one or
the great treats of the year. The gap nade
by Floreaces death was painfully noticea-
pie in both 'The Rivals" and "The Heir-ae-
Law" Louis James, good actor as he is, IS
not comedian enough to take tlorences
place. In fact "The Heir-at-Law" resolved
itself into vehicle for Mr.. Jefferson alone,
and not a very good one at that. 1t is not sur
prisinC that Mr.. Jefferson intends to return
60 "Rip Van Winkle" next season.
The attraction at the Bijou Theater this
week will be the popular romantic actor
M. Harry Lacy, in new military play,
Jack Royal of the 92d." Mr.. Lacy
has established for himself leading
place as a romantic actor. Wisely has he
chosen modern American plays for the dis
play Of his abilities. As heroic. self-sacri.
ncing fireman he won his first laurels in
He'd that affords great opportunities for his
style OF acting. As Jack ROEdi he portTays
o young military officer trained in the hard
but highly efficient school OF West Point, an
academy where the pupils are taught to
command men by acc Cuiring the more diff
cult art Of commanding themselves in every
emergency that is likely to arise in peace or
war. Jack Royal is the central figure OF
bright ana bustling play, written for MI.
Lacy by Mr. A. c. Wheeler, better known to
readers OF dramatic literature by his nom de
plume OF Nym Crinkle. Mr.. Wheeler has
put. it is said, GOOD work into Jack Royal
OF the Niretv-second.
For his theme he chose the Vaccinations
Of rebel sympath izers in New York during
the War OF the Rebellion. Some one said
while the country was in peril that the "left
wing Of Lees army was in New York" 1t
may or may not be that Mr.. Wheeler wrote
the rlay upon that hint. At all events he
illustrates II IN a graphic form, showing now
tho enlsSaTles Of the Confederacy put forth
cunning measures to thw8Tt efforts for the
preservation Of the Union by operating, not
in the field, but in New York. One of the
stirring incidents of the piece is a graphic
representation of the historic draft riots in
New York City in the early summer of 1853.
In this stirring scene the rioters are shown
in possession OF the metropolis for few
hours, their discontinue and the exposure
OF the designing men who fomented the
is
Royal Of the sd" One setting is n faithful
reproduction of an ironwOrks where armor
plates for monitor are being forged. An
CtAOr shows tunnel under the Harlem
river where the inSidlous foes Of the Union
met to cOncocG their plans Tor treason. A
third setting IS Z place of refuge chosen by
several prominent personages in the play
while the draft riots ragged fierceSt Here
the friends and foes of law and order meet
face to face and right is enforced at the
points OF bayonets pushed by brave and
patriotic men.
Nat Goodwin is badly in need of a new
play, as he himself would confess probably
Es freely as anyone "The Nominee" is not
worthy of him, and while it makes laughter,
ts SO near the border OF indecelcy all the
time that it could not be a success generally
tn America, even II the third act were not so
weak dramatically. But Mr.. Goodwin is still
amazingly funny, and by dint Of fine per-
SOnality chiefly. play that would be
chiefly low comedy, with just enough real
human Interest, and little pathos, to afford
relief, ought to 1al in MIR. Goodwin's way
one of these days and when it does he will
make the country howl louder at him and
for him than it has yet done.
The Duquesne Theater will be in gala
dress this week, for it has its managers
greatest production as an attraction. To-
morrow evening David Henderson's latest
and mucl-tai ked-of spectacular production,
"Sinbad, or the Maid Of Balsora, viii begin
6 weeks engagement, presented by the
American Extravaganza COMPANY "Sin-
bad'' is the leEioiTlate te successor tos'The Crys-
tai Slipper" which was received with such
favor here last year. 'Sinbad" ACCOMPLISHED
the marvellous feat Of playing for 10 consecu-
tive weeks in Chicago last summer TO the
utmost capacity OF the Chicago Opera House:
st then went to ST. Louis for a week, and the
entire company, numbering nearly 100 peo-
0le, and carrying three carloads of scenery
Jumped directly from there to San Fran.
CISCO, where they played fve-weeks' en-
Eagemenl to the most phenomenal business
ever known on She Pacific coast. The organ
ization has since completed another success
fUl run OF four weeks in Chicago and plea sed
CincinnatianS last week
The scenery of the piece is most elaborate
and abundant. The principal pictures in
"Snbad" are the port OF Balsore at day-
break, tie deck of the smu2gler's vessel the
wreck. n submarine tableau representing
the shattered vessel lying in the depths of
tire ocean, romantic tropical island a
weird jungle a sunset. the frozen valley of
diamonds, Sj1b0dS ivory palace, and the
concluding tableau. an idyllic transfer
ton scene, representing in the most delicate
colors the artists idea of '.the morning of
lie" The piece is full of bright ard catchy
music. Several pretty dances are intro
duced in the piece, but the most imposing is
the grand ballet, "a Winter Carnival ~
which occurs in the frozen valley of dia-
monCs. This ballet is led by three premiere
dancers, Henrietta Rosche, Madeline Nc
I8DLD anu AAaTUna 1fDller, ana the cory
pbeeS are attircd to represent snowfiakes
icices. slcighers, skaters tohogganers har.
leGuins and harleCuinaS. The entire cos
Talalng OF the piece Is rich and gorgeous in
the extreme, nearly 600 costumes being used
The American Extravaganza Company it.
self hardly needs comment. 1t is the same
organization that was here last year, in
Guiding Ida Mule, TopSy Eenn, Frankie
Raymond, Babette Rodney, Annie Dacre.
Henry Norman and Edwin Foy while the
new members are Louise Kissing, Jessie Vii
lars, Martha lrmler and Dan Hart, Charles
Crawford, Harry McKisson, Arthur Dunn
and Spencer Gracey.
Stuart Robson's revival of ssShe Stoons
20 Conquer was worthy of him as an artist
of high aims. 1t was beautifully staged. the
scenery being indeed as fine as anv ever
seen here in its realistic fidelity and clever
painting. AS 70 the Tony Lumpkin Mr.. Rob-
son gave US opinions seem to differ, and the
acceptance of this rendering OF GoIdsmith,s
character would seem to depend upon
how the spectator liked Mr.. Rob
sons little tricks and style as a
comedian. The Tony was far more
RobSon's than Goldsmith's and while il
was funny, it did not show any very
subtle reading of the character in my oni1i-
ion. A very able critic who reviewed the
performance for The DISPATCH on last Mon
day night has already stated a somewhat
contrary view, but everybody seems TO
agree that the whole performance was
artistic, and therefore worthy of the sup
port the public gave it. Mr.. Robson is ner-
fectly at home and himself in Bertie and
"The Henrietta" delighted the peonle who
saw ii as much as ever.
The new PLAYS produced in New York
last week do not appear to have amounted
to much. The most successful premiere was
probably that of Harrigan's Last of the
Hogans," and about this Arthur Brisbane
writes THE DISPATCH: "It won't li,-a 1ono