The record-union., 1892-04-30
music And TIE DRAMA.
POst-Lenten Theatrical Season in
the Great Metropolis.
Some Successes and One Very Bad
PIay-HalIen and Hart in Later
On''-Helen Barry as ''Her Lady,
ship''-Genera1 Stage Notes.

A. P. Dunlop, writing from New York
under date of April 23d, says:
1.-The Post-Lenten theatrical season be-
gan really on Easter Eve at the Garden
Theater, with the production of Husband
and Wife in which Cora Tanner has
comedy that will be of good service to
her on the road. Hearts, the play to
which was awarded the Herald prize,
was used as a curtain-raiser. On Mon
day five productions were given: Across
the Potomac at the Twenty -third-Street
Iheater; The Child Of Fortune at the
Casino; Polly Middles' at the Fourteenth
Street; Count Casper at the Park and a
Jolly Surprise at the Bijou. Across the
Potomac is the result Of coalition be-
tween Colonel 4. NJ. Alfriend of Virginia
and Augustus Pitou, the well-known
manager Of New York. 1t is crude and
tlreSome melOdrana, without trace of
comedy III its makeup, and an entire alb
sence OF motive in its plot. People meet
and weep, or meet and fight furiously,
and at one time the auditorium is filled
with smoke of rattHng VolleyS of mus
kerry, and the stage strewn with victims
OF the stage carnage, and yet neither
marked turning point in the play, or
made even a climax. There are, how
ever, some stirring effects IN the play, al
though they have little to do with the
story, and these the experienced hand of
Manager Pltou may manipulate into q
pronLaDIe gallery success for the road by
and by. Robert Hilliard, Miss Alice
Fischer and VIM. Harcourt are alone
worth mention in the cast.
THE Casino has returned to its legiti-
mate occupation, and is now furnishing
genuine comic opera which is a distinct
gain TO the cause of art in this city.
I ncle CeieStln' was noisy monStrosity
and better fitted to Bowery houses than
the only place we have which approaches
an opera comique. The Child of For
tune replaces it, and all is now forgiven
the Aronsons for attempting to cater to a
vicious taste on the part of heterogeneous
amusement seekers. The Child of For
tune, in short, is in many respects the
| best work that has yet come from the pen
Of Carl Alloecker, who has vein of
melody almost as rich as Johann Strauss,
and whose ochestration is now practi-
cally unrivaled in the field Of comic opera,
This operetta is now the rage of Europe,
and it is the general opinion of the best
experts in New York that The Child OF
Fortune Will, in a measure, repeat at the
Casino its European success. The book
Is bright, and its chief fault is length,
which can be easily remedied. The mu-
sic is incomparabiy the better part of
The Child OF Fortune and is written on
a higher plane than Miloecker ever be-
fore reached. The melodies are not so
SettSLy olllA pOpUIdL DIS II1G dIGS Oh IlG
perennial 'Beggar STUDENT but they
have classical flavor and scope that
makes them worthy of study.
''At Manager Dunlevy'S Park Theater
Charles L. Ellis-who has for many wears
swuEg around the dramatic one night
circuit-made his Broadway debut in
Count Caspar.' written for him by Her
bert Hall Winslow. Why Mr.: Ellis
should leave the provincial one night
stand Is not quite apparent, for he is
without doubt the worst dialect comedian
that has so far been able TO enjoy the lux
ury of metropolitan engagement Mr..
Ellis is neither graceful, nor as most va
riety men, good dancer, and as he is to
remain at the Park for two weeks his
Broadway advent will be expensive. Mr..
Winslow's play, evidently written to fit
the star, lacks interest and snap.
"a. &. Gunter's much talked of comic
opera Polly Middles,' for which w. w.
Lowitz wrote the music, which gives evil
dence of spirit and oft times Of clever
ness. Introduces Miss Annie Pixlev in
comic opera. She sang the music allotted
to her with exquisite taste and discretion,
and in very pretty dance in the last act
brought down the house. Mr.. Gunter's
device of converting a lot of intensely
practical, present day people into CORE
spending characters in the antique world
is by no means a new one, but he has car
y
eretta' will probably prove q money win
ner.
1.-The greatest popular success of the
five novelties was undoubtedly made by
Miss Fanny Rice, who was greatly adj
mired while in the Casino company. and
who seems not to have been forgotten by
her metropolitan friends. She was given
very hearty reception-in fact genu-
Inc ovation-and at once established her.
self as prime favorite. The play, "A
jolly SURPRISE written for her by Arthur
Wallack, was also warmly received. and
both star and play have been unanimously
praised by all the New York newspa-
pers.
''At many of the other play houses
changes were also made on Monday. At
Harrlgan's Theater the ever popular Ed
ward Harrigan revived his popular plav
Reilly and the 400.' At Herrmann's
Charles Frohman brought Mr.. Wilkin-
sons Widow for short run, and at the
Third Avenue Theater Major Charles r.
Rice dropped in for week with Barney
Ferguson in 'McCarthy's Mishaps.' It
has been an unusually busy week. and
all the theaters with the exception of
'Incog' at the Standard haYe done we'll"
'HER LADYsHIP."
Helen Barry has signed contract with
MeSsrS. Nixon d Zimmerman, Philadel-
phia, to produce at their Broad-street
Theater on Monday, May Is, 1892, new
comedy, entitled Her LadyShip," by III.
Grattan Donnelly.
The contract calls for one of the strong
est companies ever gotten together. The
production in the way of Scenerv. and
surroundings will be very elaborate, max
ing this one OF the most notable theatrical
events of the year.
The comedy was written expressly for
Helen Barry, and so pleased was she with
the work that on reading the manuscript
she purchased the acting rights for FIVE
thousand dollars.
1t is comedy Of American society life.
introducing American politics in which
her ladyship, an English woman of
ar1stocratlc birth, visits this country for
the first time, becomes interested in the
success of an American gentleman who
is candidate for the United States SEN
ate. UnbeknOwn to him she ioins forces
with his political agent and brings about
an unearthing of political schemes which
are full OF the most amusing situations.
later oN.''
Hailen q Hart, two Of the most sue
cessful of all those who have devoted
their talents purely to farce comedy. will
present their new version of the famous
Skit, Later On in Sacramento in the
near future. These capable fun-makers
are now so well known and liked that no
special 1iattery is necessary to attract
general interest Aside from their own
| individual merits, they have always sur
rounded themselves with the cleverest
of performers and singers, with the re-
suit OF an entertainment that has stood
out among the rest of its class with sin
gular virtues and success. This year they
have added TO the many bright musical
numbers and humorous incidents of the
variegated piece of last year with a view
of making an even greater success of the
firm name in their cherished skit Later
On" The company numbers twenty
two people, all OF whom are active mem
| bers, and who can sing, dance and enter
. t.iI -Lha COS ~. -.