Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-26

AofA Wef6 kenlSi ana
Hsr%N memorable occasions.
.AyNLI 80 The ''Pickwick Club"
MTsNN SOLVER Twist" 'Nich-
~ az olas Nickleby." DOM
S1ssedN,axS~ hey and Son" and 'Da-
:: ). :: :. 81; .: :: =; :;
MS glance in retrospect
at the old theater itself
on frosty winter evening when the snow IL
falling and the winds are whiriing wildly.
Taxing an omnibus and riding down to the
corner Of broadway and Chambers street. We
there alight, and, facing east, walk half block
or SO toward Center street. till we are stopped
oy pushing crowd upon the sidewalk making
It's struggling way up few wide steps into the
weli-ilghted entrance into the theater. squesz-
ing along with the others and narrowly watch
ing the feruie Of a stout gentlemans umbrella,
with grave apprehension for the safety Of our
| eyes and windpipe, we finally succeed in gain
| Ing the ticket Office and, after handing so
cents In silver to the urbane treasurer in charge
OF the box Office, pass unruffied inside the
mousse When We are seated in the pit (par-
| quet being a new-fiedged name at that time
and not as yet quite strong of wing)
we leisurely proceed to take survey
fes.ed the thu. house use n It must be , CON
I
and rather too much scented with gas and stale
orange peel for our fastidious liking. The
paint, too, from the ceiling shows a disposition
| to flake off and summarily scatter itself over
the floor like seed in a ploughed field; the
wooden benches are without cushions and in
nocent OF recent thorough holystoning, and the
| galleries are low, their woodwork dark with
smoke and accumulated dust There are no
orchestra stalls as in the more modern play
houses, and the musicians sit in cramped up
little crib lnWar dnwn in fropt nf In han
now
THE PLAY BILL.
While the audience is congregating and
making itself comfortably at. home we look
carefully over the strip Of play bill 1t is not
miniature newspaper devoted to society gossip,
conundrums and advertisements such as il the
program OF a later day. but modest slip of
paper printed on one side with the title of the
piece to be performed and the names Of the
actors to take part therein in ink that evinces q
tremendous tendency to come off on the gloves
On this occasion We note with satisfaction the
| play or dramatized novel of David Copper
field. Charles Dickens latest. together with
laughable adaptation of The Pickwick Papers
to wind up. The stout gentleman with the ag-
gresslVe umbrella, now our next neigh
Dor on the left, evidently cherishes
| vivid impressions of the great novelist and
his works, and scans the bill with breathless
| interest ami lively anticipations of pleasure in
consequence. He satisfies himself that the
| name OF his favorite characters, apparently
4NtcdUber and Uridh Heep, are all set down and
correctly spelled, and then wonders in an audi
| bic tone whether Ddcid will make his first APP
| pearance before the audience in caul a. in the
| book. The orchestra now begins to arrive in
separate detachments and speedily and briskly
applies itself to the usual process of stretching
| and strumming upon strings and blowing into
brass mouthpieces. thus tuning up as II the
| very mischief were in it
THE HOUSE.
At this promising symptom the house, which
has now become packed, applauds little and
whistles by way of encouragement while the
family circle (happy and cosy as if seated
around tine domestic fireside) makes a playful
but futile effort to hum familiar air to the
| some what marked accompaniment of its boots.
| bell rings, the musicians suddenly seize their
respective instruments. the leader waves his
magic wand and away they go to Q glorious
overture of English airs, among which we
readily recognize sally in Our Alley and
that rare old plant The Ivy Green"
ALoNDoN ATMOSPHERE.
special wind seems to watt US in twinkling
| to London. Fogs and roast beef, and Barclay
| and Perkins Entire, and Day and Martins
| best backing. and cockney sights and sounds
and plum buildings and sea-coal fires all come
| up about US in breath and we begin to feel
Charles Dickensy and very human, indeed"
AHOtutE tiuhlt VI tue Uell anu tWlQklS Oh the
l'gas and up goes the country the orchestra
| tenderly plays Rule britannia to more fully
awaken our national sympathies This tune
| ripples through the play with a persistency
which would delight the heart of even the
author Of Martin Chuzzlewit' himself.
NOW FOB THE PLAY.
Dauid grown to early manhood and in Lon
don. George Jordan takes the part of Dauid
He is too tall and mature for the character but
| a fair actor and handsome man. Once on his
benefit night, he essayed Hamlet and carried it
through respectfully. Aunt Betsy Trot,cood is
played by that matronly and painstaking
actress Mrs. Hughes, and scrupulous she is in
| person, dress and manner. Whether Uridh
| Hep Is Mr.. Johnston, or Johnston Heep, some
| what puzzles us; but this we know that he
! cringes and writhes in such very humble con-
| tortions that it makes the toe of our boots
| fairly ache to look at him. And there is WI
| kins Micdacber, Enthusiastically hard up, in his
| tight trousers, buttoned CATERS and seedy
| frock ecoat. with eyeglass on breast for the
| the noble expanse of forehead. broad front,
swelling bearing, pompous tone and proud
want of principle ever indicative of the crushed
yet hopeful gentleman. Who but Burton could
do justice to so immense parsonage?
THE OLD BOAT AND THE BEACH.
| DdriGs doings in London are far too init
mately known to need description, and we are
| glad to take the stage coach and find ourselves
among the hard handed, honest hearted, homeIy
| headed boatmen the sands by the blue sea.
| ''Rule Britannia" again, SO soft and like the
| signing Of the wind in the shrouds that we feel
| sailor-like and isherman-like for the nonce,
| and even think We smell the salt sea breeze
blowing through the little play house. The
| interior of the old boat on the beach, boat
converted into boat house-and Little Emily
| with her uncle, stanch, true Mr.. Peggoay, en-
gagged in pleasant chat. Can we ever forget
| tie warm and generous rendering of this part
| by Mr.. Blake, pea jacket tarpaulin, sou wester
| and all And Ham (Mr. Bland), with Darids
| faithful nurse, now become Mrs. Barkls and
grumbling Mrs. Gunnsldge badly laboring under
| the influence of the ''old un.'' What cheerful,
homelike scene it is, there in that old boats
cabin turned upside down, with its good feel
ing kindly affections and lowly integrity of pur-
pose beaming on all sides.
DAVID AND sTEERFoRrH.
sharp knock at the door, and to the burst
| of music, "Rule Britannia" still, in cones
Darid with his dazzling friend, James SeeJorM
The very picture of a dashing, handsome
reckless young Englishman is lSeevforth as he
steps in boldly and heartily greets the grinning
boatmen and women; and one no longer won
ders that trusting Little Emily falls in love with
him at sight. for the part is played to the
life by Lester Wallack. the John Lester of
| forty years ago-manly and symmetrical ~