The record-union., 1893-02-25
MUSIC And TIE DRAMA.
Metropolitan 1heater-Goers and
Dumas "FrancillOn."
The Play Is Vulgar and Does Not
Take-Charles Frohman's Company
Welcomed Home-Successful Cur
tain Raisers-General Stage Notes.

tain Raisers-General Stage Notes.
A. T. Dunlop, writing from New York
under date of February 18th, says:
Dumas 'Francillon,' under the name
OF The Marriage Specter,' was produced
by the er-Bellew combination at the
fourteenth-street Theater on Monday. 1t
Tells the story of young wife who
swears that she will commit adultery as
soon as she finds that her husband does,
and as he departs TO seek favorite cocotte
at masked ball, she rusheS out to keep
her promise. Next day she returns with
considerable evidence that she is as good,
or as bad, as her word, and the rest OF the
story is devoted to discovering whether
she tells the truth. In the play NJ. Dumas
has written some of his cleverest lines
and eight characters have opportunities
In dialogue and monologue to exploit his
cynicism and philosophy, but from first
TO last 1t is a vulgar exposure of animal
passion in its baser form, and happily its
reception does not indicate that metropol-
1tan theater-goers welcome it with cor
diality.
AT the Windsor Theater on Monday
Scott Marbles newest melodrama, The
diamond Breaker was also seen in New
ork for the first time. 1t is of the buzz
saw, blood-tingling kind that has been so
novelty in the shape OF ponuerous
heavy-jawed coal-crushing cylinders,
from the nav of which the heroine
snatches the hero just in time from an
Impending grind-up, it will undoubtedly
be as prosperous as the rest. Here was
also courtyard scene of an insane asy
lum, filed with the usual horrors; a
North Carolina mountain scene with the
navor of moonshine whisky; plenty of
gun-ptay with rifle and pistol, and finally
parlor in New York, where all the
characters bow for their adieux in
display of miners and mountaineers'
costumes. The plaudits have been gem
erous and hearty throughout the week, a
sign at least that the realism is suffi-
GENTLY up to date for a money-winner.
ION Tuesday Charles Frohman's come
dians were seen at the Standard Theater
in two plays new to New York. The re-
turn of this company was accompanied
by all the kindly demonstration which
are usually reserved for the welcoming
of one of our chief stock companies, and,
as each one of the favorites appeared,
they were again and again made The re-
cipients of hearty applause. The Sports
man. which formed the chief part of the
programme, is by w. LestOcq, after
George Feydean's Monsieur Chasse.'
The adaptation has been made with much
cleverness, the adaptors succeeding to an
fun and frolic of the original, while
eliminating every phrase OF suggestive
ness. The plot turns upon the endeavor
of husband to indulge his passion for
gambling, and upon the mischances
which follow his stories to his wife, that
his absence from home is caused by the
invitation OF country friend to spend
lew days in sporting with him. The
play was acted with admirable snap and
= delightful spirit of fun by Mrs. George
Drew Barrymore. Joseph Holland, NJ. A.
kennedy and an exceeding clever COM
pany. Prior to The Sportsman there
was a brevity entitled The Judge and
the Burglar 1t is whimsical conceit,
and is having marked success in Lon
don. a Judge is visited every night by
burglar, who revenges himself against
the bench by subjecting this representa-
tive of 1t to humorous indignities. The
dlgnified Judge IS compelled to listen to
very disagreeable estimate of his charac-
ter, to drink and smoke with his tor
mentor, to don his wig and gown, and to
sing and dance. This peculiar bit of
play was acted by Mr.. Holland, Mf. Ken
nedy and L. G. Valentine. The return of
the Charles Frohman Comedians has, as
usual, attracted very large audiences.
Before the uproarious fun of 'Glo-
riana' begins each night this week, at the
Union Square, new short piece is per-
formed. 1t is entitled The Majors APP
pointment,' and is a dramatization by
Nelson Wheatcroft and George Backus
of a sketch in the Century by Julia
Schayer. 1t puts forth the case of an old
man, an eX-Major of volunteers, who has
waited many years for an appointment to
Government clerkship in Washington
He deems himself entitled to such en-
ployment by reason of his services in the
war, and he needs the wages badly.
These facts are shown quickly in the lit
tie play, and then postman delivers an
official envelope to the Major, who finds
in it what purports to be summons to
report for duty. His elation is great
Next comes to him the information that
the letter is the practical joke of heart
less clerk. The shock of disappointment
kills the already weakened veteran and
ends the play with tragic moment. The
work is clever example of composition
= and stagecraft."