The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-26
TWO NEW PLAYS FOR FUN.
kHE CoMICALITIEs or "A COUNTRY
SPORTO AND "xFRICd."

INhN III. r
A DIV, ntnres with Peter r. Dailsy n Then
-t1ay Greene and Cheevsr Goodwin's We.
hicie for GEORGE Thnteher's WneEery.
John ]. McNally Is a writer Of humorous
plays. peter L. DALEY is an actor Of comic
characters Mr.. Mentally never wrote q more
joyial pieco than "A Country Sport" which
was presented al the Bijou Opera House last
evening nor did Mr. DALEY ever give funnier
performance than that Of the sportive chap
who gives the title TO the entertainment
There are few comedians who contribute not
only an amusing personality to whatever role
they undertake. hut express and extend
every atom OF matter which the author
has provided. Mr.. Daley is that sort OF q
player and. as Mr.. McNally Ia one Of the most
adept OF the makers oflauehsble popular ma
terlal for stago use. II follows that the Nc
Eally-Dailey combination OF talent is q happy
one More than that. A Country Sport has
parts assigned suitably to May Irwin, Ada
Lewis, and John q. Sparks. q big three In the
estimation OF those who are familiar with the
theatrical iolllty OF this town during the past
decade. These and others are placed TO good
advantage In the now farce. and SO the diversion
at the Bijou is first rate. The holiday audience
took II with much laughter and applause. 1t
should be clearly understood. lest some per-
son who can't take q joke should stray into
that theatre that the show is all arrant non
sense. and away down on the level Of variety
farce. Dignity Of any sort isn't In It. nor any
thing else except plenty Of stun to laugh at.
There is hardly q dull minute. Something
lively 10 going on most OF the time.
There is q story that crops out once In a while
through the foolery. and 1t is about country
fellow to whom fortune is bequesthed. pro-
yided that when he attaIns majority he is
himself to become the heir. he comes TO
New York to study md practise the tough
Illustration Of the tricks and devices
goings on become u sap-banG and hur-
ty-sSurry tumble OF Sss sinr ,n Wills
absurdtlea Mr.. DALEY and Miss Irwin sing
many new SONGS sons ;h OF which MS, IRE bound to
numerous Miss Lewis repeats the tough
girl" whom We knew at IIarrigan's, but makes
earization BY appearing lator In tho play az n
drawing. room belle with, fine clothes and
crous freshman. A hall dozen singing and
dancing girls and quartet OF male yocalists
give good assistance.
George Thatcher. who has been known and
liked by New York playGoers for many years
because OF his dry humor and quaint manner
Of talking to his audiences, was seen at the
Star Theatre yesterday In q new piece called
" Africa." which has already enjoyed the adj
Africa" Is the collaborative work OF Clay
H. Greene. who worded Its plot. J. Cheever
Good win. who rhy m ed its verses. and Randolph
CruRer. who composed its music. At least.
that was a proper apportionment ofthe laurels |
in tho nrst place. but It was clear enough in
last nights performance that George Thatcher |
aud others had put lot OF things into the
piece. to make OF It a Heterogeneous extrava-
CANA So much OF story as It contains is that |
Q young collegian gets q mania for exploring |
Africa, his desire being to begin where Stanley |
fcy :ends him gac6, via
somewhssEe on the Jersey coast; and that,
oddities than he had over dreamed Of
=, The story Of Africa is told in three acts.
dence OF Moses M'7,rW. the father Of the am
bitious young explorer ,and, also the club
Club There Is good deal OF fun in this act.
End ed Z large part OF II is furnished by Mr..
.soG in s S % lie ees 81 the yacht
psny with his iilends. AZ Is usually the case
ssnd; we're R50ss a. IL %sa''"s, Psnsa
sbisd' sssmsn., Frior to this ,entertain p ent
there 10 q little love- making and also define
ridsdly primitive. humorous age The enter
Eainment takes tho form OF a IN nstrel show.
and n order to introduce the performers In an
nom emit and when the lights are turned on
seain the singers rare seen standing
Isnds from one side OF the stage to the other
Some OF the singers appear IN white face while
Is pleasant reminder Of the very
best sort OF minstrel show that New York has
enjoyed In days gone by.
Yard Qaartette and It's individual mem ers, a
humorous specially by John A. Coleman. who
aaNa. MI nd Nf
heart to heart" talk with his audience.
he stage and to listen to his drolery He is
understand the art OF being funny in a natural
:, The third act shows the eYplorIng party in
the depths OF a tropical Jungle, Mr.; Thatcher
) band q African acrqbats take posses;
by the inevitable irish policeman. and from
the moment Of the latters appearance until
he curtain. il is Impossible to Keep track OF
But then Africa" will smuse people who
who are seriously interested in the advance
nent OF the drama.
-Carm.n" Repeated at the Metropolitan
Opera IIOusr.
The second performance OF Carmen" las
evening drew rs full house as the previous
one The cast put upon the programme was
Identical with that OF the initial representa-
don. but disappointment lay In store for the
audience.
Emma Eames. whose MichGld Is an exceed
nRly charming effort. yocally as we'll as dra-
nAticalIy. was replaced by Miss Arnoldson.
who. by her incompetent singing. threw the
into the shade OF perhaps a fourth
ate figure Her voice is not only cultural and
iasal but muflled in a NEST peculiar manner.
"a though she were singing through several
OF silk. and causes the continued
lncomf Portable impression that every next note
vii be impossible.
il IL most unfortunate that Miss Arnoldson
las so unsatisfactory throat. for she under
lands how to sing neatly and often tastefully.
nd her presence is somewhat attractive. Her
God points are, however. not strong enough
D make her a favorite; at best she can only
. politely endured.
That LasAlls Is not an ideal 7Orsador was
ally dem onstTAted by his second appearance.
IL lack dash and emotional warmth for the