The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1893-10-11
THE coRNcRAckER."

II seems almost impossible to believe
that the same man wrote Blue Jeans"
and THE Corncracker." yet Joseph Ar
thur has been popularity supposed to be
the author OF the former and the pro-
gramme at the Fourteenth Street Thea
tire last night set him down as being
responsible for the latter. Mr. Arthur's
friends will think Of him in connection
With Blue Jeans" his enemies can do
nothing more cruel than mutter Corn
cracker"
New York IL treated to strange and
eerIe theatrical entertainments Each
ceason is full Of them. for everybody
who has dramatic wares TO display
rushes to the metropolis. The Corn
cracker" is as remarkable as any OF
them II is as incomprehensible as the
prcgrame offered by "Loie Fu!ler's c.
isbrities," and as mysteriously unfathom-
able as play | once saw at this same
theatre called AN Ircr Creed
The Corncracker" is not drama.
or 4 melodrama. or n farce-comedy, or
a farce, or a comedy. or burlesque,
or an extravaganza. II IL chowder,
hlel with chips OF everything. When
you hear Of missing viii and a long
lost mummer you think you have
alightei upon drama; when Nancy Nail
is rushed into tho drinking trough your
thoughts turn 20 Hoyt AID farce-comedy !,
when six irrelevant girls burst upon the
scene and sing an irrelevant song you
worder II it is extravaganza and sign
for "l4g2.' and when Eleanor Carey
and Matte Earle indulge In cosy little
strangling match you begin to believe
that you are unde rgoing Bowery melD-
drama treatment after all. Then there
Is "A fisticun episode and tarring and
feathcring affray, and at the end OF the
third act a very mild sort of a sensation
furnished by the falling Of an elevator
with red fire accompaniment
Mr.. Arthur has jumblcd all these in
cidents together. The corncracker is
simply cnaos. Even the ingenious lit
tie gallery boy will be able to make
nothing of It. He will hear Of the ole
vatoi accident, and wait for 1t, but
he will be disappointed, for 1t Is very
tame and not worth seeing after three
acts of twaddle. The word Corn
cracker" seems to signify Kentuckian
who places extreme reliance upon him
sell, anu IdhtS lllS OWN " HiShNs ~
some inexplicable way he is woven into
the talky labyrinth at the Fourteenth
street Theatre and perhaps he enjoys
himself We must hope for the best
In the cast was Miss Judith Berolde
who wore a couple of neat frocks. and
one pensive air She made Il very Wig
orous speech. in whicn she said MY
love you can never have. you coward,
scoundrel and liar" or words to that
effect. She seemed to be very vexed
about something quite put out. as It
werc-but the audience didn't know
what it was, and. consequently, couldn't
sympathlze. Miss Eleanor Carey, as a
long-!ost mommer, who is recognized
by a chrome for which she is supposed
to have sat, tried to make something
of her part, and Miss Matte Earle con-
tributed dialect ske,ch-the dialect
con sisting Of the use of the word 'pus-
son" for person William Ingersoll
played the leading male role, and wore
a lovable little brown velveteen suit.
Mr.. Arthurs agent a short time age
sent out the priceless information that
the rehearsals of The corncracker'
we're conducted behind barred doors. MIR
Arthur might safely drop his manu-
script on Fourteenth street. Nobod!
| would pick it up. ALAN DALE.