The Washington times., 1894-12-25
AS THE CROWDS CONE OUT.

Rice's 1892 drew crowded house at the
National last night and showed cause why it
has had such a phenomenal New York run.
The book is an out-and-out burlesque, indeed
il would make the mariner of Genoa swear 10
never discover anything else, could he once
but see it,
Theresa Vaughan was encorod again aud
again for her clever songs. sweet Marie IN
German is a new thing and Theresa made the
most Of it. despite a man in the audience with
an electric bell who used ii vigorously when
any old iavorite was revived.
The company is big one and 10 detail its
many mem. ers were long task. Mr. John
Peachey was a wild and wColey Christopher
Columbus who persisted III beHeYlng lie was
engaged in some tragedy
Edward Favor was clever in the comedian
role OF ROYAL Treasurer, also in spite OF the
man with the electric b-ll. who nailed some
old Jokes very accurately. Mr.. Waiter Jones
as Ferdinand was ace ptahle, especially as
the tramp. and Richard Harlow as Queen
Isabella acted well and sang poorly. John
H. Keefe did a clever character sketch Of u
"hayseed."
The mounting was up to the reputation Of
Mr Rice's productions. and that means a
great deal. kilanyi's living pictures are by
far the best ever exhibited here.
1882" viii continue TO play TO standing
room only.
A play of the excellence Of ashore Acres"
is but the dramatic and literary sequence of
that other popular drama, Hearts of Oak, -
but, in the frst-named production, Mr..
Herne has gone more deeply, and with cor
responding success. into our emotional
nature.
There has not a word been written in
eulogy Of ..Shore Acres which could be re-
gRrded as extravagant praise. In if we get
such views OF American home life on the. farm
as we get OF the domestic lie of the English
in the great masters Merry Wives of Wind
sor," In ''Shore Acres there is not a single
thought or line or action that suggests the
artificial. and this by the way is to be said
both OF the drama and of the actors. Long
fellow has not been more successful IN his
poetic representation of the Acadians than
has Mr. Herne in MS scenic and dramatic
presentation OF the ideal idylic lie among
the peasants of Maine.
How truly ana with what cOnsummate skill
the playwright has transcribed his concep-
tions may be inferred from the fact that the
pRthos OF ''Snore Acres" is so natural, so
deep, so akin to the pathos OF the living hu-
maniiies that il proves its genuineness by the
unbidden tears of the audience. There has
been. indeed no play here for long time
which is so effective, so instantaneous In the
impressions it produces or so beautiful, both
in its scenic and dramatic features.
We look across the footlights into the do
main of ''Shore Acres and feel that we are
witnessing scenes and incidents as natural as
they are vividly told and portrayed. There
is something else in ''Shore Acres" beside the
element of pathos. 1t has humor which is
its own, pure and typical. And In addition
TO this the playwright has introduced pow
erful auxiliary to the success OF ''Shore
Acres" In storm scene Of vivid reality. The
perfection of the stage settings and machinery
for the effects in the scene were roundly ap-
plaUded by the audience
Il only remains 10 say that the tone of the
play is moral, and that the drama comes
within that most rigid rule Of teaching some
thing. ''Shore Acres fascinates, moves
deeply. and leaves an impression for good.
which fingers long after the fall of the cur
tain.
MIR. Herne is. Of course. easily first. or the
other characters-and they are all good
which are especially well played, Helen
Berry, Grace Gaylor Clark, Martin Berry,
Robert Fischer, Sam Warren, and John c.
noted. The children in the play are quite
clever and sweet.
There was large audience present at the
first performance here, and it may be conf
IDENTIFY said that there viii be crowd at the
play as long as it remains in the city.
Inc Two GOlOnelS' was aQueQ last DlSut
at the Academy of Music to the long list oi
dramas contending for share Of the popular
favor. There was a fairly large audience in
attendance, the verdict of which was perhaps
unanimous that Mr.. William Richard Good
ali wrote good thing in his 1.-TWO Colo
nels." The author was called before the cur
tain after the third act, responding TO vocil-
eroUs calls. and made a little speech in which
he thanked the play-goers for their verdict.
The Two Colonels' is play OF some merit
IT contains really nothing new (although thai
is quite difficult achievement Of late), hut
the field is large in which the author ha;
been cleaning. The blue and the gray arr
placed in harmonious juxtaposition after the
war. the principal intention here being tc
portray confederate colonel of the Virgins
type, and further TO present view of planta
tion life in the Old Dominion in the time
when the favorte butler and the colone
spoke OF the family as ''our family"
Mr. GoodalI's confederate colonel is good
natured fellow, proud Of his ancestral heri
tage. but kind to his domestics to particu
arly familiar degree. He of course says yes