The Washington times., 1894-09-11
SEEN ACROSS FOOTLIGHTS.

SEEN ACRUSS FUUTLlGHTS.
"Our Uncle Dudley" last night fulfilled his
promise and kept the atmosphere in the
Academy of Music ripping with merriment
Despite the muggy weather the lower part Of
the house was very well filed, and the sight
OF the pretty summer costumes of the ladies
made life there far more endurable than else
where "0ur Uncle Dudley is favored very
much the same as the other latter day. genteel
farclcal comedies, but IL is very much more
genuinely humorous than some. OF course
everything hinges upon what Uncle Dudley
does or thinks and he is made by the inter
position OF hypnotist and champion mid
dle-weight to do pretty much everything that
is necessary to keep the audience in a success
sion of laughs during three acts. The play
has the advantage of others in being brightly
written, and, while some of the situations are
exaggerated, it Is, as whole, a very pleas
ing entertainment.
In the title role Russell Bassett was anus
ing, but he was suffering from cold which
gave his voice a rasping sound that was
painful Earle Browne as Charles Fullalove
the nephew, was pleasing. Frank J. Currier
might make good deal more out of the part
OF the foppish Bulwer Brady if he would hide
his own ciosely-cropped black hair and clean
shaven face. which totally belle the character
Dundreary wig and whiskers would be an
Improvement Augustus Cook gave life
like representation of Sledge, the middle
weight. His gnmaces and postures were ex-
ceedingly humorous, and the byplay which he
filed in was given with excellent taste.
Miss Lena Merville, she of the good old
days of EdoIin and Goodwin. was as fresh
and bewitching as only she can be in the role
of gay soubrette. The other ladies were
Nina Maitland Augusta Nelson, and Minnie
Thurgate, and all were preposessing, hand
somely costumed, and quite efficient in their
parts. "Our Uncle Dudley" will be seen at
the usual matinees.
When Charles T. Vincent wrote the comedy
drama, gentleman Jack" he cleyerly fitted
the scenes and action to Champion Pugilist
James ]. Corbett who enacts the title role.
Nearly every man or woman VINO nowadays
achieves success, popularity, or notoriety in
any branch of life is tempted to seek the stage
a field of operations. Corbett but follows
in the footsteps of Sullivan and others.
The audience at Albaugh's Opera House
last evening had somewhat of pleasant sur
prise in the showing of Corbett as an actor.
There was nothing Of the tough or of the
fighter about Corbett He looked and spoke
like the character he represented, and was
free from many of the faults of his illustrious
champion predecessor.
Corbett is possessed of a weil-modulated
voice, and never evinced a propensity 10 rant
ing or mock heroics. The play always pre-
sents the champion as the one bright partic-
ular star, and the other characters are some
what subordilated. When gentleman
Jack" is forced to leave the amateur ranks to
fight the English bruiser the public is pre-
sented with a practical view of a pugilist's 5
training quarters, and Corbett goes through
his clever act of hitting the bag"
After this comes the arena Of the Olympic
Athletic Club, OF New Orleans, and Corbett,
with the assistance of his sparring partner,
Steve O'Donnell, gives scientific exhibition
of sparring. Incidental to the drama, several
speciality acts are introduced during the roof
garden scene. when Miss Jennie Yillars Frank
Belcher. and Swift and Chase entertain. The
company supporting Mr.. Corbett is fairly
good, Miss Blanche Howard and John McYey
being deserving of praise.
The gallery's uproarious greeting of the
curtain raising al the New National last night
bespoke anticipated pleasure and the pro-
gramme offered by Primrose and West s min
strels disappointed none. above or below
There were plenty OF fresh kinks in the songs
and dances, and originality in the special fea-
lures was not lacking. Despite the sWelter-
ing weather the house was almost full, and
the appreciation of the numbers offered was
warm in more than one sense. Enthusiasm
is not to be expected this weather. but the
applause several times amounted to that.
No number lacked Interest but the trio of
Howe, Ward, and Mcleod with tuneful bag
gage checks Ginning signal lanterns, sta
tion clock dismembering into three instru-
ments, hat rack that proved cross between
fiddle and musical glasses. and chande-
lier metamOrphosing into a ''slide ocarina,"
to say nothing of a dozen cute mechanical
tricks overshadowed the rest Ben HUM.
whose mouth has TO be worked with his arms.
sang clever songs. George Wilson amused
whether in song, dialogue, or monologue.
The nimble banjo picking Of AIr.
Giynn, the singing OF Harry Castle,
the California baritone" and w. H. Win
dom, the phenomenal alto" were all
evidently enjoyed George Primrose was
there, and he has not lost the knack of en-
tertaining, either by voice or heels. The
transformation, which opens the ''second ses-
sion, showed an imposing array of artists,
an arrangement of delicately colored medie-
val costumes, and hint of the Orient in the
white shrouded Arabs, whose pyramidal
gymnastics close an evening that is enjoya-
BILE even during the hot wave.
BARLEY Campbell's last play, "The Galley
Slave, was presented at the Bijou Theater
last evening under the direction of Robert
and John Campbell, the authors sons.
Judging from the applause and laughter the
large audience present liked both the play
and company. Effie Darling, a Washington
the part with charm that completely won
her audience. Loduski Young played the
heart-broken Francesca superbly. Miss Ha--
riette Sheldon caused a great deal of mPrri-
ment by her admirable acting of the fearful
widow, Mrs. Gay. Pretty Lola Morrisse
made a hit as Physche, her daughter. Miron
Letfingwell, as Sidney Norcott, gave an or
iglnal conception of his role. Carroll Daily
made an excellent Baron LIE Bois W W.
Allen and Joseph Wheelock respectively as
Oliver Oliphant and Franklin Fits. kept the
audience in the best of humor. The scenery
and appointments were entirely adequate and
1.-The Galley Slave" will be witnessed by large
houses throughout the week
A more pleasing entertainment than that
given by the City Sports Big Show at Ker-
mans Lyceum Theater this week has rarely
been seen in that popular place of amuse-
ment. 1t is safe to say that in the variety line
nothing more pretentious has been seen at
any of the great theaters. Perhaps the most
striking feature of the programme is the
Great Challenge Ballet, arranged by Prof
Romeo in which Miss Lillian lancaster in