The Washington times., 1894-05-20

men," Tuesday. la Traviata;" Wednesday,
"Aida;'' Thursday. "Carmen;" Friday, "The
| Jewess:" Saturday matinee .Mignon," and
| Saturday night, a double bill. "Cavalleria
Rusticana" and '.Il Trovatore."
! Miss Julia Marlowe's engagement in a
weeks repertoire Of varied delights COM
mences tomorrow night at the National. To
a great many people Miss Marlowe's comings
are the theatrical event Of the season. And IT
that their number is growing yearly. This
| popularity OF hers is partly due. know, to
Manager Stinson, who is kohinoor Of a
manager, but she is genuine artist and a
most charming woman, and people really like
her, in addition to thinking they do.
"The Bellies Stratagem," with which Miss
Marlowe opens her week, is very old English
comedy. 1t was produced at the Covent
Garden, London, as early as 1880. 1t Is en-
| tirely hne-drawn comedy and strong play,
with strong, real characters. such as the
eighteenth century is not famous for having
produced. Letitia Hardy is the Belle. and It
| is her stratagem upon which the story un-
winds.
| She is doomed or blessed to marry Dori-
court, now a very wealthy (by inheritance)
| and fancy young gentleman. She is to him
| in his imagination possessed of only
the conventional English modesty and
| stupidity monotonous domestic virtues
| The match was made BY the parents
| and the courtship began on their nurses
knees. Master used to crow to miss, and
miss used to cackle at master At tender
age master goes TO the continent and she
stays at home. They remain so separated,
and gradually grow vastly different in their
outward tastes and manners. An immense
estate is purchased jointly by their fathers
Dorieourt's father dies. and on his deathbed
Mr.. Hardy swears that he will carry out the
agreement and marry Letitia to Doricourt
When they meet Letitia fancies Doricourt
cold and Indifferent to her, while she adores
him. She resolves not to marry him until she
captures his heart. She then plans her STRAIT
agem. and at a masquerade ball. by lite
French vivacitv. wit, and elegance. she en-
traps him completely. So disguised, she es-
capes from him, and he is left torn with the
tender but cruel passion.
In accordance with the will Of his father
the next day Doricourt is married to Letitia.
He soon discovers with joy and amazement
that she is the belle of his mad Irritation at
the masquerade. Witty dialogue and fine
a most ridiculous Old fellow, who always fore
sees everything and attributes the culmina-
tion OF every happy circumstance to himself,
while he invariably spoils everything he med
dies in.
The "Belle's Stratagem' is to be played
Monday evening and Saturday matinee.
The comedy season at the New National
theater will open on Monday, Msy %, with
ell the favorites that made the venture a sue
cess last Summer. There will be two new
corners. Miss Alberta Gallatin and Miss Fran
ces Stevens. who will make their appearance
on the opening night. The company will be
under the management OF Mr.. Charles A.
Shaw. The opening bill will be 1.-The Three
Hats by the author OF Pink Dominoes."
The opening night will be memorable event.
Everybody will be there. Will you?
A new company Of vaudeville people are
coming to Manager Kernan's theater this
week-Albini's London Lyceum Entertainers.
Their company is said to be athletic and clean,
and their variety work novel and some OF 1t
startling. They are Englishmen. some Of
them. and introduce several OF the London
music hall types of entertainment.
Iquote the following paragraphs from the
Associated Press London dramatic letter for
to-day (copyrighted):
Some idea of the keenness Of the competi-
tion existing among the theatrical managers
of London may be gathered from the fact that
Miss Loie Fuller, the American dancer, Is ap-
pearing nightly at three houses-the Trafal-
gar. Strand. and Terry's. in different dances
and with great success at each establishment
The theaters have been compelled to adopt
the music hall system on account OF the fact
that theater managers are forced to furnish
extra attractions in addition to their regular
bill of fare If they enter into active competi-
ton for the so-called popular business
James Corbetr starts from Paris to-day for
Scotland, taking ''Gentleman jack to Edin-
burgh and other large towns north of the
Tweed. On the conclusion OF this tour he
will visit the English provinces, and will af-
terward return to America. Whether regarded
as play or merely as medium for the dis
play OF Corbetts boxing, "Gentlemen Jack"
fell far short of the London standard. Cor
bett declares that he and not the author Is to
blame for this. 81 am only beginner in act
ing" he says, "and when we were rehears-
ing the play, if there was any scene did not
feel capable of tackling had 1t cut bodily
out, which was rather hard on the author"
The tendency toward refinement in the
music halls is becoming more and more pro-
nounced every day, and the comic element In
luc NdtiotF programme, Wuicu woS lOh ooAAy
paramount. is fast losing its hold. To-mor-
row at the Palace Miss Nina Martino, new
ballad singer, will make her first bow before
the music hall public. She is only 1S years
OF age, and has the advantage OF most at
tractive appearance. She has brilliant So
prano voice, and sings equally well in French
and German.
( Mile. Yvette Guilbert. the Sarah Bernhardt
OF the Paris music halls, who has been on
brief visit to London with Miss Loie Fuller,
leaves to-day on her return to Paris. rep
resentative of the Associated Press cdlled
upon her at the Savoy hotel last evening and
asked her whether she had any intention OF
going to America in the immediate future.
Il cannot say" was the reply. II want to
go the states very much, but my friends seem
to think my performance quite to the Ameri-
can taste'
Mile Guilbert told her interviewer that three
years ago she was only earning Is francs
day by her singing. while nowadays she re-
ceives as much as 15, 900 francs for single
performance.
The tailor of Mannheim and his bullet proof
coat might well have formed the subject of q
fairy story by Hans Anderson, and it will there
fore come rather as a shock to see the worthy
Germany for London at the end OF May, hav-
ing been engaged to appear at the Alhambra
In conjunction with the well. known shots,
Martin and Western. He will be dressed In q
suit Of his clothes, which will be put to q
variety of tests by the two marksmen, who will
use the ordinary British army rifle. Stealing
a march upon the Teuton tailor, inventors Of
other reputed bullet-proof clothes have been
appearing lately at the Oxford music halls.
A challenge will issue in Doves name to all
these rivals.