Evening star., 1894-01-02
ADJUSTMENTS.


get too much of a good thing. but Dixey.
as Adonis. seems to have refuted the state
ment, at least as to himself. for he keeps
right to Adonis. year in and year out, and
| the older it gets the more the people seem
to like it. With anybody save Dixey this
might not go, for he is fellow of infinite
jest and captures all the new things in sight
| to weave in this mosaic of Momus, which he
has made a part of himself. He is exceed
ing clever, and can put a smile and blush
of living color into a joke that has been
dead hundred years He is ably assisted
by cast Of pleasant people, who do things
to drive dull care away. Miss Carrie Per-
kins, for instance, the village maiden
Mr.. Chapman as Bunion Turke, Mr.. Alex
| Clark as the Marquis, and others of less
power. but of equal will. Added to this. a
chorus of pretty girls, some very good in
dividual voices, a fine quartet, and the fe-
| licitous finging of fantastic feet, and the
large audience at Albaugh's last night felt
! that 1t had even more than had been
promised. This is the season when the
Adonis is in the ascendant in Washington
and Mr.. Dixey may hope, not In vain, for
recognition from society which will make
his reception at Albaugh's the social fea-
ture of the week.
hearts core of the patriotic American is
VIM. Haworth's great naval play of THE
Ensign" and it is somewhat peculiar, by
the way, that such a large proportion OF
patriotic Americans rise to gallery heights
Last night the National was top heavy,
but 1t came down so often at the strong
points of the play that elevation did not
count at all. We have seen THE Ensign
in Washington before and have enjoyed 1t,
for 1t Is of the kind that makes the blood
run faster, however cold and contained we
may want to appear. That was shown last
| night when in the last act men all over
the house had out their handkerchiefs
mopping the salt out of their eyes. That
sort of thing is expected among the women
| of an audience, but men weaken only under
strong cause The play is not calculated
| to harmonize with the critics sense of the
| fitness of things, but it goes straight to the
| natural feelings and never fails of enthu-
SiaStic response. The character work, tab
leau almost, of Mr.. Deal as President Lin
| coin, Mr. Sprague as Secretary Welles, Mr..
Sidney as Admiral Wilkes, was striking;
a bright bit of juvenile work, which pleas
| ed everybody, was the Mary of little Edith
Wright. Indeed, all the parts were accept
ably taken and the play was very gener-
ally enjoyed.
Academy.-The galleries had 1t all their
own way at the Academy last night, and
the Span OF Life doomed under the gen.
lal inf1uence. There were times when those
in the lower part of the theater thought the
| thunders of heaven had come through the
| roof and occupied the place, but it made no
difference to the higher circles, and they
wanted. THE Span of Life" by Sutton
Vane. produced by William Calder's Compa-
ny, is a four-act melodrama of the intense
sort, with some very moving and attractive
| scenery. The scenes are laid in Devonshire,
England, and in Zambesi, Africa, and there
| is room for all the play of the affections and
OF courage, and a great deal of it Is needed.
It is the usual Cupid and villain and man.
mon combination, with a great deal of the
dime novel motif permeating it. The tour
de force of the play, which gives it its
| name, Is found in the third act, where the
Wilson's, gymnasts, lock themselves together
TO form bridge over a chasm to save the
heroine. The applause at this juncture is
simply stupendous. In the cast are Mr..
| Hartford. MIR. Fariong, MIR. Rich, the Will
sons. Mr. Sheldon. Mr.. Everhard, Miss Hart
| ford Miss Sterling, Miss Tilton and Miss
Averne.
Harris Bijou Theater.-One of the best
performances seen at the BijOu this season
was given last night by a good company
from the Garden Theater of New York of
| that roaring comedy. DR. Bill" In all
respects the play was clever and the large
audience. both at the holiday matinee and
at night, testified their appreciation by fire.
quent applause AS a comedy 'Dr. Bill
ranks with the best, and from the rise of
the curtain, 1t is one continual laugh The
company interpreting the play last night is
above the average, and all worked together
to bring about the most acceptable PER
formance. AS Kate Fauatleroy, Sadie
Peters scored a hit while DR.. Bill. in the
hands or VIM. NJ. Farnum, was quite ac-
ceptable. Again tonight.
kernans Lyceum Theater.-The Rogers
Bros Company of fun-makers, a hiSh-class
variety entertainment, opens ed a weeks en-
gagement at Kernan's last night to a crowd
ed house. The program is long one. and
contains many new faces and specialize
The Garrisons gave a refreshing bit of
Irish comedy; Reto twisted himself into all
shapes; the Spect Brothers gave a linipu-
tian burlesque which was side split
Hart M dn1ir
sang her admirable selections; the Rogers
Brothers, who. as dialect comedians, are al
ways good, were specially pleasing. Then
came the Nawns in a com edy skit; James
H. Cullen with funny songs. and Swift and
Chase, always good, and Harding and Ahsid
with their gymnastic performance. A roar-
ing after piece. entitled THE Dutch Hos" !"
closed the performance. Again tonight.
The Tavary Concert.-Mme. Marie Tavary
is a decided favorite with all lovers of good
singing in this city She established her
self as an artist when she first sang here
In the Minnie Hauk Opera Company, and
she has emphasized the good impression
as well as demonstrated her versatility in
concert since. 1t is a matter of regret that
the opera company which she started early
in the season did not meet with financial
success for Washington lost the opportuni-
ty of hearing some very excellent singers
With the known popularity of Nine. Tav-
ary and considering her ability as artist
1t was matter of surprise that the au-
dience at Metzerott Hall was not larger
last night. Still. New Year night is not
good time to attract the people who would
naturally go to hear Nine. Tavary from
their homes If the audience was not large
it was decidedly enthusiastic, and the work
of Nine. Tavary and her associates fully
justified the emphatic applause 1t received
The first part of the program consisted of
concert numbers, in which all the members
of the company participated. Every selec-
ton was enjoyed, from the Toreador song
from Carmen" by Sig. Sartori. with which
the concert opened. to the duet from the
Prophet" by Mines. Tavary and Doenhor
Sartori has basso cantante of good vol
ume and quality and sings with fine eX-
preston. Sig. Michelena, the tenor, is well
rem rendered for his excellent work with
the Emma Abbott company, and his voice
has that virile tone that captivates his
hearers. Besides he sings with dramatic
fervor and true artistic method. He sang
"Salvi Dimora" so well to receive a pro-
nounced encore, in response to which he
gave Then You'll Remember Me-" Nine
Tavary sang "E fors Lui," the great aria
from ''Traviata,'' in which the purity and
fiexibiity of her voice were plainly mani
fest, and she gave this brilliant and forid
score with such telling effect that she re-
ceived the most emphatic encore of the
evening. Her response was the ballad mo,
Sir" which was excellently given. The
second act of Martha" given in costume
concluded the program, and the well-known
music of that charming opera was never
better sung. The goodnight quartet was
particularly effective. 1t was rather a mis-
take to costume the characters, for there
WAS an absence of scenery. and one of the