The Washington times., 1894-08-23
AT THE THEATERs NEXT WEEK.

The coming of Robert Downing TO the \ ew
National Theater on Monday evening next
will be hailed by play-goers with lively salts
faction. His repertoire this season com
prises THE Gladiator" ''Ingomar, Damon
and Pythias,' ''Yirginius. - and Richard, the
Lion-hearted.
No happier selection of plays could be made
for Mr.. Downing. whose natural gifts are in
the line of heroic parts. Saumets tragic
story of the old Roman gladietors is of inter
est from two points OF yiew-the dramatic and
the historic-and it certainly is one of the
most moving dramas Of the times. Besides,
its atmosphere of antiquity gives peculiar
fascination. and as study OF the environ
ment of the early Christians in Rome it chal-
lenges the utmost respect.
Mr.. DoWuing's conception of the title part
is worthy of the occasion, and his portrayal
of it takes rank with the worthiest and
noblest of his many achievements.
No one who has seen his Damon could for
get its dignity, beauty, and passionate fervor,
and his Virginius also is among the finest i'm
personatIons to be seen on the stage.
He is, moreover, the only man who plays
the lion-hearted English monarch. of crusade
renown, and there is not in his entire list of
characters one that shows greater originality
or a moro independent conception. Mr..
Downings Ingomar. zoo, has long been re-
garded as a standard performance.
The most attractive programme Of high
class vaudeville ever presented in Washing
ton will be given at Albaugh's Grand Opera
House, as a preliminary weeks engagement.
beginning Monday, August y, introducing
for the first time here the great Shaffer,
founder of the Shaffer family. The box Office
opens to-day for the sale of seats. Matinees
will be given Wednesday and Saturday.
The Academy offers as its attraction next
week w. S. Cleveland's Minstrels.
The entertainments provided by Mr.. Cleve-
land are invariby celebrated for moral things
First OF ALL and above ali, the programme is
clean one and is always full of novelty and
action, and the leading minstrel features are
supplemented by the best the market affords
in sensational and startling specialties. The
company this year is said to be an excellent
one including the famous Billy Emerson,
Banks Winter, Lew Benedict. Harry Constan-
tine, Billy LYONS Charles and Edward Craw-
ford. and others equally as clever in their diff
ferent specialties. Special attention has been
given 10 the vocal and Instrumental music.
The company have just completed a most
successful engagement in Boston and will
! doubtless repeat their success in this city.
Darkest Russia will be seen at Buffers
! New Bijou Theater all of the week commenc-
| ing Monday next. This popular attraction is
! one of the greatest successes travelling, and
| wherever produced has been received with
unstInted praise. 1t is from the pen Of the
we'll known author, II. Grattan Donnelly,
| and will be presented under the personal
management of fSidney r. Ellis. The play is
one of the best acting dramas that has been
seen in the past ten years. Its story abounds
! in romance, love, and startling realism, and
! the scenes and incidents are a faithful illus
| frntiOp nf fhaf vrhiah Gfnn1s To-
| day so prominently before the world as one
! of the most peculiarly governed civilized ma
/ tions OF modern times, and ruled by one
! whose will is supreme-the Gar of all the
Russias. The company has been selected
with special care for their individual fitness
for the various characters, and their names
represent the leading actors OF the profes-
sion. Every scene will be new and effective,
being carried complete to the smallest detail.
Matinees will be given Tuesday, Thursday
| and Saturday.
The attraction at the Lyceum next week
will be the Big Four Specially Company. d
strictly high class and refined vaudeville or
ganization, composed of artists especially
selected for their efficiency in their respective
lines. The roster OF fthe company is as fol
lows: Smith, Martin, Haley, and Sparks, the
original big four; Frank Bryn, Nellie For
rester, and Gilbert Moulton, the national trio
! Fake and SemonS in their own comedy
musical act; Johnson, Rians, and Bently, th'
innovation; Masard and Marba, the acrobatiC
wonders; Frank Moran, the Senator; Font'
Boni Brothers, Italian duetists; Whitman
and Davis. the travesty stars; Miss Kitty Mel
son, champion buck and wing dancer. Th'
entertainment concludes with the farce, "a
Horrible Night"
Miss Annie Lewis will use at the Bostor
Theater the coming season the music o
Cara, =" the operatic burlesque composed b.
Messrs. Woods, Holcomb, and Mitchell, o
this city.