The evening world., 1895-03-02
MADELEINE, on, THE MAoIo KISS.

Miss Camille D'Arvills. whs never
Of at the altar. whose mash letters
have not been woven into an autobiog-
raphy. 10 naturally little afraid Of
New York. Fo: she II . comic opera
artist who 10 also a gentlewoman, and
well. New York prefers the other kind.
A comic opera artist to be popular In
New York has to serve q long appren-
ticeship. and she must possess a Mao
chiavellian agent. Miss Camille D'Ar-
Vile, who Is now at the Bijou, Is merely
an admirable artist, with a pure, sym
pathetic, weli-cultivated singing voice.
considerable dramatic ability Of the Ma
rie Tempest order, and not a few per-
sonal charms. II she can only succeed
in impressing these facts upon New
Workers., without losing diamonds they
will realize that there is no better
comic opera star before the American
public than Miss D'Arville. Her voice
is far superior and Infinitely more edu-
Gated than that Of Lillian Russell, al
though she 10 not a. beautiful. Still.
Miss D'Arville can wear tights with the
best of 'em. She Is shapely. and-if you
recollect it-Lllian Is not. and she
admits 1t.
Miss D'Arvills has brought TO New
York a creditable little comic opera.
called Madeleine: or, The Magic KISS
by stanislaus STANCE and Julian Ed
wards. 1t Is a sort Of fantastic fairy
tale woven around q legend that has for
Its theme the regeneration Of a Baron
by the simple and pleasing aid OF the
Az - 1t hA
twenty-five years younger. He starts
in at q hundred and grows down to
twenty-five. A prophetic person behind
me last night remarked as the last KISS
was given, "1f she kisses him again, ne
won't be nuthin'." There is very little
comedy business in Madeleine" ana
that will perhaps prove to be weak
point In this city. What there ID OF 1t
is very bad. Still, II there is no comedy
business, there IL also no horseplay'
which is a delightful fact to chronicle.
Mr.. STANCE may feel pleased with the
work he has done. The fanciful legend
is better than the perpetual French
impossibility cast In the time OF Louis
XIV, and dealing with gentleman
who loves a princess, who loves some
body else, who disguises himself. is
taken prisoner and who finally wins
the lady. We may get rid OF that sort
Of thing. II Mr.. Stang continue.
Julian Edwards has composed some ex-
ceedingly pretty music. In fact Made
leine' teens with melody. Some time ago
Mr.. Edwards allowed his hair to grow.
and composed a dreadful thing called
King Rene's Daughter" 1t was a.
heavy as an uncooked mufhn. and Mr..
Edwards was very proud Of it. because,
in tho musical world. when you're heavy,
you're deep. and when you're deep you're
commendable. Tune Is looked upon as q
crime by those who profess to know.
In Madeleine" Mr.. Edawrds Is criminal,
for there are tunes galore-very pretty
ones, good enough to be hummed ana
whistled. They are OF the Sullivan or
der. and are full Of the Sullivan tricks,
but the school Is an excellent one. There
Ia one very pretty ballad. q humorous
quartet, a topical song that would be
better II II were not so topical. and
very impressive finale. Miss D'Arville's
talents arc very advantageously dis
played. and she has at least one capital
assistant in Miss Marie Dressler. who 10
the life of the performance. Nothing
could bs more satisfying than the curious
song dealing with six husbands Of as
many nationalities that Miss Dressler
sings. And she can improve her per-
formance by being little less noisy, At
times. Aubrey Boucicault = surprts-
ingly good as the Baron de Grimm He
cannot sing. but he can act. George c.
Boniface. jr.. Is not at all funny. although
he makes frenzied attacks upon humor
and possibly means well. Misses Maud
and Hilda Hollins are very comely girls,
with pretty voices. Miss DArvi.le wastes
too much time changing her clothes.
Fewer costumes and more songs would
be preferable. ALAN DALE.