Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-10
FIELD OF THE DRAMA.
Richmond Theatre-GOerS Have Many
Kinds from Which To Select.
THIS WEEKS ATTRACTIONS.
wiIfred CInrke's Company I'm n New
Play-SuIIivnn In the Great Amcri-
can-Ru.seII and n Bunch of Keys
Gossip of the stage.

Gossip of the stage.
The play-goer OF Richmond ought 70
be the most fortunate. of men. For IN
this wonderful, and to my mind, oeau'
tful city. he will find entertainments OF
every class and character. Does he re-
quire TO be educated? Does he believe
that the drama has indeed mission
and will, II taken in hearty doses en-
tighten his soul? he can sit at the ieet
Of sardou and study The Parisians."
II he be a very advanced radical In
deed. he can bask in the gloom OF Carle-
toms Daughters OF Eve Should MS
tendencies be to moderation in theatri-
calls. as in all things, he can enjoy the
comedy Of Bronson Howard in Young
Mrs. Winthrop and encourage the lite
rary aspirations OF william Richard
Goodan in The Two Colonels." An OBJ
stlnate follower Of the old school. he
can drink his port wine and go of 10 see
the despised melOdrama-to-wit, The
Stowaway," 1.-THE Operator The En-
sign" etc. II his craze be stage dancing,
and he considers pirouette poem. ana
an entrechat an elegy, he can be COM
forted or dlsillusioned BY the numerous
farce-comedy companies. wherein some
OF the young ladies' have not apparently
made up their minds whether they are
dancers or acrobats, and wherein an eX-
cuse has been made to bring into public
reputc those curious exercises that the
Partisan student Of Old encouraged al
Mobile or the Closerie des Lilas. and the
youth Of to-day beholus with amaZement
at the Moulin Rouge. the Casino, or th7
Valentino. II he be a confirmed cynic
and boldly thanks his stars that he IS
destitute Of what aro known "a the finer
feelings, and could not shed a sentimental
tear II he were asked 10 do 50, II he Is
careless and Indifferent 70 good manners
or taste, II h delights to chuckle over
the transgressions Of the typical chorus
girl, or 70 ridicule everybody and squirt
dirty water at religion and its profess
ors he can go 10 see sam T. Jacks Gre
oles. 1892. The Passing Show. and listen
to the mollhuous coOings Of Robert In
gersoll or Mr.. Slattery, when he VIII
find plenty 10 amuse him. and
where he can be cynical and satirical 10
/ bis hearts delight, naturally, at the ex-
pense of his ueighbors.
Il would not be difficult to raise primary
d
tertainments. Mixed up with the mex
cusabe carelessness that has already re-
ceived due comment. are a good deaf
Of cleyerness and a m0dicum OF fun, and
, II IL be true, as has 80 often been stated
recently, that the music-halls throughout
: the country are indulging In thorough
cleansing, and setting their houses I'm
( order. and appealing TO Il better class of
( people, on the other hand, 1t can scarcely
! be denied that very many Of the com
/ pauies now upon the road are consoiins
| themselves for a recent want OF
patronage by an excess Of daring
Whether such a course will defeat Itself
/ I'm the end, We shall all see in good time
, My own opinion. after a considerable
! experience is that in theatres, as else
| Whera, cleanliness Is next to GOdliness.
! "Corbett. Heroic Actor" was a head
line In a contemporary recently. Shade
4 of Forrest. he is 10 revive "Metamora
! What is the use of the legitimate buck
| ing" up against such an attraction? II
! reminds me Of what JOseffy, the pianist
I ia reported TO have said about T.. y. Nc
I Doweil. the gifted Boston composer. l.
! was at a Thomas concert. In when th'
. composer played his ID minor concerto
Jogefy looked discouraged. what's th'
1iano when Mcdowell comes along an'
/ not only plays SO beautifully. but plays Z
| concerto u his own composition VIVA
/ Is the use, I echo. of actors competlni
| with the powerful individuality OF Corbet
or sullivan? The profession. begad. sir. j
| not going to the dogs, but 10 the pusl
! lists, And how C0rbe;t Will play "Nir
/ ginlusr' You see me wink my alter ego
as they say IN Petersburg Latin.
An important and significant event vii
| be the production at the Academy 10
| morrow night Of new comedy, entitled
! "'The Thunderbolt." The play has never
! been seen in this country. and was only
plaved once az the Straud Theatre. Lon
| don. for the purposes OF copywrght II
| will be interpreted by the Wilfred Clarke
| Company. which is this season composed
| of first-class people The organization Is
! headed bv Wnfred Clarke, son Of Johr
| Sleeper Clarke and Asia Booth-Clarke
! III, is the nephew Of Edwin Booth, ant
| the grandson of the iilustrious Juniu'
| Brutus Booth. Mr.. Cl~ke has already
held the highest legitimate comedy post
| tions In America and England. HeleI
! Guest tha leading lady, has served IN
| similar capacity for several seasons VIII
| one oP Charles Frohman's companies
| Angela
| rard-Avenue Theatre Phlladeiphia) Stecf
! Conrany. and Loie Arnold was the sou
! brette with 4 Trip to Chinatown Com
| many w II. Baker has held prOminen
Dositions in the companies OF Edwln FOR
rst arl Edwin Booth. II. willard storm
vas With the Fred. ward Company III
mund MarOrey with John Sleeper Clarke
and George Holland and Charles \. Steel
with Mclean and Prescott
Briefly. the story Of the play is as fol
lows: Polybius and his brother Josta
Penguin 'knamed The ThunderDolt-
have drawn blanks in the marriage lot
terry The wife Of the former has diec
beoneatbing her husband son % year
Of age and a blessed sensation OF PEI
fact peace. Josiah's wife. on the con
trarv evinces every intention OF out
living him. so he deserts her and goe
! abroad having first executed decd Q
Gift 10 his brother OF all his real an
narsoual estate. on the express under
standing that neither viii marry withou
first obtaining the others consent. New
! comes TO polyblus that Josiah has bee
lost at sea. and he shortly afterwari
weds a Miss Heodelinda Barkit.
eventuates that Josiah had only been car
tured by pirates, and, escaping. reache
| home atter an hbSfucc ol i'' y0'i
Polybius, in order To keep the fortun
given him by his brother, makes his VIII
pretend to he his sons wife. An oil
flame OF the boys turns up and sues hi
for breach OF promise. and Josiah, NIL
taking her for his nephew's wife. Offer
TO pay her $1,000 X she Will agree to
divorce She accepts. Complications 10
low fast ana furious. and when Josia
meets Theodelnda he discovers I'm h
his own wife whom he had deserted nv
years before The murder is out" an
Josiah claims her as his, proving th'
the New York marriage law admits
polygamy. Polybius and the rest ent'
vigorous protests. and are promptly di
possessed by Josiah Of all his propert
He f., however. eventually induced
view matters from his brothers stan'
point. and retires gracefully from u
scene. leaving everybody perfectly hapF
and contented.
John l.. Sullivan. erstwhlle pugilis
now actor, will appear at the Theatr
tomorrow night in the new play wr
ten especially FOR him. entitled "A Tru
American" Mr. Sullivan's represents
tive. in speaking to me Of his work
the play, said: His impersonation {
John Desmond In a True American
marked by a quiet force and a mani
dignity few actors could bring 10 th
part. Mr. Sullivans rich voice adds M
a little to the effect of the Performance
Lawyer Price. the well-known play
wright OF New York. has fitted Mr. Su
/ llvan with an excellent play. that shur
| all the chesD claD-traD devices OF ord