Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-03
ADJUSTMENTS.


augurated his second season at the Grand
Opera House last night. under very favor
able auspices. Mr.. Robert Downing was
the attraction. and he presented for the
first time in English a play by the great
French dramatist. victorien sardou. Mr..
Downing is popular in this city, both as an
actor aud as a man. The play is one Of
the strongest, both as to text and action,
that Sardou has written, and it affords
splendid opportunities for spectacular
scenic effects ard for rich costume. Mr..
Downing has mounted the piece magnifi-
Gently, the scenery having been painted
especially for 1t by the best artists, and the
costumes and properties all being new, rich
and appropriate. Public interest had been
considerably excited over this production
from the fact that 1t was Sardou play,
that it was to be produced by Washing
ton actor and that the Incidental music
was composed by a Washington musician.
Consequently. the attendance was very
large, nearly every seat in the house being
filled. 1t was friendly audience, but it
was also critical one, for. though the peo-
pie were kindly disposed toward Mr.. Down
ing, they expected that the production and
action should be fully up to the high stand
ard set by others who had presented Sar-
dou's plays.
There was no disappointment for the per-
formance was a success, not only as to Its
spectacular effects and its melodious and
appropriate music. but also as to the de-
livery of it's text and its stirring dramatic
action. The theme els one that no one but
Sardou would have the audacity to select,
but that great dramatist has treated it
with delicacy that robs it of its brutality.
and shows what is the highest sacrifice
" oman can make for her country. This
play is. in fact, a companion and contrast
to La Patrie,' by the same author. 1t IS.
difficult to preserve the spirit of a foreign
author in translating his work, but Mr..
Arthur D. Hall, who translated Helena"
has been remarkably successful in that re-
spect. That Mr.. Hall has done exception
ally good work, both from literary and
dr. amatc standpoint was recognized by the
audience last night. and his efforts in con-
gracefully acknowledged by Mr.. Downing
in his speech before the curtain.
The strongest character is that of Helena,
which was taken by Mrs. Downing, or, as
Blair. She has been recognized as an
actress of superior merit, and her imper-
sorations of Virginia, Neodanlia and SINH
lar characters have received just praise.
But in the role of Helena the requirements
are Of a different nature. Helena is I'M
perious, intense in her desire for vengeance
upon the man who brutally wronged her
and equally passionate in her love for
great charity accepted his atonement. Miss
Blair astonished and gratified her friends
by her splendid acting of this most difficult
part. In the third act, which is the crucial
of dramatic intensity. Mr.. Downing as
Orso has a role that is distinctly in his line.
1t is virile, heroic and brutal, and at the
same time has touches of tenderness and
pathos that contrast with and relieve Its
savagery. He fills the part completely
and this representation will greatly add to
his reputation. He has an excellent oppor-
tunity in the third act, and the scene with
Helena was done with such stirring effect
that it created positive enthusiasm and
resulted in triple recall, both for himself
and Mrs. Downing. 1t was here that he
made his brief speech, telling of the great
duction OF new play. The supporting
company Is good one, Mrs. F. NJ. Bates
doing excellent work as liberia and Mr.
Edwin Ferry showing his good capabilities
in the role of Guido. Others who deserve
favorable mention are Charles NJ Collins
Alex. Mckenzie, j. R. Amory, George
Buckler, J. H. Rocker and Walter Barton
The music, composed by Mr. Tregina. was
appropriate and effective, and the overture.
a really excellent composition, was heartily
applauded.
Academy of Music.-That Door. over
worked beast, the horse, who is being
pushed out of the way by the advance Of
inventive genius, was once more shame
lessly dragged upon the stage last night to
do turn in play that had absolutely no
ether redeeming feature. 1t was an ex-
travagantly poor example of that class of
work that must be called "hippodrama"
based upon the old-fashioned lines of the
Observation-Disclosures agony of five or six acts
of battle, murder and sudden death, with a
slight equine flavor to make it compare
lively modern. In the present instance the
combination is called THE Derby Mascot"
1t is alleged to serve as a vehicle for the
stellar talents of Miss Katie Rooney, whose
claim to fame rests rather upon the fact
that she had the good fortune to be born
a daughter to the late really lamented Pat
Rooney than upon any qualifications of her
own. Katie and the horse have SO little to
do with the sinuous and slender thread of
the plot that it is quite a delightful treat
to try to imagine what they are doing with
a dramatic composition, instead of being
the one in a first-class variety show and
the other in front of a delivery wagon The
one good thing about last evenings per-
Torrance at the Academy was Miss
Rooney's rather clever imitation of her
father. The alleged play consists Of four
acts, in which horse race, a robbery and
murder. a clandestine marriage, a horrid
swamp with den of invisible but vocifer-
Gus snakes lots of pistols, railroad track,
an impending hanging, with a rescue by
reprieve at the very last moment, are all
mixed together. There are several people
in the cast who appeared to be bit out
Of place in a house so highly thought of by
the theatergoing public as the Academy.
There was good attendance last night in
the upper regions
<,uancEn WITH GRANT TARCNNV