The morning times., 1895-10-19
New Plays aud Old Players the
Critics Talk About.
"HANSEL ANDGRETEL" NOT GO
"lIis Excellency," at the Broad
way Is Proving Popular.
Notes of the Actors.

Is tunerul and melodious, the fairy story Is
charming, the scenery is shoddy, aud the
comuauv is-words fail me with which to
condemn it. On the opening night Sir
Augustus Harris, the English manager,
praciouslv came before the curtain and told
New Workers that his company was the
finest that could be procured, that the
.,artistic cepters of Berlin and Vienna"
had gone wild over the little opera, and
he felt sure that after seeing il several tunes
we uncivilized Americans would become
sufficiently educated to appreciate lt-aii
of which inspired the critics to write long
articles the next day. not altogether com
plimentary to ''Sirgusarris."
Itis pity that such pretty opera has
been spoiled by u cheap production, tncom-
petent cast, and bluudering, iliiterate man
ager. Frau wctte, the sister or Herr Engei-
bert Humperdinck, arranged little play
out of Grimm's popular fairy story wi,h
which to entertain her children, and ner
brother set 1t to music. Nearly everybody
knows the story of the poor woodcutter
who, with his wife and two children, lived
near a large forest and had very little to
eat and drink.
One day in a fit of anger the wife scat
the children and drove them out into the
woods. Shortly alter the father returns
with a large basket of food and goodies,
which he had earned in the village, and
when he hears that the children are gone
tells his wife that there is a terrible old
witch in the forest who will eat them and
with her rushes out in search OF them.
In the meantime the children play among
the flowers and fall asleep. In the morn
ing they are Weakened by the Dawn Fairy
and wander to II little house which is made
OF bread, rooted with cake, and windOwed
with transparent candy.
They are nibbling away at the cottage
when the dreadful old witch suddenly ap-
pears, catches them and shuts Hansel up
to be fatNned for eating. While sbe is get
ting the huge oven hot Gretel releases her
brother and the two tumble the old witch
into it, where she is burned to a crisp.
Then HanSel waves the witch's wand and
all the little children who have been eaten
come to life and have merry dance The
woodcutter and his wife arrive and every
thing ends happily.
In thestory the people wear wooden shoes
and homespun clothing In the opera they
wear satin slippers and silk dresses. In
the fairy tale seven angels hover over the
children while they sleep. In Sir Augustus
Harris spectacle twenty ordinary ballet
girls in tights file down the gilt stairway
from the flies" and make an effort to
look angelic. The beauty, the simplicity
is ruined by gaudiness and II tempted
NDlchutI MdEle IiDd ds hallSel, sings out
OF tune at times, and does not look or ap-
. pear youthful enough for the part. Jeanne
Douste, as Gretel, does not even suggest
childisllness. The rest of the cast is thor
oughly incompetent.
The first performance in this country of
W. S. Gilbert and DIR. Osmond Carrs' comic
opera His Excellency'' took place at the
Broadway Monday night, with Nancy Nc
Intosh as the prinia donna. After the many
years that we have listened TO GfIbert's
hbretto set TO music by Sir Arthur Sui
Hyan 1t seemed odd indeed to hear his
funny words framed in another style of
melody.
The story is bright and humorous. 1t
tells OF the governor of Elsinore In the
Kingdom of Denmark who has heard no
new jokes of any kind for so long a time
that he turns his entire attention to prac-
tical Joking as a relief from melancholy
One Of his ideas OF fun is to have his
garrison of soldiers TO drill and dance as
ballet girls. So many ridiculous prankS
does he perpetrate, that disparaging news
concerning hlm reaches the regent who TO
ascertain the truth, visits Elsiuore dis
Euised as n strulling player. Christa na
pretty street singer, has fallen in love
with the statue of the regent, a nd on seeing
the resemblance between the strOuing
player and the statue makes arduous love TO
the new conner.
throw off fhisminstrel garba nd disguise him
self as the Regent. Imagine the formers
discontinue when he finds out that no dis
guise is required. The governor is then
reduced TO the ranks and in the last act is
seen doing duty as a sentry at the castle
where he had so long ruled.
The tenor OF the company is Julius Steger,
who viii be remembered for his share in
the famous Marie Tempest kiss" The
rest of the cast includes Ellaline-Terriss,
daughter of William Terriss, Mabel Love,
Alice Barnett, John lie May, Cairus James,
W. E. Philip and others.
Monday night at the Fourteenth Street
Theater Chauncey olcott revived "Mavour-
neen," that popular Irish drama in which
the lamented Scanlan was playing at the
time he broke down with paresis-just four
years ago next Christmas. Seaman has
since been In Bloomingdale Asylum and dur
ing that time his wife has not allowed
twenty-four hours to pass without visiting
him. For the past six months Seaman has
been confined to his bed, and an expression
less stare haunts the bright, handsometace
in place of the old-time magnetic smile
which for years helped people to forget
their cares. Poor Scanlan is no longer able
TO reoOg Eize his nearest rr1ends and his days
are numbered
johnny" Russell, best known as the
manager of "RusselI's Comedians" in
"The City Directory" is also an 1ncurable
inmate of Boomingdale. Although he was
never a singer he now 1magines that he Is
wanted by Manager Abbey to sing N grand
opera this winter and tries to entertain bis
friends by an incoherent attempt at song.
There are two Golightlys in town asking
the public to LEND Me Five Shillngs."
Nat O. Goodwin at the Fifth Avenue and
Joseph jefferson at the Garden, are both
appearing IN that rattling farce, and 1t is
six of one and half a dozen of the other
as to which is the funniest. Both comedians
are in their element and thoroughly de-
ughtful.
Nat precedes the farce with Dave Gar
rick'' and Jefferson with 1.-The Cricket
On the Hearth" Mr.. GoodwIn's person
ality is not altogether suited to the dig
nified, polished David Garrick. His
face is too funny and smiling to impress
one as serious and heroic even when framed
in white wig and a solemn expression.
But for all that he gives conscientious and
agreeable performance. Annie Russell,
his leading lady, is charming.
Joseph Jefferson's portrayal of Caleb
Plummer in THE Cricket on the Hearth is
too wellknown to need comment. He
has the power to make people laugh
through their tears, or cause a great lump
to come up in their throats at moments
notice. His pathos is equally as good
as his comedy, and the size OF his audiences
indicates that people like to cry as well as
laugh, when Mr.. Jefferson's genius is the
cause
Madeline Lucette Ryley's farce "Chris-
topher Jr.," with John Drew as the star,
is meeting with success at the Empire.
The first acts are weak, but the last is SO
bright as to make one glad he remained