The Washington times., 1895-01-07
Oscar WiIde's New Play, An Ideal
Husband" a Poor Production.
MOST CRITICS CONDEMN 1T
Sidney Grundy's, Slaves of the Ring" Also
Failure-Living Pictures Presented Be-
Take Control of Places of Amusement from
the Lord Chamberlain-0the Matters.
Copyrighted 1885. by the Associated Press

copyrighted, 1895, by the Associated Pressl
LONDON, Jan. 6.-The dramatic season of
1895 was started at the HaYmarket Theater
on Thursday by the production of Oscar
Wildes .iAn Ideal Husband Mr. Beerbohm
Tree has leased the Haymarket Theater to
Mr.. Lewis Waller, an actor, during his alb
sence on his American tour, and Mr.. Waller
induced such weil-known artists as Maude
Millett, Julia Nelson, Charles Hawtree. and
Fanny Brough to JON in producing Mr. Wilde's
play. The action takes place in London dur
ing the present day, and the play received
splendid staging.
AS to the plot II must be classified as of the
tawdriest character and unworthy of play
wright claiming originality. The story is
to by unreal characters WAC excite no sym
pathy, The modern woman of the piece un-
derstands everything except her husband.
IAN Ideal Husband is distinctly feebler than
Lady Windemere's Fan or"A Woman of
No Importance" and the leading critics con-
denim il.
Another failure must be chronicled at the
Garrick Theater, where Sydney Grundy's
Slaves of tho Ring" was produced on De-
celnber 81. before Il notable and eXpectant
audience, including Henry Irving and Ellen
Terry The play ends without a result of any
kind. shows poverty Of treatment, and is alto
gether feeble, as the misunderstanding iii the
first act is easily removed and altogether un-
needed. Miss Calhoun, gifted American
actress. who has not been seen here since she
played Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter, y
in 1888,
ACHIEVED SUCCESS.
On New Years Eve and again on Wednes-
day last series of Giving pictures" was
presented at Osborne House before Queen
Victoria and a number OF guests. In these
pictures, Prince and Princess Henry of Bat
tenberg, the Marquis of Lorne and the Prin-
cess Louise. the Duchess OF Albany. AMI all
the royal children, as we'll as the Ladies
Meade, daughters fthe Earl OF Clan-William,
aud the admiral commauder-in-chieI at
Portsmouth took part.
In many wars 1894 eXerted a somewhat
disturbing influence upon theatrical affairs
in their most comprehensive sense, whether
! for good or evil remains 10 be seen.
/ We have still a legacy of undigesef fanati-
/ clsm in the 0rmston Chant crusade against
/ the music halls. With that energetic lady
4 restored 10 heath Il stirring up of the cues
( ton must come aSain, ana II Is likely 10
prove but the forerunuer Of many changes.
! For with any rcopening oil the agitation Will
come an attempt to absolutely settle who
shall control places OF amusement and how
that control shall bc exercised, and battle
royal of the interests concerned may be oz-
., cted.
Tire act under which the Puritans control
the music hall is an act passed dr ring the
/ reign OF George II, TO suspress di~cr'erly
/ houses aud 10 prevent the singing OF JaeoUite
songs in London pothouses" The title oil
the act is alone sufficient for inspiration TO
any kind OF
CHARACTER OF REGULATION.
- e 40
termined attempt will be made to do away
with the licenses of places and all contro
over any form of amusement by the iort
chamberlain He prohibited three plays tht
other day in the space o. for;y-eisht hours
one by Mr. William Hennemau. the pub
Usher; another by Sir. Marshall, which haC
been announced rs the first piece when th'
st. James re-opeHs tonight, and the third
was "Bernardine,p by Miss Cverheck. Play
in which the heroine IS q woman with an I'M
repentant past ana repented present. From
private performance of '.Berna.dine' it GER
tainly proves not 10 be hall as lad as 'JohI
O'Dreams' or Mrs. Tanqueray.
The negotiations for the production oil
PadereWskis Polish opera viii be renewed
and probably completed by Sir Augusta;
Harris. now that the million details OF panto
mime have been settled for good. It is ex
pected that the work will first see the light il
London It Will be given in Italian, and a
the music fer the hero demands robus
tenor. it viii most likely fall to Sig. Tamagno
great friend of the composer, who has
heard some portions of the score, says til,
music is as brilliant as Paderewski's render
ing of it. whicE should cover the compiet
description