The evening times., 1895-12-07
COMING TO THE THEATERS.

Manager Allen will exploit new star
| at the Grand next week, when On Monday
evening he will introduce Ia Washington
play -goers Ia Incompatible little SOU
! brette. Gladys Wallis.
Miss Wallis was last seen here as the
''wonzy" girl in "The Senator" with W.
| II. Crane. Her reintroductiun viii be in
the dramatization by Clay NJ. Greene uf
| George Sands famous novel, La Petite
! Fadette,'' called The Cricket This Is
the story that, under the title uf" FInthon,'
! made both fame and ubiney for Maggie
| Mitcneu ana Lolita, and III 1T Miss VANS
is said TO have made distinct and lasting
| success.
| She will be surrounded by an excellent
company al players, Including tDat steriinS
artist, Frederick Paulding.
The Cricket so manager Dunno Prom
! iscs, Will be given with compete chorus,
| perfect scenlc inyestiture, and all the
| original EIusic ana dances. In Chicago,
where the play had its first presentation,
| the critics were unanimous in their praise
of Miss Wallis WORK. In a lengthy. review
| one nf them had this 10 say OF the little
| lady's talents: Miss Wallis will unGoubt-
cdly be a famous actress. II the way
ward art that she possesses has becume
| cniseled and concentrated she will
| certainly be of real import TO the gener-
| alton. Her very personality gives her
a claim on us now. As the most petite
actress on the stage, Miss Wallis has much
| to contend with and something upon which
| to congratulate herself. She can enjoy the
distinction uf being the best possible
| person in the world to play certain parts,
| but she will also have t. combat the idea
among the unthinkng crush of play-goers
thlt I;cr lttieness tie cher part Of
! her charm and that the basis of her art is
cuteuess.
Mr.. Francis Wilson's latest comic opera
success s-for there has been no break In
his remarkable record of successes this
seasOn-is THE Chieftain."- The new
opera was composed by Sir Arthur Sulli
van, who ON ii is said to have done some of
the most charming work of his life, as well
as the most ma sterly: while the libretto was
| written by Mr.. F. c. Burnsnd, the editor
of Punch
Mr.. Buruand's work is spoken of most
highly, aud is particularly commended for
its freedom from nearly all the faults which
SO often blot comic opera ibrettos-
1.-THE Chieftain'' was first produced at the
Savoy Theater, London, last winter. Mr..
Wilson afterwards purchased the American
can production at Abbey's Theater, New
York, last September. The success OF the
work was immediate and pronounced, and
has been growing ever since.
Mr.. Wilson has. OF course, staged the
opera in his usual superb manner. and from
the fact that the scenes are laid in Spain. it
is evident that he has had ample scope for
.the display of his well known taste in this
connection.
The staging was under the personal su-
pcrvision OF Mr.. Richard Barker, and the
large chorus shows the thoroughness Of
the drilling of Sig. A. DeNoveilis, who Is
once more the musical director of the coin-
pany. The costumes, which are said to he
signed by Mr.. Percy Anderson. of London.
and the scenes were painted by Mr.. Richard
MarstOn.
Mr. wilson's part in the opera is said to be
totally different from, but quite the equal
of, any he has ever had.
Among the principal members of the COM
pany are Miss Lulu Glaser, Miss Lillian
Alice Hoibrook, Mr.. RhIys Thomas, Mr.. ].
E. Brand. Mr.. j. c. MirOn and Mr.. Peter
N. Lang. Mr.. Wilson will present -The
Chieftain'' at the New National Theater
the coming week, exactly, of course, as it
was done in New York. The only matinee
of the week will be given on Saturday.
There are few actor-managers left in
America-ineaning by this actors of dis
tinction-who not only manage their own
artistic and business affairs, but to whom
the development OF theater OF their own
and of artistic talent is veritable voca-
ton.
Indeed, the line once brilliant with the
most illuStriuus names of our stage. seems
to have become entirely extinct with the
death of Lawrence Barrett, and the writer
cudgels his brain in vain as he seeks to
couple other contemporaneons artists In
1t was just like Richard Mansfield-in-
deed, no other man would have dreamed
of doing as rnuch-to sacrifice from two to
ing season and to lavish some thirty-odd
thousand dollars on the reconstruction of
O playhouse in New York, for the encour-
agement of playwrights and players, m a
contemnlatesi scale snrh rs not even Lester
Wallack and Edwin Booth had attempted
to do.
It is but fair that the public should
fully appreciate under what obligations Mr..
MansfIeid has placed the Hollands by their
presentation and the production of"A ED-