The evening times., 1896-12-08

| -
bia Theater last night. The audience which
greeted the production completely fiied
| tie thcater and manifested approvall III ire
| quent applause. The opera Is chinese IN
; character.
Mr.. Smith has written story of farcical
| complications. andhisycrses are much in the
| spirit Of TIE subject. Mr.. Dekorcn's music
| is less consistent with the theme. The over
| ture isdeiIghtful, Characteristic and pronis-
| ing, but with the exception of occasional
| iapses, his subsequent numbers are unin-
| tcrruptediy un-Chinese. The second act has
the best music There is chorus OF
nurses, a tenor soIo, Il Love My sweet
| heart" sung by Mr.. Shcehan, waltz duet,
| First Love is Best" by Miss WaitZsinger
and Mr.. Sheehan; and Mr.. Norman's solo,
| I've a Zone to Pick with Him." all Of
| which are attractive. In the first act Miss
| WaltzslnRer has waltz song OF delicious
melodic fluency, Charm of kiss which
| is quite as fascinating as the waltz from
Robin Hood, and i'll the last act the num-
| Der that found most favor was Il keNtct,
| ''Trifles Light as Air"
| The company is as strong as IL were
| possible To recruit ard maintain the even
| ness of a stock organization. Miss Waltz
singer and Miss Riichc each sang with ac-
| customed'charm. Mr.. Shechan proved him
| self thelrader of Ii ght opera tenors, which Is
| easily done, and Mr.. Norman corrected the
| impression that he was not fine singer as
| well as Il capable comedian. an impression
| which cropped up as result OF hls per
formance OF the Millionaire in The Lady
| S!avey.'
| If the two comedians. Messrs. Honey and
| Boniface, were TO change places the gain
| would be pronounced. Honey displayed
] fine sense Of humnr IN his short Appearance,
| whereas Mr.. BOniface with the fat OF the
| piece at his disposal displayed limited Yer
| satiiity. The Twins made bit. The
| chorus was pretty and sacrificed Chinese
| costumes to display their symmetrical
| charms.
| Signor Antonio de NoveIhs directed and
| Mr.. Reginald DekOven occupied box. hut
| hsa
| composer Will occupy the conductors chair.
"Mr. Gilman's Wedding and Mrs Pom
| derburys Past" were the sterling attrac-
| tons offered by Stuart Robson and Nine.
Ianauschek at the Lafayette Square Thea
| ter last night.
| the Washington comedian in the warmest
manner erandconplimentcdM Nine. .Janauschek
by their Introductory applause
Those who have seen Mr., RobsOn-aHd
| even the woods do not hide those who have
| not-will know how much he can make out
| of such role as Mr.. Gilman, who contrives
| TO taDgle himself in all sorts or cOmpliCa
| tioIs. which result in the suppositinn that
| he is a bigamist. His facial expression
| and vocal icouicalities wereinimitablem mirth-
provokerS.
| In the ma lor play, Mrs Ponderbury's
| Past, MIR. Robson. as Sanlmie Ponderbury,
| was by turns a henpecked husband and a
| domestic tyrant. Comedy OF the highest
| rarcical order rises out or the incident IN
| the wires past which causes her TO tyran-
ntEe over ncr husband, Sdiilflile : hDntilAIff-
| bulisuc reats, and his final overthrow OF
the domestic ruler.
Nine Janauscheks portrayal or the role
was as expected, Comp!ete and artistic
| Her grim hunror and the severity OF her
| treatment or her conjuEal partner Were
very trying to ones risibilities.
| Miss Osterman, as the music hall singer
| was pleasing and costuIned her part eT
| fectyely and appropriately.
Down in Dixie" PLAYING a return en-
| p1 a hp a 9f pl
| last night to good house, which dppre-
ciated the dramatists' portrayal Of life in
| the South after the war. The play is a
| healthy melodrama, with stirring ;limaNes,
| plenty of villalny rampant in three acts
| and the inevitable triumph OF virtue in the
last one.
The cotton press scene where the heroine
| drags the hero from the jaws OF the com
| press just in the nick OF time to save him
| from death. is nerve racker and thrilled
| the audience.
| foil to these situations, is the music
| and singing as rendered by the pickaninny
band and the Florida quartet. Miss Mabel
Paige was winsome Southern beauty, as
| Georgia age and accomplished strong work
| in the first and third acts.
j Hooker Wright was acceptable as the
hero. while W j. Hurley was natural IS
Southern gentleman. Milt Barlow and his
wife delineated the darkies. made familiar
by Thomas Nelson Page. James A. Num-,
as the squire, and ID S. Lacy. as the vii
lain, played their parts well.
BLACK Patti S Troubadours'' W ere greeted
last night by an audience which fully tested
the capacity of the Grand Opera House.
standing room and all.
The company consists of well-known and
popular colored talent. 1t has many strong
soloists, whose renditions are supported
by a powerful and well-trained chorus.
The management has given the produc
ton appropriate scenic establishment and
costurned all the performers in rich and
attractive manner.
The performance opens with scene
at Jolly Cooney Island" where the fun
is enjoyable, clean and novel. A number of
new songs and old ones, too, are sung.
Henry Wise, an old Alabama 81 ort, was
the leading spirit, and Bob Cole, as the
Tramp made a decided hif. Billy Johnson,
as the flim-flammer, Charles Davis, as
policeman, and Colly Grant, as the yellow
Kid" were clever in songs and dances.
AS a fitting finale, Madame Jones, the
black Patti, greatest singer of her race,
appeared. Her voice is marvelously sweet,
melodius and well trained. She was ably
supported by Lloyd Gibbs, whose tenor
voice shows culture and delightful quality.
James b. Mackie in Grimes Cellar Door,
again demonstrated his ability as laugh
producer at the Bijou Theater last night.
With the aid of his well-chosen company
he kept the crowded house in constant
roar from curtain rise to finish.
In his oid-time role OF Grimesey, me boy,
Mackie was the same irrepressible mis-
chtef-maker We knewin"A Bunch ofkeys,"
While the plot OF the ''Cellar Door, gave
him even more opportunity for his varied
talents. Sadie Clafln, as Mary Twitchell.'
was as fetching as ever, and made a de-
cided hit by her rendition of negro melo-
dies Louise Sanford made a truly statu-
eSQue Pandora, but arterward developed
into the gayest of soubrettes, giving a male
impersonation with especial success.
The songs of the Cellar Door Quartet,
consisting ofMessrs. Millard. Craw ford Van
Busick and Lynden, found warm spot
in the favor of the audience and were en-
cored again and again.
Russell Brothers company, which is re-
Vile stage, is holding the boards at Ker-
| nam s Lyceum Theater this week, and the
performance last night was in keeping
with their previous record. Jennie Yea
mans has been added to the cast since
their appearance here last season, and she
proved a drawing card and won vaude
Vile Iaurels. Russell Brothers fulfill
all expectation in their impersonation of
grotesque female characters, their .'up-to-
ming them liberal applause.
Johnnie Carroll was no less a favorite,
as he always i S in Washington.
Rosie Brothers, in which the third OF
thetrio acts aStile mysterious sweetheart
entertain the audience with a funny sketch
terminating with their wondrous acrobatic
performa nee.
Favorable impressions were created by
MaZuZ and MoZett in the tramp and brake
Staiey and Belle Berbeck as the musical
biacksmiths.
McAvoy and May do a clever turn, and
are rewarded with repeated encnres
The performance concluded with Meyer
Cohen, the celebrated barytone, who in