The evening times., 1896-03-17
FINE ACTORS In NEW PLAYS
Comedy Drama, Comic Opera, Mel
odraml and Vaudeville.
"a House of Cards." wizard of the
Nile," 1.-THE Great Diamond Rob Z
berry" and Other Bills

| Inc prOUuctlOn iast ulSDt dt tue AdIdycue
| Square Opera House OF Sidney Rosenfeld's 9
new play IA House of Cards." was vir-
| tually a first night. To he sure, 1t was
given for one week in Baltimore before being
brought here, but Washington is no stranger
| to the courtesy OF first productions .and COM
plimentary considerations put aside, the
| second week is preferable, thanks.
In spite of the dsbeartening and forbid
| dug weather, the strong names in the cast
ana the lame when travels before. even
| when given but week TO start. attracted
a comfortably large audience. and one OF
considerable distinction.
| Mrs. Cleveland ana score of the Cabinet
| and diplomatic corps were present, and
| society people were present i'll large num-
| beers. everybody seemed to know every
| body else, So tnal 1t LOOK Oil the appearance
| OF a large theatcr party.
| The audience enJO,cu the play. There
were numerous curtaIn-caiIs, u MI demand
| at the end OIL the tnlru act, FOR speech,
| whicn Mr.. RosenIeiu made gracefully. The
! play was deserving. 1t Is a c.can and
| wholesome digest OF natural story OF
| modern life, iiumiuated III passing with
| many reproductions OF humorous nuIna n
| wea knesses. The tuste i'll the mouth IL
! plea SAINT, and the heart is warmed TO GER
| tam or lne people in tine story IN way that
| impresses the effectiveness of Mr.. Rosen-
| feiu's work.
| Inc piay tells story of an ambitious
mother: the attempted sale OF her daughter:
| the good services ana reward OF thor
| Oughiy fine type OF young man: the evil in
| fluence OF an unsayory man OF the world.
| and the thread or the story brings to the
| foreground Il couple of eligible young girls
| and convenient suitors, man eDgrossed
| III pOntics, and Il iovabie head or family
| VINO mas selI-constltuted regent i'll ms
| wife. The scenes take place IN Newport
| and in New York.
To say that The author has held the mirror
up TO nature does not accurately express
4 the refIcclion or human life found in this
play: Say, rather, II is Photographic in its
! Fidelity. A mIrror rcrlects everything, in
Guiding wrinkles and color. A photo
gra pher doesn't catch the color, but he can
| smooth out the wrinkles. Thisexpresses the
strength and weakness OF "A House OF
Cards. 1t lacks color in many places,
| though it has the light and shaue OF q photo
graph, and the uramatist has shown as
nearly Us possible only the best features OF
life, smoothing out the disagreeabie wrin-
kles.
The cast has an array OF familiar names.
The players have all been Identified with
reach out for so many high-priccd actors for
a single production. Mr.. Rosenfeld owes
much to his interpreters.
Maxine Elliott-how weary she must be
of hearing her beauty referred to-
brought a natural personality to u natural
part. Eleanor Cuthbert is one of the most
some time. Frank Worihing mi makes Ned
Garland her ma tural affinity. A delightful
performance is his-full of spirit and deep
effect. without consciousness.
Grant Stewart is always original. This
time he gives d portrait OF possible Eng
lisliInan. A character bit which Mr.. Rosen-
feds camera caught with rare fidelity il
a livery stable keeper. one Hoffman, and
c. q. Craig has developed the negative so
that type is represented with all the
p0iIn5s OF rsSS3gn,lon S without the repelliGg
ed: F. r. Mackay makes the father low
able, honest gentleman Others who did
we'll because they never have. and possibly
cannot do otherwise. were Henrietta Cross
man. Frazer Coulter, Edgar L. Daven-
port, Mrs. Barry, Kate Osterle, and Kate
Lester.
Before an audience that filled a large
part OF the orchestra, balcony and gallery
OF the New National Theater Frank Dan
ieis ana ms ms own comic opera conpany pre-
cess. Smith and Herbert's Wizard OF the
Nile.''
II was friendly disposed assembly. who
in mind; they knew Victor Herbert's ca
pacity Tor tnnerul melody, and they re-
meInbered that they used 10 laugh at the
wasn't set to music. Moreover. the pro-
duction came backed with the prestige OF
metropolitan Endorsement, and that Won
half the battle, as IL Will in nine cases out
OF ten.
Everybody knew beforehand that they
would be expected to laugh and applaud,
and they came prepared. They We're given
abundant opportunity To discharge their
marks of approval.
"A most amy spot on tie map that has not
bccn appropriated before makes a good
locale for comic opera. Fer obvious
reasons consult the costumeTb Il tropical
country Is usually Favored. In this
instance Egypt was selected. A Persian
and mummies.
before the company lines up fer the last
chorus, he has passed through enough
trouble to make him gray-haired. which
Is always an enjoyable feature in comic
opera. Trouble is the stock in trade OF
a succc ssfuI librcttist.
kibOsh floods the country, drives the
worsnlpers of the sacred cats TO the house
tops and finally passes an act in n cavern
or mummics before lie wins Cleopatra's
hand.
Not so much in the story itself as in the
suggestion which has been seized upon ad-
vantageously, and III tie music, may be
found tie reason OF the operas unques-
tionablc success.
Herbert has furnished a tuneful score,
yet 1t is dignified composition with
many traces oI superior Workmanship.
This is not SO much in evidence IN lie so,os
as in the toncertcd pieces and the admirable
orchcst ration. The only objection is The
aggressivencss OF tie brasses, which are
not suggested by Egypt, the wall OF the
weeds and strings seem more In harmony
with the subject. But Herbert has been
leading and writing for a brass band and
that accounts probably for his partiaiity
for horns.
II is hopeless to talk Of the book OF an
opera. No one ever hears the words OF |
dialogue is gagged" through and through |
by the comedians Smith furnished oppor- |
tunIties, the scene painter, costumer, and |
actors grasped them.
The life OF the piece is Daniels. lie is thc |
same roisterous, boisterOus. merry fellow |
OF old, If anything trifle younger than five |
years ago, but he truth was never found In |
a makeup box. His voice is sufficiently |
lacking In everything to be well adapted to |
his style of work.
His starlight" and '.My Angeline" will !
surely be sung by every one be fore the week |
is over. Not he least amusing part OF his |
is his astonishing cost umes |
They're an odd combination OF circles, |
angles, squares. and color that resemble |
cross between sect ion of railroad map |
full State.
Walter Allen Is a good second to DAN
iels as King Ptolemy. Leonard Walker |
played Ptarmigan. CleOpatra's music teach |
er; Louis Casavaut played Cheops. the royal |
weather forecaster; Mary Walker played |
SimoOEa, Ptolemy's second wife: Louise |
Royce was the apprentice, Abydos.
Dorothy Morton led the Feminine forces OF |
the company. She is q cOmely young wom- |
an, with an excellent voice. and the COM
poser has given her several splendid Op- |
portunities to contribute to the pleasure |
OF the entertainment.
There is really not 4 serious moment from
first curtain to last. One Of the best fca-
lures OF the piece is an agreeable relief
from any mockish. tedious sentimentality,
which is supposed to give relief and plot
to an opera. but which, in realit Y, only bores.
The chorus is dressed picturcsguciy. and
sings with considerable effectiveness. So |
far as enthusiasm went last night Frank