The morning times., 1896-11-15

VERYoNE here has Il legitimate in
I. terest In the plays produced in ut her cit
res, Tor II the J succeed they are bound
: - 10 reach the Capital in the Course
OF their career Last week was
particularly fruitful week in this matter
OF new productions. Chicago led the
van. Three new offerings is the Windy
Guys record, and the plays weren't
windy. either. They were hideously
active and dramatic. 1t is hard 10 say
just what future awaits the new brain
children adopted by the boards
For Washin Il unians who huew VIII Lack
aye as boy and later as the creator
of the greatest imprrspnat .Dr Of recent
years, especial interest ccnters in his
''Dr. Bclgraff.' Charley Kl elm, who
collaborated with that other Washington
boy, Johnny SouSl. on 'El Captain"
wrote the new play all by his little self.
He seems to have strained horrors Of
their last dIlution and then taken his tra-
matte carving knife and pieced them into
four portions. But il would be a relief to
IND an actor and dramatist who can
move us to a few sensations. Miss Phil
adelphia' and her ladylike sister, .sThe
Slavey, and their ilk have fed US so long
ON milk and water that a good. strong
drink Of stimulating vintage, which would
make cur benies tn tiDglc and our eyes to
pop, would he an original sensation of
coveted kind Come, Wilton. come, and
rouse us. Bat they do say and there is
something ID this, that Belgraff is Sven
gall III, disguised in. n red wig That's not
so promising
Charley Klein was the purvcyor royal at
the new Great Northern Theater opening
in the same city. ''Heartsease'' is the
pretty title 10 this play, which was acted
by Henry Miller, Hanch Walsh and Palmer's
stock company. 1t sounds peaceful and
good. There is flavor OF violets and a
breath of cuntentment in ''Hca A
few misunderstanding, some sorrow much
sweetness, a seasoning of quiet humor. an
explanation forgiveness. a kiss and heart s
ease: Il quiet evening after Il stormy day, a
first class antidote, l should say, to Bel
graft
on Thursday evening, in the same city If
YOU please Richard Mansfield contributed
his art to the cruelty of Sir John Sonbras
the gentleman for whom the center of the
stage and the calcium was designed in
Castle Sombras." This play is from the
pen of the editor of the Strand Magazine
Wen try and forget his sins under the
blue cover If he has only given Mansfield
something new. Sir John was a scion of
the seventeenth century. IA roma ntic period.
and though his thoughts first I'll rned To love
in disappointment they quickly flew to
cruel conccptS and the last act is given
over to vengeance dire.
So much for Chicago. Gotham had two
novelties last week. on Monday evening
was seen Wilson Barrctt's Sign of the
Cross returned with the prestige of
London's endorsement, though ST. Louis
and Pottsville damned it two years ago
New York found this cruel play, and
most of the dramatic writers devoted them
selves more dclightedly to dcnoting why
London liked t than why New York didn't.
But as Vance Thompson said, their are
other audiences than first nighters, and
these will perhaps like the new play of
the first century. 1t was on Manhattan
Island on Friday night that Col Naples On
presented the only new grand opera that
America will hear this winter, "Andrea
Chenier." 1t was warmly praised
Across the river, East River, Paul
Leicester Ford, who has written some
pleasant fiction. gave renewed demon
stration OF the old theorem that noyelists
can seldom write plays. Having money ne
induced Cha rles Frohman to give his