The morning times., 1896-12-01
DRAMA WAS In FULL SWAY
Empire Stock Company Seen in
Cartons Liberty Hail."
'Pudd'nhead Wilson" at the Ma
tional-Gunter's "FIOrida En-
chantment" at Columbia.

Americans reason for self-glonfication
over their eminence, If not pre-eminence, in
the dramatic arts Is accentuated when
representative English company, as is Mr.
Trees, is Drought into immediate compare
son with a representative American COM
pany, which Is Charles Frohmanis S Empire
Stock This is his pet orga nization OF the
many which fly under his flag. He entrnsts
To them the honor OF his principal theater,
he consigns to them he performance OF al
most every notable play which he imports,
and he recruits to their ranks the best avail
able talent. There are no stars in tie
Empire company, yet no one but has Pc
cuiar talent or even genius for special
personal denotement. and in their entirety
tiey ppsse IS he possibility of creating with
distinction the roles of any new play II
is II company in which the public takes IL
pride akin to that which was DAYS De
lore Ada Reha dem anded the center on the
stage, and Palmer's In the days OF Maurice
barrymore, Ned Holland, j. stoddaU,
Charley Harris, Annie Russell. May Brooklyn,
and Nine. PoniSi. Even the Lyceuin Is
instiiuting new gods in tie shriiies OF The
old and the waste OF change Is apparent.
This delightful company began their
seventh annual Washington engagementlast
night at the Lafayette Square: The old
friends We're warmly greeted. The promo
ton, or snail We say conversion OF Will
lam Faversham from his evil ways to the
ingenious habits ofan honorable and heroic
lover, was the only notable change In the
personnel Of the cuInpany. Ihls forceful ana
attractive artist was not. long upon the
scene before all memory haa faded OF ms
Wild oats days. when heesmuked cigarettes
with vicious sisnifiiGanee, ai,.igo'sTr'ts fr Ine
shambeeonescou4wit apcsitIveyenGednce.
lie is not mer ely aloyer Of ardor and virtue
he IS good anEeiIn the nrondes, ,s. sense ,,Ine
last night was aE n sort Of heaven sent
mediator to parcel alt pTovidentiai pro.
lection and favof dlhi, OF course, marry
The play was Liberty Hail." 1t has lad
place in the Elniarc repertoIre for several
wears, but comes y-ith the stamp of novelty
to our stage 1t Is charming piece Of
ing, and at eyesy thrn appeals to our
iiveliest sense ofshumor and al the best
IL is domestic drama in its most attractive
form. The story tells briefly how blanche
and Amy Chilworth- are left pennies hy
the death of their father. the estate pass
ing to a cousin whom the girls have never
seen, and who is understood to be travel.
Ing abroad.
>poiui or going out into the world letter
is brought them from the new baronet
| by a AIR owen begging them to stay at
! tie old place TIL the writer's return. The
| terms of the offer are not unkindly. but the
| Chilworths are proud, and since Mr.: Tod
man. who had had the presumpt on as a
very Young man u al VI
the famiIy's. offers them home, they
resolve o accept rather than live uIon the
bounty of stranger. Forthwith they go 10
Mr.. Todman's nj ole back OF ms BOOK
MIR. wen. who has fallen In love with the
| proud spirited Blanche, hires himself as
a clerk, and without show or wealth. or
| station wins her as his wife. or course
he is none o'her than the baronet himself
| The side lights are furnished by number
| of characters is original fran ratured, and
l tNls nj ntOEpnS'
Viola Allen played Blanche with the
| sweet womanly charm which dignifies and
embtliishes all her dramatic efforts. Not
| in many seasons has she been seen in a
| character so harmonious with the popular
| conception OF her own delightful person.
ality. Ida Conquest played her sister
| Amy and with Robert EdesOn. as her
| well beloved, PLAYED with sweetness and
| attractiveness. They were. as desirable a
| pair OF young lovers as fancy could sug-
! gest. Mr.. FaveSham. as Mr. Owen, demon
| strated his right anti title to the position
| of leading man of the Empire Company.
/ Inere was another lover, a signing youth
| against the poor lad and he was only the
/ help IN the book shop. MIR. Gottschalk
| made him an interesting figure in the pic
| ture.
| Two other characters there were in.
| comparable in their quaint originality and
humor. Mr.. Crompton, as dear of Mr..
Iodman, quite the best thing he has ever
| If Liberty Hail. We're not worth seeing,
| even without this pair. their presence alone
| would make IL 0n imperative delight to all
| behuiders. The tyranncal Slavey uses her
1 most extravagant art to destroy The Tree
| dom of Liberty Hall. There are ether
| characters of minor Importance, but they
| are all acted with some crct.itable dis
| junction.
The celebrity with which the audience
| took up the points of "A Florida En-
| chantment,'' last night presented ut the
| Columbia, together with the evident en-
| ioyment taken in certain of the situations
| is sad commentary on modern morals
The play is q chain of cross purposes and
double meanings and the audience rever
failed TO find the other meaning and
| reveled in il with no assembling
/ situation, suspended and sus. aimed in
| tcrest, in witty Dialogue and originality
was written BY Archibald Clavering Guntcr
| from his novel OF the same name. He is
| possessed OF skill in dramatic workman
ship, but 1T is unfortunate that he has
not a more delicate sense OF proprie,es
and sufficient self-pride to devote his en-
| ergieS aud talents to more worthy theme.
The story defies elaboration. 1t is a
| flippant treatment of a situation at which
! a Parlsian grisette would blush. With
Gunter's Imagination and Gunter's daring
| on this side or the Atlantic we no longer
may take the liberty OF pointing scorn-
| fully and reproacEfuliy at the licenses of
| the French parceurs.
1t is more pleasant and less embarrassing
| to speak OF the work OF the scene painter
| the costuner and even the actors. The
players were in reality clever at their
! work Marie Jansen appeared first as a
young society woman and wore some beau.
! tirul dresses, but later in the play circuni
| stances OF the plot caused her to appear
| in mans evening suit. She looked the
same shapeiy and dappcr Jansen we knew
| her when she was the ideal soubrette or
opera comique. ~
The cast was not long. Others W ho were
conspicuous were Dan Collier, who wore
petticoats for three aets but trousers III
the hotel belle OF p Gutter novel; Grace
duIItIngton, who appeared as largo sI,1
lovely WIDOW; and Walsh Melville, who