The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-10
ON THE NEW YORK STAGE.
oEoRG ENGELs, a DIsTTNG UIsHED
COMEDIAN FROM BERLIN,

,onularity IN Berlin, mhue MS nrst appearance
IN this country at the Irving Place Theatre last
night, when he acted III Sch6nthan and Kadel-
burs's comedy. THE Senator" The piece
ia already known here rs an anus.
ING II rather light comedy, and the
title role was the one which Herr Engels
interpreted. His performance established at
once his popularity with the audience. and the
speciators cordially endorsed any reputation
that he may enjoy as an actor of genuinely hu-
norous powers and the possessor OF u PERSONAL
NV that is richly and unctuously amusing.
lie proved, moreover, an expert delinea-
a,or OF character, for he made of the chief
mart in the drama q strongly marked
and striking figure. The Senator is from the
free city OF Hamburg, profoundly impressed
with his own personal Importance. in addition
70 the local pride which is a feature of the HAM
burg merchant class. The old man vigorously
dominates his family, and his theory. often
stated in the play. is that in his household there
sun.in.law, and his children. particularly one OF
lis sons, who is engaged to marry q girl not of
These qualities Of the old man, his pride, his
domineerings spirit, and Ills intolerance for any
i,hi n.TSr nSsp II BY 7 Herr EnRpeeis, Who " depicted them
in a spirit OF the broadcast comedy, which was
touched from time to time with an exaggers-
hIbition of his powers, and last night he was best
views his sons betrothed under the impression
that she Is the wealthy young woman that he Is
snn,Esf natural and liaSuignable, and there
was nothing in its treatment that suffered
nroticed in the actors work. Herr Eneeis.
as his debut revealed him, is q player
Sr Snu = finished sSn "csoT, an. 1du a man nee's who ns ABOVE
all things possesses the power OF making his au-
of his art. His personal appearance 10 comic,
trstivo, and. his own nature y seemingly hu-
R0s0u our eAt own James Lewis at times, and
il is. no diseredit to him TO say that he is not in
the fault OF his occasional eIaggeration to be
s sGSdna after mt tho s0e curtain had fallen a. he Sa"srs re-:
called, and the spectators were not satisfied
Ssm 4. likely to be repeated. whether the speech
is or not, for Herr Engels is too fine an actor
from his own talents and his acquired d, skil not
under the inspiration, of his cooperation the
stock company of the theatre never played with
greater spirit or success.
Joseph Jefferson in LEND Me Five shil-
lings'' and May Irwin In one act of THE
Widow Jones" were important contributors to
the entertainment yesterday afternoon at the
Fifth Avenue Theatre for the benefit Of the
Confederate Veterans mortuary fund. Other
things In the bill were "A Pair Of Lunatios'
by John Drew and Maud Adams, an act of "A
House of Cards. by the Rosenfeld company.
and songs by Harriet Vernon. Charles Kirke,
and tho Excelsior Quartette. A speech was
made by ex-Gov. John 8. Wise. The lease Of
the Star Theatre has been taken for the remain
der of the season by Jacob Lift, who may get
the house for Q term Of years and devote 1t ex-
c~lusively to sensational dramas. Charles
Erohman is organizing o company to play
comedies at Hoyt's q part Of each year. Begin
ming next autumn with Bisson's Tho Liar"
with Fritz williams and Katherine Florence in
the cast. Daniel Frohman has quickly given
mp the management Of Richard Mansfield.
owing to differences Of opinion 1T the outset.
Sara Bernhardt and Fanny Davenport, during
. week In which both played In "Gismonda" in
Boston. carefully excited public interest by
publishing criticisms Of each other; and at the
same time Eleonora Duse, who was resting in
that city preparatory to reappearing, got an
equal amount Of attention by having her man
srt Manteii imposed upon a small st. louis au.
dience his bad. opinion Of people who had not
belief that there, would have been a large as.
eemblage II he had appeared With a company
just i0t serminSted a eeonvivii vacation in town.
plsg. "a s H%ldtf FOOL Hssn as bs sny issue. GsslH fn shs
form Of a novel without his consent. and he
has aw.d susd a,s the p ooomBl.isshisrns'' has Gus pseb H sfsS, ss sss
mon. HE starring engagemsnt with "Yon Yor.
sen" on the ground Of alleged %Tnreliseiii.y;
has quit the piece and threatens to sue Mr..
Wagner. the capitalist of the venture: Thomas
Lieu" at Kansas City in genuine churchiy vest
ments borrowed from @ priest. Among the
a aeli. a se Eurose son a e1o ' Who Constitutes s'Tss in IN him:
self tho casts of various plays and operas, and
Tho will aD gP;s, m soon at as the Rsn Olympia ah Ell y
sassment with Proctor: zelms Raw stSn.
sS%s spasdf'qb By ''s Ms. B a. ss1nni Booth sli 4cr The aSs
xSTGlhS s Ttssdw Aps 81 Ysle "h for n. g. ao %5lsifn
who will use 1t next season. Maggie Cline
ri., Ss Bsn rs ss an and a' eisy r. Hst ar ssassn E Eess I
&. billiard has one from John Ernest McCann.
A5thq Of H HR1aiSn ts ssts sead Of .he L En wri.in yer 4
piece, for A. NJ. Palmer: Denman, Thompson
has devised the matter for THE sunshine o!
himr" to build mp The Oid Homestead" has
written 1t out.
Fitness of actor to role. and the reverse
confirmation OF this, are exemplifed in the
personation of the laundress and the Duches:
in Madame Sans Gene at Palmer's. Opinion;
are extant that the wife of Lefebre should b'
a plump and pleasing person." and there are
also floating opinions that Rejane Is a better
tutHcFHe tnan hatnryn hiuuer' Jul 'ho i"o'
remains that the American actress has hi
upon a character which suits her well. and Il
which she adapts herself with at least an ade
Quato degree OF histrionic facility. thus achiev
Ing a marked and continuous success. Tit
danger Of this sort OF thing Is that the playel
becomes famous first in a special role, and evel
after Is intimately associated with 1t. so tina
being in the public eye a one-part actor, hei
soiltY, II she has any, TO play other parts u
mould her personality to less congenial roles
j. qnrecolnized or forgotten, and so her repu
tation suffers while she makes money for her
sell and her manager. There are, melodra
matte actors well known all over the country
who would be lost In the artistic atmosphere, o.
stock theatre: there are capital. shake
epearean actors whose art Is so limited tina
lhey cannot mt themselves to any modern play
ana there are players who play only one role
no matter what the play. Kathryn Bidder u
hot ~ this sort, for she made IA reputation IN
mlsce!laneOus list OF characters, before raj,
threw Madame sans Gene" in her way; bul
her ind. vidual fitness for the chief chhracte
" thi,. drama has been the cause or her fame
an This personatiOn is likely To he the one b!
which Lia Nui1l a1rYa. ~ rapnaInhaFaI