Evening star., 1896-03-31
ADJUSTMENTS.

its presentation at Aliens Grand Opera
House last night. Gen. Agnus and his col
laborator, Miss NJ. Louise Malloy, have util-
lied the thrilling complications which war
so often makes in affairs of the heart, and
have gone further than any of the previous
military dramatists in putting into vivid
expression the sentiments of the south at
that time. Alice Bathely, the woman of
War;" played by Miss Virginia Stuart, Is a
type which undoubtedly existed; nswerv-
Ing In her affections for the confederate
cause, and unrelentingly vindictive toward
the north. The dramatists have portrayed
the character with the fidelity to truth
which art demands Many of the inlpas-
stoned speeches which fall to the heroine
ring with a sentiment which grows un-
familiar now. But it is a historic senti-
ment, ard completes the picture of the
times in which the authors have laid their
scenes In this, as, indeed, in all the sue
cessful dramas Of war, the spirit of sec
tionalism is introduced only to impress
that old TRUTH so dear to chivalry and
roman ce-that love disdains differences of
politics and laughs at geographical boun-
daries.
One of the mot conspicuous qualities of
"A Woman of War; is the smoothness of
its literary expression. There are several
speec hes which are finished specimens of
rhetoric, as well as stirring appeals to the
emotions The address made by Mr.. Geo.
d. Parker, in the court-martial scene, was
an Grafton of more than common force and
AitSIdfy cieSdHCo. III lnlS instance, as
well as in many others. Mr.. Parker com
manded hearty admiration. Miss Zenaide
Williams played an ingenue role with grace
and unaffected merriment. The comedy
scenes, which she shared with Mr.. Caryl
Wilbur, were delightful episodes. Mr.. Per-
cy Plunkett's impersonation of Uncle Ben,
the negro family servant was good. The
story of the piece is full of that prime re-
auisite, action. Surprises are effectively ar
ranged, and the climaxes are developed
with power which shows a considerable
grasp of the structural phase of play-writ-
ing. The play shows the results of CAREFUL
polish and pruning. and its progress Is
natural and satisfying, unless the theater-
goer. whose conventional taste demands
that every performance end with wedding
or homicide, should be moved to complain
that the denouement leaves too much to
the Imagination. There is no gainsaying
the fact that the curtain falls on very
delicate and prettily expressed bit Of senti-
ment. Curtain calls were numerous, and
the audience included many distinguished
people.
Lafayette Opera House.-In 1900 when the
Ccrntess Hermance Trachau was very lit
tie girl, she had such roguish, saucy glance
that she was dubbed the Countess Gucki."
1T Was not peeping, prying or staring. but
all OF these together and something else be-
SIDES. She grew up q brilliant and imperious
woman: she was once unhappily married
and then happily widowed. In 1919. when
she spent the season at Carlsbad, she was
at her best, charming and clever at repair
tee 1t was just after Napoleon had been
driven back. when the name of Metternich
was in every ones mouth and Goethe was
prominent figure. AS Countess Gucki, Miss
Ada Rehan scored another hit last evening,
Tor there are few characters in her reper-
tolre Detter suited to her methods and abil-
lty. The action takes place at Carlsbad
early in the century, giving fine opportunity
for the display of handso ONE costumes and of
the manners of the day. There is an old
time flavor about the play that is delightful,
ara while the comedy Is not an ambitious
effort 1t serves admirably as a vehicle for
the display of the abilities of Daly's actors
There Is but little plot: it is the old story Of
tne triumph OF young hearts over old heads.
CHARLES Richman made a magnificent Won
Neuhoff, an impudent, handsome young fell
low. who is determined at all odds to ingra-
tiate himself with the countess, and who
Knows Know not setback. AS the Court Coun-
seller Mitterstieg, an oflicious little official,
but good-natured and jolly, James Lewis
had part that fitted him like glove while
as Clementina his wife, who furnishes the
diplomacy and rules her spouse, Mrs. Gill
bert was in her element. Miss Helma Nell
son made an attractive Lilli, and Sidney
Herbert as her lover cousin Leopold did an
admirable piece of work. Edwin Stevens
made courtly Gen Suvatscheff old
Russian, about whom was the aroma of an
old romance, his love for the beautiful coun-
tess ten years before, which awakes again
at sight of her. The minor parts We're, of
NOoA
went off with smoothness and snap that
we're very grateful. In the boxes were the
President and Mrs. Cleveland Secretary and
Mrs. Carlisle and Speaker Reed. and the
was brilliant one considering the
fact that this is the week when theaters are
tabooed. THE Countess Gucki" will fill the
be ards again this evening.
New National Theater-There is no actor
whose annual visit to Washington is antici-
pated with more pleasure .han Mr.. f. II
From the time he frSt
appearance here. under the management
of Mr.. Danl. Frohman, in the Highest
Bidder the steady development of this
young man has been watched with great
interest. Each play he has presented has
given him opportunity to appear in diff
ferent style of character, although the
type of his work has not been seriously
interfered with. In Lord Chumlcy,"
"Maister of Woodbarrow," THE Dancing
Girl Capt. Letterbair' and "Sheridau'
MIR. Sothern was light comedian, with the
added power of earnest love-making, and
he filled the eye and satisfied the senses of
his audience in that respect He was ac-
cepted as occupying a field peculiarly his
own, and he has acquired popularity not
Only by his excellent acting, but by his
personality, that is exceeded by
no other player that visits this city. Last
night Mr.. Sothern commenced his annual
engagement at the New National Thea .er
appearing in Mr.. Edward Roses dramatiza-
ton of Anthony Hopes novel, "The Prison
er of Zenda.'' Mr.. Rose has introduced
a prologue, which serves to explain some
of the incidents of the story, and which is
in some respects the strongest act in the
play. The salient incidents of Mr. Hopes
romance are well preserved in the
and the interest is preserved
from beginning to end.
The first act gives the drugging of the
king in the lodge in the forest and the
that Rassendyll shall personate
the monarch and Illustrate the conspiracy
Of Black Michael; the second act shows
the winter palace at Strelsau. and intro
duces the Princess Flavia and Nine de
the thirdact is the castle at Far
lenheim, and the last shows the castle at
Zenda, when the king is rescued and Ras-
seDdyll resumes bis proper character bid
ding farewell to her he has learned to love
so well, because duty calls her to be true
to her house and country. The play is
splendfdly mounted, and every accessory
that can add to realization of Mr.. Hopes
description has been carefully looked after
Mr.. Sothern in the dual character Of the
king and the young Englishman shows a
distinct advance over any Of his former
work. He proves that in heroic and roman
tic characters Mr.. Sothern is the equal of
any who have made that line a speciality
This exhibition of versatility Is gratifying
to the admirers Of this young actor, and
convinces them that his powers are ex-
panding and that he will not get into a rut
His reception last night by one Of the larg-
est audiences of the season was enthu-
siastic, and at the conclusion of the third