The morning times., 1896-03-24
TWOPLAYS THAT ARE new
Zoo Much Johnson" and "Gentle-
man Joe" Make Their Debut.
At Aliens "I402" Comes In a Fresh
Dress, and THE Bowery Grip
Packs the Academy.

VIII Gillette, who has done as much as
any American laymakcr, save Charley
Hoyt, TO make the public laugh came
back to Washington last night aTLer a pro-
traCted absence. But he wasn't forgotten
The memory of The Professor and The
Private Secretary Will only fade with the
passing or their genera ZION, and those who
Know their original only through his pen
work OH Held by the Enemy and MIR.
Wilkinson Widows II they have a
spark OF curiosity, are DESTROYS TO see him.
That's why so many people came TO the
National Theater, that and the fame or
Gillettc's latest farce, TOO Much john
son" This piece took a Roundabout way
TO get 70 Washington and IL was "a long time
i'll coming, fcr IL was produced over u year
ago i'll New York ana has since been TO
California.
How did it ali happen? The play, not
the delay. The real or speculative origin
OF an idea is always an interesting STUDY.
To hazard guess. One day some one
Suld to Gillette: The Lord loFeth Il cht err
ful Har| Being or thoughliui turn of
mind the farceur TOOK the idea under his
pillow ana slept over it. Next morning
ne said: SO does the public There was
an Inspiration He dramatiZed It and
Too Much Johnson was the result.
This latest, ami very funny, III not the
funniest of Gill lette's plays, is a liar
| dramatized. 1t is the SAD but hilarious
case or Il Harlem LothaTo, who would
TAKE Slut EAtuTSlbUS OH lit straight ara
narrow and justice. and his wire finally
got on his track. A dilemma without loop
hole is no more formidable 10 Billings
that is his name, than reporter without
u topic.
He proceeds to the creation OF loop
hole. Fiction has no terror FOR him, a lie
| Is a pla aythInB. He creates a scapegoat
| for his troubles and names the imaginary
mo rtai, johnson. He accounts for his
| absences by another fiction that he visits
| his plantation in Cuba. Finally IN spite
! OF all the party embarks for Cuba. There
| Billings hopes to find a friend OF his who
VIII consent TO pose as the fictitious John
| son. What he does fiHd is that his friend
| has sold out TO a fire-eating planter, whose
! name actually is Johnson. This Johnson
| is expecting Canadian and his narrlag-
| able daughter. Each party mistakes the
| other and the Harlem ADanias finds imseli
surrounded by q maze of complica tiOnS.
Then there is a Frenchman who is the
| husband OF Billings inamorita, 10 tie an
occasional knot Ill the plot. Bet Billings
| oYercomes all these trivial difficulties and
| takes his family home while he poses under
| a halo reflected from a thousand or two
| bright and most astonishing lies.
! It's capital entertainment The lines and
/ situations are brilliant and ingenious, and
| the little threats OF pathoS at certain PEE
| RODS are delightful foils TO the farCicaI
| theme. II is one mesh OF complications.
| fuh or unexpe cted turns and astonishing
| developments.
| Gillette is at the head and front OF the
| funna Eers. He plays the cool, imperturba-
1 DIE Billings OF HHllltSs RESOURCES ana ire
| qucnt digression from IA cts He brings ne "
| methods to bear on old-fashiuned Situa-
| tiOns, giving an entirely dissmiiaT style 80
| his acting from. what he did in the Charac-
| ter parts OF his earlier years on the ge.
The fire-edting johnson is a creation in
| the hands of Ralph Delmore. Strangely
| enough, II is boisterDus. aggressive, knife
| and-pistol, oatt "lndInvecuYe sort OF chdr-
| aCter. which is admirably pla yed ana not
| at all disagreeable. He gives Gillette a
| clos ran for honors in the estimation OF the
/ audience.
UtItrs of the cast who became favoriteS
| on short notice and cemented themselves
| to the affections or the audience as the
! play progressed were samuel Reed as the
| Canadian father. Anna Belmont as his
| daU ghter, Charles Bell as the revengcful
| Fren Gilman, W. Hull Crosby rs the youth
| fdl lover, Robert Hickman Ga brother of
| Alfred, who pla yea Little Bilice in ''Tril-
| by''l as the English servant. Ben Hendricks
| as the pUrSPr Maud HaSlam as the Cceived
! wife ami Mrs. K"tn Meek a. the sust'ic cicUS
| mothcr-in-la W. Every one was up TO the
| SEiItLuI IIs character, aHd the udIInoAy OF
| the excellent company produced enjoyable
| results. The farce was well staged.
"GcntIeman Joe" the musical comedietta
| in two acts is proving current success and
money winner in London. NJ, B. Curtis, OF
| New York q couple OF months ago and II
was an utter failure. Then Rudolph Aron-
| son put the piece on at his bijou Iheater
! and kent il there something over Il month
I
| fayettc Square Opera House last night the
reason of this eTratic career is quite ap-
parent.
in London. for the theme and style is es-
| sentially British and COckncy. LOndOners
are just now making fad OF this style or
| ARTISTS Model shop Girl New
| BarmaId' and "Gentleman Joe" to their
! hearts. Mr.. Curtis brought the piece 10
| America intact, arguing with very bad
| loCrjC that what tiCEled John Bull would
| tickle JOnathOn.
| II was sad error and his enterprise
| failed. ATonSon prOfitcd by this CXTerl'
encc and made Gentleman Joe" the vehicle
| of Powers, IrWin's and W1eland special
| ties. The specialties carried tbe piece TO
| what success it had.
| This latest London importation Is IN two
acts. and a good while between them. The
| first takes place in London yard, the sec
Ond on the SeaShOre.
The features OF the first act are dancing
| duet by Jimmie Powers and Cara Nleland.
lie as the cabmau, she as the maid; a catchy
chorus Won't You Go 10 MaTgafe," and
| Flo Irwin's song as Lalage Potts, That's
| Me-
The second act is an Improvement be,
| cause there are more SIecialtieS. Clara
| Wieiand sang and danced a dashing mill
| tary song. Flo Irwin sang two interesting
little darley melodies, Powers sang song,
the best part of which was the pantomine
interpolated between verses and finally
Clara Wieland 5 limitations.
| 1t may he guessed that Miss Wieland is
a substantial factor in amusing the au-
dienCe. She proved herself a competent
specialist. The Chevalier and Vanoni
limitations were not appreciated 10 the limit
because these people are strangrS TO Wash
| ington, but when she sang Ia ViIette' and
Her Golden Hair Was Hanging Down Her
Back, in imitation of Yvette Guilbert
! the audience understood their excellence
and applauded cordially. Miss Wieland has
dash and vivaCity in all her efforts that
is attractive and pleasing.
| Flo Irwin isn't so extensive phySi-
caliy rs Sister May. But she is q pretty
and shapely woman, who can look 20,
which May can't. and her stellar sister
| couldn't come her fascinating lisp in a
years pra actice.
once in while he made a concession to
cockney Zoe and dropped an h. but on
the whole the disguise was guaZy. He
| mas an elephant on his hands In the part.
The funniest thing he does is 10 turn up
MS trousers when they call him Me Lerii. -
George Fortescue played a London trades
man. Louis De Lange q British boor md
Dorothy USner a page boy.
The book and music throughout was
very English. Considerable attention had
| The best feature of the performance
like a de sert after dinner was the dance
by Zaeo. She does the serpeptine move
nr"nts. THE stage is set with sixteen mir.
rors and calciums are focused from be-
meath. above and the sides. BY the in.
g'nins nse OF manv ColorS beautiful re-
I r,,IN ~ ...-r.4