Evening star., 1896-02-22
ADJUSTMENTS,

Lafayette Square Opera House.-Mme.
Duse was seen last night in a character
that had nothing in 1t to enlist the SYM
pathy of the audience, but was, on the con-
trary, repElsive to all right-thinking men
and women. And yet the actress, by the
force of her genius, compelled attention to
her impersonation, and was followed with
closest interest to the close of the play.
''The Wife ef Claude Is by Dumas fls,
and the heroine is woman who is bad by
nature, who goes astray In early life from
her own inclinations, ard then marrfes a
good and upright man, an inventor, whom
she deserts to fly with another whom she
has brought into her tolls, but deceives
fer husband upon the plea that she Is
going to see her aunt, who is ill. This lover
dies and leaves her large sum Of money,
and the woman then returns to her hus-
band She finds him about to mortgage
his house, to get money to carry on his in
ventions, and she offers to give him the
money, which she says was left her by
the fictitious aunt on her death, but he re-
fuses. The real estate man who has come
to make the mortgage proves to be Sc
cret service agent, employed to secure the
secret of her husbands invention, and he
knows all of the woman's indiscretions.
He proves obdurate to her wiles, and
makes her a fiat offer of money to steal the
secret. She first attempts to win back her
husbands love, and, failing that, she vows
revenge upon him and a young girl for
whom he has conceived platonic attach
nlent. She finally makes violent love to
her husbands apprentice, and when she
has captured him causes him to open the
safe in which the manuscript describing
the invention is kept, seiZeS it, and Just as
she Is about to throw it from the window
to the secret service agent she Is shot by
her husband. With this story. it can be
seen what a splendid opportunity Duse has
for the depletion Of the strongest and most
various passions, and she throws herself
Into the part with all the earnestness and
recklessness Of consequences that charac-
terze her acting. Her work was at times
thrilling, and in one scene startling She
was repeatedly called before the curtain
by an audience that was thoroughly appre-
ciative, but not large. A farce, TRAGEDY
and Music,'' which was very well done,
preceded the play.
For Fair Virginia. For Fair Virginia"
will be seen at the Lafayette Square Opera
House rext week. The principals In this
interesting play are Mr.. and Mrs. Russ
Whytal. who have scored distinct success
wherever they have appeared. The play is
enc that is founded On incidents during the
war, but there is none of the realism that
is generally the feature of war play. The
work is full Of good things in literary and
dramatic way and abounds in genuine heart
interest and sympathy. The cast Is fully
competent to carry out the minor details,
end. taken as a whole. the play is one that
theater. The play has been put on in New
York and other large cities, and has met
With great success. AS the scene of action
Is so near this city, 1t is but natural to sup
pose that Washingtonians will take an add
ed interest in It.
Aliens Grand Opera House.-'Eittle
Christopher" will be seen at the Grand
Opera House next week. The scenery Is
very elaborate, the girls are particularly
pretty and very numerous, the costumes
are gorgeous to degree and the marches
are pretty, and the business of the choruses
during the singing of most Of the numbers
is original and effective. The cast is excel
lent and the best ever seen in the piece in
this country. Miss Theresa Vaughn singing
the music Of the title role as it never has