The morning times., 1896-12-01

nutNDer OF tllilcS.
Ir there had been any call to hold a
Cabinet meeting in the National last night
between the acts OF 'Pudd 'nhead VIII
son. there could have been quorum
called without going outside the house.
TIE President and Mrs. Cleveland. with
Secretary and Mrs. Lamont, occupied one
box; IN another Were Postmaster General
Wilson,, Secretary 0lney and Secretary
Morton. The President seemed to enjoy
his surroundings. bar only brass curtain
rod that INSTRUCTED his view of the stage;
Hut he laughed at the humor and looked
grave at the pathos in due proportion.
The play, which is Frank Mayo : original
dramtiZation. has been seen in Washing
ton before. In fact the only change last
night from the original cast was the
presence OF Theodore Hamilton. who fills
the late Mr.. Mayo's place in the title
role. It is hard to Sompahe re cre,tcr ms renuef
Mr.. Hamilton is an actor anu veteran
Who has scored a number of successes in
stock company performances, although ne
has never been starred.
His rendition of Dave Wilson differs in
several respects from that OF Mayo. In
ana 1T may f1ry Of of she td eba 1
acter in the earlier scenes Is gwen With
quiet ease and a stronsly.markcd indi-
Viduality. While in the trial scene his
enunciation is clearer and stronger than
that OF Mayo. whose fire and power was
beginning 10 be sapped somewhat by age.
even at the time of his second great sue
cess.
The other characters. as has been said,
have all Eeen seen and criticised by WASH
ington audiences before. Whether or not
is true that the1s s so arc no aetoTs 69ra
line, ii is hard to say, but while there are
many good colored impersonators on the
stage, it seems hard to find anyone VINO ,,
intonation of the South. Taking the COM
pany throughout it is as good, perhaps
better, than the average IN TINS respect;
| and Miss Moretti has mastered the ne9resS'
laugh to perfection, but they have all the
| on failing of believing that slow
| drawl and long. flat las represent the
accent of the South.
AS actors the cast is al owe serious critt-
| cism. But until they have been born anew
| and spent their second childf ood on the
| old plantat on it would he better for them
| to trust entirely TO their acting and to
| talk plain English.
Goethe's story of Dr. Faustus and the
| subtle MeEesto was produced before n
| large audience at the Grand Opera House
| last night. Lewis Morrison is responsible
| for the arrangement of the text and tue
novel scenic features, which Were aug
mented by the mechanical effects Orig1-
| mated by Messrs. Michael and Sauter, and
| the electrical results by j: Frank Eline.
| The appropriate music was selected from
| the scores oftiounod, Rossiniand Meycrpeer.
blending wen with the very capablc acting
| OF the cast. headed by Mr.. Enrol Dunbar.
| who created fascinatipgly devilish Me-
| phisto. free OF the cheap ha-ha villainy
usually affected by actors attempting the
| role.
| AS Marguerite Miss Maud Dudley was
| natural and tender. Her appeal to the
| statue OF the Virgin in the third act was
| an exceptionally fine piece Of work, de-
! serving the hearty applause it Won
| Mr.. edward Wade made strong mani
| Valentine, and in the death scene was
| superb. Mrs Selba Tapsfield supplied the
| comedy as Martha, without broadening her
| part.
In the Brocken scene all the latest devices
| of stage craft were employed To renJler
weird spectacle of the supernatural, and
!, the closing tabeauX of Marguerite's saliva
| pany will play all the week with the usual
| matinces.
| Fiorrie west as "A Bowery Girl" with
| all modern improvements, sang, danced and
| acted her way into the favor OF large
| audience. at the Academy of Music last
| night.
| Nora Hallman, the Bowery girl, is the
| daughter of a rich ward boss In the. Fourt "
| and by passing her childhood In the very
| center OF the under side OF New FORK, has
| become acquaintet' with all Its dodges and
| dark corners Notwithstanding her en-
| vlronment she Is possessed OF all a woman IS
gentle attributes. She becomes engaged
| III helping Ernest Holcomb, a young clerk,
4 rescue the girl he loves from her supposed
! parents, pair of vtllainOus Italians.
| The play runs in and out through the
j porarily triumphant, and is full OF ex-
| citing climaxes.
] during the progress OF the plot songs
s.