Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-21
AMUsEMENTs.

COioI anu INCONSISTENCY III WHICH the uDTet-
fist, the composer and even the comedian
largely subordinate themselves to the cal
cium light man, the scene painter and the
costumer. A number of clever speciality
stars assure an agreeable evenings enter
tainment, even should the wit seem at
times lacking in pungency and the music
occasionally tame and perfunctory. "A large
house at the Lafayette Square Opera House
last night attested the popularity of this
style of entertainment. AS an impreSSario
of extravaganza Mr.. E. E. Rice, under
whose management Excelsior, Jr.," comes
holds easy supremacy, and the genius of
absurdity frsks as tirelessly through this
conceit as 1t has in any of his previous Of
ferings. Arthur Dunn is funny in inverse
re ito to his size. He Is one of the smallest
men on the stage, but humorouSly he is
always immense. Fay Templeton Is jolly,
comedy and q favorite. Yvette Violet is
oashing repres entative Of the French type
ciously on the borders of propriety, and
Messrs. Don, Black, Campbell and Earle
make up quartet that was not only
amusing, but musically efficient.
Aliens Grand Opera House.-Mrs. Gen.
Tom Thumb and her band of Liliputians
opened an engagement at Aliens Grand
Opera House yesterday afternoon, where
they will give performances every after
noon this week and Wednesday and Thurs
day evenings. The company is an excep-
in it to astonish and delight Count Magri
and Baron Magri, his brother. are singers,
comedians, boxers and swordsmen. Miss
Jennie Quigley Is dainty little being who
sings, while Capt. George Liable and Annie
Nelson are an amusing team. comediet-
ia entitled 1.-TWO Rivals is given, in which
Mrs. Gen. Tom Thumb or Countess Magri,
as the count now claims her for his bride,
is the beloved, and Count and Baron Ma6ri
are deadly rivals for har hand. Their eXhi
bition of workmanship is something re-
markable. while their bout with the gloves
is just as funny and exciting. Harry Helms
does neat juggling act in the oliO. Jennie
Quigley does a singing turn and Capt.
Liable and Miss Nelson give a society
sketch, entitled Mr.. and Mrs. Thompson"
Nine. TraZour gives many pretty poses in
midair, and Mrs. Gen. Tom Thumb sings
her famous song. I'm Sixty-five," which
she has given over 5000 times. the perform
ance concluding with the act, The En-
chanted Statue" In this Count Magri poses
as the statue and by quick changes appears
as Satan Katrina. Ophelia and Columbia,
all the while frightening Baron Magri, as
the stupid servant who has been left in
charge of the work Of art. The troupe is as
sisted by Mile. Carlni's trained dogs and
monkeys. which give an amusing and laugh
able performance. the skirt dancing and
rope-walking dogs being especially fine.
National Theater.-"What's in a Nance"
1t varies In the name of THE Two Es
cutcheonS," for instance, Sydney Rosenfeld's
new play, making its first appearance in
Washington last night, there is nothing to
indicate what really bright and entertain
ing hit of clever comedy it is and in that
far the name is help to the play. 1t is
an Americanization from the German play
'.Zwei Wappen." 1t is coherent play and.
added to its other merits, 1T is in the hands
of good people. A more attractive widow
than Miss Edythe Chapman made would be
difficult to find, for she gave the part the
traditional fnesse and magnetism of the
actual widow, and added to it the finished
grace of the artist. Mr.. Robert Cottons
Baron Won Wettengen was a fine piece of
acting. never overdOne, and Mr. Craig gave
possible though not probable type Of a
Chicago pork packer. Mr.. George Backus
was happy as Captain Won Ninck, and Vim
cent Serrano was an earnest and well-acted
lover to Miss Darlington as Mss Foster,
the very pretty daughter of the pork packer.
Miss Muldener was an attractive baroness,
albeit her voice suffered from a severe cold.
Mr. Tony Cummings. an aspiring Washing
ton actor aspired in a small part as caterer
The play made its own way on it's merits.
and at the end of the third act the entire
company was called before the curtain
twice, and Mr.. Rosenfeld made a speech in
his usual graceful and felicitous manner.
Academy of Musc.-The play at the
Academy of Music last night included in its
cast the author and the leading actor, Mr..
Edgar Selden who. as Timothy McKenna,
makes "Mckenna's Flirtations.'' AS might
be expected from the title, the play is of
the farce-comedy type, and scattered
through it are specialties of the usual
vaudeville kind, including songs, dances
and conversational concentrations, which
are sometimes sparkling and sometimes
not. 'Mckenna's F'lirtations,' while not
the very best of its class. has many adj
mirers who like that sort of thing, and
they found a lot CT fun in the various SIT
nations of the play, the specialties and the
pretty girls.
kernans Lyceum Theater.-Harry Nor
riS' Twentieth Century Girls were at ker-
mans Lyceum Theater early in the season,
and We're so exceptionally good that Man
ager Herman booked them for a return
date, and they opened last night to an au-
dience that packed the theater. The even
ing's performance begins with short bur-
lesquc on the coming woman, entitled The
Girls Bachelor Stag which gave an OPP
portunity for bright sayings, good singing
and a display of fetching boomers AS the
Yankee clodhoppr, John Hansen Is very
funny, and pleased every one with his sing.
ing and sayings. The versatile sketch
team, Emerson and Carter, were very
pleasing and scored a big hit. Miss Leila
Trimble rendered several popular songs in
a taking manner Then came the living
pictures. They were appropriately staged,
the background and frame being very elab-
crate, while the figures were posed with
considerable artistic taste by Miss Teddy
Pasquelena. That bright little electric
spark, Miss Nettie De Coursey, repeated
the success of her former visit, the song
won't You Marry Me?" creating as much
with a burlesque on 'Trilby," entitled Too
Much Trilby," and is acted with spirit of
humor that Is Irresistible. Harry Morris
as Slang Valley" ard the remainder of
the cast were seen to good advantage in
the funny by-play and pretty dances.
The Oratorio Of Ehjah.-There is perhaps
only one oratorio that is received in Wash
ington with more favor than "'Elijah,' and
that is the Messiah" The latter Is always
rendered at Christmas time by the Choral
Society, but at some time during the year
the Elijah" attracts just as much atten-
ton and draws Just as large house. The
" ork in the Elijah is heavy and yet
spirited the grand choruses ringing out
with force that simply makes the audience
thrill. While the chorus work is magnifi-
cent the quartets trios and double quar-
tets come in for their share of the praise,
and no prettier or sweeter music can be
found than in this part of the score of the
Elijah" The soloists, who have been en-
gagged for the coming production of this
oratorio by the Choral Society Friday even
ing at Aliens Grand Opera House, are well
known. and in order to make the rendition
of the beautiful work as complete as posi-
BILE the Philharmonic and Apollo quartets
have been engaged to do duty in the double