The morning times., 1896-12-06
COMING TO THE THEATERs.

COMING TO THE THEATERS.
'.The Mandarin" DeKoyen and Smiths
latest opera success, which opens at the
Columbia tomorrow night. is said TO be
full of local color and incidents. Itabounds
In Ihe GreaminesS of the far East Whereas
Robin II ood,' which brought into fame
this we'll known firm OF operate composers.
was robust and heto.c. setting forth IN
iilIed phrase and intrepid song the story
ofthatfam Gus chieftain and hisruerry band,
THE Mandarin suggests the grace and
much Of the femininity of the people who
live to the far East OF us.
Dekoven, the omposer OF the III Csic. and
Harry b. Smith, the maker of the ook,
have IL Il few years become the leaders OF
Gperatic thought as worked out IN these
latter century times. MIR. Dckoven, wio
is u prSGuci OF the West, having much ofIts
virility and successful parts, made a ITO-
found study OF the Chinese character before
setting in musical lines the Impressions
me land OF the peacock feather made ufon
him.
BOniface, Jr., q, orge Honey, Joseph Shee-
nan, harry Norman, Adele Richie and
bertna Waltsiii2er being entrusted with
par,s which are said To iIt them as If they
had been specially mt ufded for them
All theatergoers. and particularly all
lovers OF that most popular form CT AmerI-
can amusement. comic opera. Will read with
unfelgned pleasure of the engagement here
at the New National this week OF that
prince OF comic opera comedians Francis
King"
Half a King" Mr.. Wilson'S new opera,
was unquestionably the comic opera sue
Cess of the Metropolitan season. Mr Will
son first produced 1t at the Knickerbocker
Theater. where, were it not Tor out-Of-
town boOkingsand other prominent attreac-
lions to follow, II could easily have run
the entire winter
Half King" Is, like most OF the sue
from French source. In tins Instance NM.
Letterrier and VanIoo supplied the SUBJ
lect- upon which that weii-knOwn writer.
Harry Il. Smith, bulit his Anglicized Ii
bretto. The. music Is composed BY Ludwig
Highlander.
The company supporting Mr.. Wilson this
year rs TIE largest, and, 1t is said, the best
ne mas ever had. 1t embraces such we'll
known artists as Messrs. John Bran nd, Peter
Lang, j {. Miron, Clinton Elder, Edward
p. Temple, and Lulu CHASER. Christie Nc
Donald, Agnes Paul. Agnes Martyne and
Blanche Plunkett.
THE wisest plans OF mice and men oft
gang agla,' is most aptly Illustrated in
the two comedies which Stuart Robson
ma kes 'he entertainment at the Lara yette
Square Opera House this week, when he
plays this city with his sterling company
of actors whose leading lady will be hone
other than the great tragetiienne, Madame
Jaunescnck.
In the one-act opening farce, Mr.. Gill
mans Wedding" tnat young man finds
that he is IN great danger OF losing his
bride and his happiness while yet in its
| nGneynoo bv a charge of bigamy. And
tnns IL Is made to seem that his dreams
and plans for domestic happiness have
/ been but those or deception and crime.
| Fortunately, his misery Is short-hved and
explanations clear all the mistakes away
In the longer comedy, Mr.. Ponderburys
| Past" which immediately follows, the
| or the wife goes wrong IN o ne short night,
by the inopportune return OF long
| little Romance, and cha nges tale OF
| nerOism into one OF deception and trick
| cry, and away vanlshes the little home
autocracy OF twenty years standing.
| Black Patti, the greatest singer OF nei
race, who has won LriuTnDilS In every part
| Grand Opera House this week In conJunc-
| lion with the black Patti's IrOuba-
| dours'' which Is SAID to De the most I'M
| posing organization or colored performers
| IN existence.
| There are fifty people In the company
! and the principal members are famous by
| reason of their association with the vaude-
| vile and comedy stage The company ls
| credited with givinGa performance which
| excels in point of novelty anything that
| has been seen on the American stage. The
! stage scheme is happy blending OF comedy,
tcnrlesque. vaudeville. and opera which ar
| rords ii:a diversified talent or this very
| large and taienJer. oot:anany unlimited scope
! 10 amuSe and entertain.
| White comedy and vaudeville hold
! conspicuous place on the program yet the
great feature OF the performance is the
| final half hour. In this are introduced
/ The happiest selections taken from "Grand
! Duchess '"Trovatore- carmen, Daugh-
| ter OF the Revolution" Faust. "rar and
| Tartar bohemian GIRL, "Maritana,"
| LUCIA and "RIgolettO. The solos,
| quartets and choruses as sung by BACK
\ Patti and her talented associates have
! proven to be a verltable sensation
There has not been mere acceptable
aah IN PSl toF4 bar az and
| heugh-S picturesque comedy drama which
| comes to the Academy tomorrow night
| \ : drama IL l. most interesting amusing,
| and exciting 1t appeals from both the
melodramatic and the comic points OF
| view.
/ II is also something notable in pictorial
| way. The scene painters have done their
| best in aking counterfeit presentations
/ of Southern cotton fields and hUmcStcads.
! one OF the views Is OF an cmbarkment.
| picturesque bridge. and darkey cabin.
| Another is OF the outside of an old
Carolina homestead, with the country round
/ about. Then there Is the famous cotton
/ warehouse scene with huge cotton com
press that Is used with such thrillin. effect
at the climax OF the third act The play
l. faScinatlnG picture OF scathern ME az
| well ~ stirring drama OF sensational
incidents
/ IL tells love story that is diversified by
! events OF the mCst exciting character. A
large element OF rOllicking EayeJy is i'm
parted by band of real pickaninnieS. who
not only play instruments in concert, but
\ also give dancing exhibitions and enEaEein
| sports common to the IiEhtheartcd darkey
boys of the South
Mr.. James B. Mackie, the young comedian,
| who. as '.Grimesey, Me Boy for four
| years with Hoyt's Bunch of Keys com
pany, endearcd himself to the amuse-
nent;;lovinE pn6lie;n VIII I'll. visit the Riiou
He comes now as Billy Grimes. of
''GrImes' Cellar Door" but he is the
same smiling Grimesey as Of Old and
promises tu give an evening oil unparalleled
I pleasure and fun
MI Mackie Won for himself great r. Tsn0wn owl,
piece, The Cellar Door he has much
wider field to display his fnimitahle tai
ents. lie can dance he can sin:, as no one
but Billy Grimes S capable OF doing He
has surrounded himself with company of
supsrirr merit. rretty girls, good dancers
and fine singers.
Misses Delmere and Pasquelena. who
made such n big hit last summer at the
Casino Roof Garden, New York, in their
great ''Trilby' dance, are with Mackie's
big show. he having them under contract
during the entire season with The Cellar
| Door"
Manager Kernan's attraction for this
week will be the Russell Brothers Come
dams headed by those inimitable lmperson
| ltors OF Celtic wit. the Russell brothers
1 who will prese mt Il new edition of the Irish
! servant EiriS. WHICH Is d HiiItf-pIONot.ihE
| lit of nonsense never to be forgotten.
| The feature OF he entertainment VIII be
/ the first appearance in this city in vaud'@
| vile of Miss Jennie Yeamans, who. here
tofore has been prominent in legitimate
! roles She has ARA nged an excellent act
] divided into four editions. in the first she
, appears as a society debutant:., the second
| rs an English concert hall singer, the thIrd
| rs French concert hall singer, and fourth
rs a member of the colorcd population.
/ Her success in vaudeville has been marked
with wonderful success.
Other names appearing on the program
l are McAyoy and May the comedy duo