The times., 1897-04-04

winning sweetness, the old gracious happi-
ness, the old silveTy voice, ever filling the
stage. when she graces ii, with the bright
hess Of her sunny presence.
She made her first stage appearance IN
Montreal, at the age of eleven years. She
was first seen i'll New York II a juvenile
'PnalUre' company She decided to
try for the legitimate, and accordingly
made application to A. NJ. Palmer, at
that time manager Of the Madison Square
Theater. Mr.. Palmer, at that time man
ager of the Madison Square Theater. Mr.
Palmer said, MY dear child, you are too
young for the stage, YOU belong to the
nursery Go home and come back when
you are a little older" Miss Russell
went home. ana discarded her youthful
attire, put up the girIish braids Of hair,
donned a gown which IN Older woman
would have found more suitable, and
descended upon the veteran manager
within a week. He failed to recognize
in the somber-clad young woman the child
WHO had been advised to return to the
nursery, ana Miss Russell was engaged to
play the title role in ''Esmeralda -
Her work in this part made her famous,
She afterward appeared 5 Ada in Sealed
Instructions Maggie in Gilbert's comedy
Engaged" Sylvia in "Our Society"
Elaine in George Parsons Lathrop's
dramatic version of TennysOn's idylliC
poem, Lady Savin III Broken Hearts,
and Mabel IN Captain Swift To this
ch1rmng woman has fallen the happy lot
to interpret some of the most beautiful,
winning and tender creations of young
womanhood, with which dramatic authors
favored the public in recent years
Her advent in Mrs. Ryleys farce may
appear TO some as unworthy the rare rU
which Miss Russell so bountifuIly Possesses,
but 10 discriminating playgoersit will be Il
positive treat to see farcical themes por-
trayed in such way that they may ap-
pear as intelligent as they are amusing. ami
with Miss RusspIl's charm of personality
and untheatric methods. The Mysterious
Mr. Bugle' will doubtless possess an atmos-
phere of refinement and dignity, not often
found in light comedy.
In the securing of Joseph Holland for
the opposite role to that OF Miss Russell's,
a shrewd mana gerial move has been made,
for in the studious carnestness of this
sterling comedian will be found a charm
ing foil for the delicious abandon of Miss
of legitimate farce, and is said to be
thoroughly French in method, and as Mr..
Hollands reputation rests largely on this
style Of work, for no one has forgotten his
ininitable performance in MIR. Wilkin-
sons Widows it will be going back to
his first love, as it were. He has the keen
est sense of huInUr, and engaging person
ality, and the general characteristics,
which in like comedy Mr.. Charles Wynd-
ham, of the English stage, is the best
known exponent. Than Mr. Holland, there
is probably no one ON the stage today who
can maintain 50 earnest, so serious a de-
lneanor in the most trying situations.
With first night at one theater and
at another famous comedy playing its
last night anywhere i'll the city of it's
premier we are this week reminded more
forcibly than ever OF how popular Washing
ton has always been with managers having
new plays to try. Ours is mascot city,
its Judgment is correct and final Many
plays have failed here but many have gone
out of this dramatic nursery to long aud
prosperous life.
John 7. Warde has an interesting and
valuable list of all the theatrical perform
ances given in Washington for many years.
He kindly assisted to q complete list of
the first nights during the last few
wears 1t is, indeed, only since 1889 that
this city has been anything of a producing
point Before that. the productions came
only ut long intervals
On the 1st of April in that year was
presented at the New National a dramati
Zatinn Of Mrs Humphrey Wards Robert
Elsmere" More than year after, on
the same stage, May 5, 1890, Maude
Granger produced Inherited Neither of