Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-25


which would be submitted to him he would
feel amply repaid for his outlay. The play
that he selected was "A Virginia Court
SHIP, and thus far it has been one of the
In Chicago was a record breaker and 1t
did the largest business at the Century
Theater in st. Louis that that house has
known since its erection. At present there
is talk OF presenting the play abroad, where
1t has already been given for copyright
purposes.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
secret Service William Gillette's latest
play, will be on view for the first time in
washington next Monday night at the La
fayette Square Theater. 1t will be present.
ed by company which has received al
most unstinted praise for uniform excel
lence of the Interpretation which they have
given the play. The central figure of this
company will be Mr.. Gillette himself. who
In this instance plays a serious role for the
first time in Washington. The dramatic
correspondence from New York and Lon
don has been during the past year tenn
ing with the admiring utterances of critics
in those cities, most of whom have not hes
ltated to pronounce Secret Service" the
best play yet written on this side of the
water. Deplorable as wars are in the
main, they have ever exerted certain ben
efts. One of the largest ~beneficiarieS of
conflict and its aftermath Of freShened
peace is literature. Particularly a debtor
The civil war has been an inexhaustible
fl nd of complex action picturesque adven-
ture and certain appeal to alert patriotism.
Of the numerous plays which have sprung
from this source Secret Service" is the
last, and, according to critics who have
seen 1t. the most remarkable. In this play
1t is only the echo of warfare which reach
es the ear. Mr.. Gillette has had the cour-
age-had he failed we should have said
the audacity'-to make his hero a spy,
Il N
time of its beleaguring. The hazardous
work OF the men in the secret service dur
ing active conflict has never before been
set forth dramatically. He has worked out
the possibilities afforded by this new-found
piece of material with that ability which
has previously brought him so many sue
cesses. Mr. Gillette heretofore has been
seen only in comic roles; and the public
had grown to consider him only as an arch
farceur. Not the least surprise therefore,
which he has sprung in connection with
Secret Service is the almost perfect way
in which he Is said to have handled the
role Of his own spy-hero. This part res
quires. it is understood at all times the
display of thar famous Gillettean imper-
tIrbability which was SO marked a char
acteristic of Gus Billings in TOO Much
but in no other way suggests his
former farcical methods. The company
which will present Secret Service at the
Lafayette Square in this city includes be-
sides Mr.. Gillette, Campbell Collan Walter
Thomas Misses Sara Perry, Hope Ross
and IGa Waterman.
GRAND OPERA HOUSE-An event of
dramatic import is Mrs. F:ske's appear
ance here at the Grand next week. 1t must
net be thought that Mrs. Fiske has in
Tess of the DUrbervilles'' a doctrinal or
problem play. The adaptation of Hardys
great story sets forth the characters and
happenings of that author in a most vivid
and dramatic form. Tess OF the D'Urber-
villes' may. in truth, be said to be a melo-
drama of the highest type in that 1t Illus
trates many and Varying phases of char
&cter III scenes of moving ard engrosSing
interest, where in fine comedy alternates
with tense emotional incidents. The two
great scenes of the play-the confession of
Tess to Angel Clare and her murder of
Alec D'Urberville-are, of course, in the
spirit of tragedy itself, but the play is hap
PLY varied to all the emotions. The story
is outlined thus:
The action begins at the dairy farm where
Tess and Glare, surrounded by the COM
noner characters, are seen to be in love
with each other. Tess is willing to "just
go on loving" in that romantic way that
heltS her ideal passion for Glare and her
reticent apprehension as to the effect of
her past. Clare wishes to marry and to
take her with him to Brazil, where he will
egin life in earnest. Tess parents wish
Ler to marry Clare for the material benefit
that may result to them. Tess, convinced
that she ought to confess her early misfor-
tune to Clare. is beset by her sordid moth
ers warnings against such course, and
1r4ghtened by the appearance of her evil
geEius, Alec DUrbervile. Importuned by
Clare. she consents to marry him upon
condition that his love shall survive the
something she wishes to tell him. She can
not bring her tongue to utter this, and
sec ks to acquaint him by letter. The letter
is intercepted by the mother. Clare ap-
pears to claim Tess, who, thinking that he
knows and has forgiven. finds In his face
warrant for the greatest happiness she yet
has known.
cd. followed by that powerful scene when
the lovers are left alone. BY a well-con-
trived train Of circumstances Tess learns
that Clare does not know Of her past Clare
c6nfesses his past faults to her and is for
given by her with happy fervor that sug-
gests Tess faith that she in turn will be
forgiven. She confesses, and Glare. amaz-
cd, violent harsh and unforgiving, leaves
iis5 Inen less Is shown again in the sor-
DID poverty Of her mothers home. Her
father Is dead. The children are hungry.
She has been i'll and is without resources
Alec pursues her. embarrasses her efforts,
gro Win INFAMOUS devices works new mis-
fortunes for the family. He tells her and
h1s story is corroborated. that Clare is
dead SIZE succurnbs to her fate In the
fourth act Tess is shown in Alec's lodg-
1ngs where Marian. her former dairy COM
panion. is her maid. Alec returning after.
a night of dissipation, drunk, libidinous and
brutal. taunts and insults her. AS he stag
gers OF to bed a new figure appears. II is
Angel Glare, wan from illness. who has
searched Tess out. When she has told him
OF her life in few vivid sentences he wan
ders out dazed- Then occurs the murder of
Alec. the cause Of all her woes. by Tess
This is one of the most dramatic and thrill
ling scenes known to the stage. Clare
comes back after the deed and leads Tess
away. The last scene occurs at sunrise in
the ruined temple Of Stonehenge where
Tess and Clare are apprehended after their
cazed but happy wanderings. The play will
be cast as follows: Angel Glare. Forrest
robinson; Alec Stoke-D'Urberville, Fred
eric de Be!leville: John Durbeyfield. John
JACK; Abraham Durbeyfieh. Anna Vislaire.
Farmer Crick, James Morley: Jonathan
Wilfrid North: James, Frank Mccormack.
Tim, George Trader; Bail.ff, F. Mccormack:
Joan Durbeyfield. Mary E. Barker: Tess
Mrs Ftske; Liza Lu. Edith Wright. Ma,
ran, Mary Shaw; LIZ, Dorothy Chester.
Retty. Sydney Cowell.
NEW NATIONAL THEATER -Tbere
VIII De many elements Of interest to play-
goers OF this city in the revival next Mon
gay night at the National Theater of Sar-
aous intensely dramatic repertoire bv
americas foremost actress, Fanny Dayen
port. Monday and Wednesday evenings
VIII De presented La Tosca;' Tuesday
Fedora, and Cleopatra" Thursday. Fri
day, Saturday CNew Year,, matinee and
n:ght. Fanny Davenport has no sunerinr