Evening star., 1897-01-26
AMUSENEyTS.


New National Theater.-The career of
VIM. H. Crane, whose appearance at the
Nationa! Theater last night elected the
hearty welcome which always awaits him
here, is full of suggestions not only for the
American actor but for the American man
ager. He has demonstrated that 1t Is
wholly possible to produce results OF artistic
value with themes Indigenous to our own
soil, and without reliance upon importation
either in the authorship or the perform
ance of the work. An intelligent ana con-
sistent regard for the best traditions OF the
stage combine in Mr.. Cranes case with
ready appreciation of popular demand, and
the majority of his productions have been
entertaining without the sacrifice or dignity
which obliterates the artist and leaves only
the comic performer. AS IAN actor with
personality he has had unstinted praise.
In "A Fool of Fortune he claims earnest
commendation for his ability to suit the
individuality which piloted him to success.
Now and then the jovial JUNCTION of his
laugh causes the spectator who watches the
fortunes of Elisha Cunningham, Specu-
lator,' to be reminded of VIM. H. Crane,
comedian. but it Is only passing recogni-
ton. The company is one of great excel
1ence. F. F. Maokay as the villainous Wan
street manipulation, Edwin Arden as
wholly amiable French nobleman. Miss Eff
fie Shannon, Miss Dallas Tyler and Miss
Kate Lester were all admirable. Mr.. Boyd
Putnam bestowed handsome personality
upon the role of the love-making hero. Mr..
VIM. Boag whose work has BEEN watched
with the greatest interest, presents the
character of a countryman. gentle in ma
ture as he Is rugged in exterior, and shows
the same praiseworthy qualities which first
won him unanimous applause.
The play itself is scarcely entitled to close
consideration as specimen Of dramatic au-
thorship. 1t introduces Mr.. Crane and his
co-performers in characters to which they
are eminently adapted. The people of the
play are in the majority of cases delightful
departures from familiar prec cedent. MIR.
Crane himself with red hair, checked pam
falcons. and white spats, conforms to the
traditional ideal of the comic gentleman of
the piece. His first appearance on the stage
signals the fact that the audience is to
laugh with him; to love him perhaps, and to
weep with him if the occasion demands.
But nobody desires to go to the funeral of
this amiable average person, whose demise
is demanded neither by the logic of events
nor the sentiments of the audience. The
piece could he forgiven its redolence of
The Henrietta and other stock-ticker
plays. were it not for the unscrupulous
slaughter of the comedian to crafty, 1t may
be, whimsical impression that it Is al
ways true art to kill somebody in the last
act. The manner of securing the death OF
the speculator. who has weathered all the
storms of adversely, only to cast the gloom
of his obsequies over some very desirable
ar long g-deferred love matches is far from
facile Mr. Cunningham during the prog
ress of the last act goes out and INDUCES
in a lbatio at an adjacent bar room. And
v len, at the conclusion of his battle in the
market he sinks down, with his head on
the table, while a friend leans over him
with mortified expression, the auditor is
III able to determine whether 1t Is a case OF
heart failure the result of a famed insti-
tuition coloquially known as "knock-out
drops And the audience files out of
the theater, totally unable to render a
verdict OF justifiabie homicide, it seiZes upon
the Knockout theory, unpoetic as it iS
as the happier alternative, and tries to re-
joice in the thought that perhaps Mr.. Cum
bingham will wake up tomorrow morning.
feeling 4 little head-ache-y, perhaps, but
still ready to write a check on his re-estab-
lished bank account for the trousseaux of
his two charming daughters.
Lafayette Square Opera House.-Mr. e. s.
Willard is one of the best actors that Eng
land has seilt over to us. He first attracted
attention by his excellent performance of
Cyrus Blenkarn in 1.-The Middleman." and
then we saw him in Judah and in the
charming Professors Love Story Last
night he returned to this city after an alb
at the Lafayette Square Opera House in
Henry Arthur jones play The Rogue's
Comedy" in which, as Bailey Prothero. he
exhibited his great versatility and made a
pronounced applause and many curtain
calls On the part of the large and enthusi-
astic audience. The piece is written in Mr..
Jones best vein, and many of the speeches
are keenly satirical. 1t is thoroughly Eng
lsh in its flavor and in less competent
hands would drag before an American au-
dence; but Mr.. Willard and his associates
SO thoroughly identify themselves with the
characters that the action is remaTka bly,
smooth, and even much of the talkiness is
forgiven becarse it is done so we'll In the
leading role Mr.. Willard has part that
fits him like glove. He is the easy-going
re- adj
derstand that his graduation from a conf
| dence man into a fake clairvoyant Is the
| natural result of a simple change of cir
cumStanceS and surroundings. His SeanceS
| in the first act are very cleVerly done, as
| is also his dinner at his chambers IN the
| second act; but in his scene with his wife
| afterward his true nature is shown to the
| best advantage and there IS something
| pathetic in his tenderness to the woman
| who has clung to him and been mis- assist
| ant in all his schemes. Back Of his belief
| however, that all men are fools, and that he
| is made to play upon them is his regard
| for his son, whom he abandoned in his
| childhood and who has grown to be an up
! right, honest man and successful lawyer
| and his final self-sacrifice that the young
| man may not know his fathers past and
| NAY marry the girl of his choice has some.
thing of the tragic in it that affects the
| spectator strongly. Throughout the play
Mr.. Willard was admirable, his portrayal
| of the character being thoroughly consist
| ent and highly artistic in all it's details
Miss Olga Brandon was effective in tht
part of Mrs. Prothero, who had posed as G
/ spinster and the companion of Lady Dover
green in order to assist him in his pretended
| clairvoyant experiments. Mr.. Harry Can,
made quite good part out of Bob Cush
ing. former pal Of Prothero when the,
| were both members Of a confidence gang
| and Mr.. Oswald Yorke was sufficient,
moral and straight-laced as George Lam
bert, Prothero's son. Others who desery,
mention are Bromley Davenport as Si
Thomas Dcvergreen; Geroge Castor, al
Lord John Bucklow: Percy Winter, as tn,
Marquis of Bicester, and Miss Agnes Pal
n.er, as Nina Clarabut. The piece will b.
repeated tonight and at the matinee to
morrow.
Columbia Theater.-Last night was a de
cidedly cold one for The Cherry Pickers
to be abroad in the land. but they were
and the Columbia was comfortably file
to hear for the first time this interestin
melodrama. written by Joseph Arthur Th
play Is In four acts, the scene being laid i
lndia-not the occult India Of Mr.. Mario
| Ora wfOrd huf the Tornnv AfLfpS T,di, /,