The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-28
NEW AT THE P%LAYHOUSES.
MAJ ADAMS COMES FORWARD At
THE HEAD OF A COMPANY.

ss DrauAtisea ~ Mr.. Bnrrie--Anotacr Gay
Mus,cai Farce In "The French Maid ~
At Roster & Bial's-A Music HAIL In Harlem
Tho enthusiasm over Maude Adams at the
Empire Theatre last night was remarkable. 1t
was we'll enough known to followers Of theatri.
calls in this city that she was . fnvorite actress,
with a winsone personality, q dainty
method, q sweet manner. and consider.
able talent: but even the long accus.
toned attendant upon new ventures Of the
stage was not prepar d for any such ovation as |
was given to her upon her debut us q "star."
Che was Applauded upon her emergence |
two minutes by the watch. and that
IL far longer than anybody who has not
timed sutM things would suppose. At
tn, end OF the first act, before either the new
play or Miss Adams's part in it had amounted
TO anything in particular. the curtain had to DO
raised four times to answer the demand of
the enthusiasts. A large number of young
mrh-they seemed like q hundred at
least, and were distributed through the
crowded audience-led these outbreaks and con-
tiuuonces Of noise. They did much harm to tho
occasion. these OVERRIDING friends. because they
pilenced the moro discriminate admirers of the
actress for awhile and left them to become
pleased the more slowly by what she did to do
serve their commentator.
However. 1t was q real and indisputable tri-
umph which Miss Adams won. She played the
heroine In q comedy made by J. NJ. Barrie
out Of his novel. The Little Minister
the stage version starting from the book
and departing widely from it In story.
In the play, Lady Babbie Is the daughter
Of Lord Rintaui. She goes in gypsy
guise to warn the striking weavers of the
movement OF the soldiers against them. She
encounters Garin Dishdrt. the young minister,
IN Tho voode while on this errand. and, to escape
Identification, declares herself his wife. They
meet again. and their mutual love is acknowl-
edged to each other, but il is not
until they are thrown together at her castle
home that he learns who she really is. In the
meantime his congregation believes that he is
involved in a scandslous, affair with a,despised
gypsy, girl. and they make ready to denouncs
turns out that the ninisterlis already married,
the! tho, the, a%ISs,, are 5 6asrS,sr ao of " isrd to The iSs
deinise. They contain good scenes and
poor ones, some that seem ,srcical and some
GENTLY stamp the character of the work. But
the last two acts are admirable comedy. racy
mot devoid Of theatrical eleverness, and. above
al. quite suitable for the starring purposes
Mss Ms 'l hss%sis sssssss Was ssilsvsd in the
.ese.s Mhsrein n, WITH t.sa a a., rare n blend of, Of n a. ,Ss
maSrimoniai trap into which he lad fallen.
and %obeiient vito, into the arms. OF her
accadeptN yet ardent husband. She had been
ntmlcfy !, the Oresenaef gypsy, but as
Inc OF comedy, consistent with her per
s%onslity and ability, she treated the matter
ELECTS with it. It cannot be said that she
M Mas f bs9sI.. he His S Of hi9 ID sse create hsi hey sy
succeeded nor failed emphatically. But
# provided 2 role which, Tith + the quSlia Leaf ions
enable her to fare well with her audiences. 1t
is well, put upon the stage. the cast being ads-
SONS, and the management of the stage praise
worthy.
"The French Maid" which was new to this
country and to tb Herald Square Theatre last
night, 10 another musical farce OF the kind
which enjoys popularity at present hero. and it
In Its attempt at o connected story and
itsa, oombilatiun of; tho elements of farce
and ~buSIssque. Tho French Maid" proved
o mildly diyerting entertainment in parts. but
as o whole 1t was coloriess, and never grew at
any time very, very good, while 1t was, more
over, never horrid. Tho thunders of customary
hrst-nixhta applause were somewhat mutfied. but
that did not diminish the enthusiasm Of the act
ors in repeating whatever they had done. They
were not only willing but anxious to give all of
the spectators what only two or three had indi.
Gated Q desire TO hear again. Evidently the
tradition sIill fingers in some managerial minds
that the number of ths encores is an
evidence Of q new .play's success. So
tho recalls may be encouraging. even
Maid" may remain at the Herald Square
Theatre. e. Rice is a master hand at working
from from 1% 7 PITfsIn hsEd Sss tbaa Usual he IN VIII thi sac css To-
and there hsro Is among n his plMSy rnS NO 0b sac aid 1 for
Herbert and Clara Lipman did not. Last night
most Of the spontsn co. a. a. iRRien1ent c was SS sused
some that was q little more labored, and 1t would
have s been !, more Or eel sh Get . II shSFs had Sssh some bim
But John Gourlay mad scapt oppor,Hnities and
H.llen Mostyn very little hui humo or,v henry tbn p NoTi
zoe" and Eat to help him out. and George
Honey's e0niS Gni2ment vas ABOUT Frs as hgG an
do II their zee" and Eat" were denied to
On the spindle side there were Marguerite
sylys who was conely and ~ - possibly possibly
sli ssssS SvsFs5a sasih 1T the the d SlTe e II in Tii y OF
shsdoy:d IN looks b 1.aa a :, W ,hdpsip wss a aSs
bert f, Ts5 ,G p4oHed B BcW do%iG an. anS c aHa be es when
the customary Rice chorus. which means that
It's members are all right as to appearance and
The french Maid" has two long acts % and
intolsrsbly stupid las. night, ons seems
10 in ths courtyard OF e hotel at Boui0Sa.
at night. Both OF these views were
slightly and in both of them the complications OF
several pairs of lovers and married people fur
nisn the action. There were several stories In
the plece, which suffers from 3 bad enlargement
of the plot. But nobody understood that enC
after q while ceased to try to. Some Of tho lyrics
notably the twin song. were supplied with un
commonly clever words, but none OF them VA
better than the two written by Donald Nc
Gregor and A.. A. Powers. two Colq m6ia Golief'
undergraduates The music by Walter Siaugh
ter was striking in no respect, and Herman Per
lot conducted Il with spirit. Basil Hood wrot
Mai" had no distinct power to amuse or bore
IT, costumes were far below the average q o
not remarkable nor are their opportunities
But T. E. Rice has twisted less hopsfui materia
into success. go "The French Maid" may hay
achance. Last night the dancing of Sahare
was the most applauded feature.