Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-21
ADJUSTMENTS.

NEW NATIONAL TaEATER-The audi
ence at the New National Theater last
night accorded an enthusiastic welcome to
the second play from the pen Of Mr.. George
H. Broadhurst which Washington has seen
this season. While what Happened to
Jones" suffers some by comparison. both
in the matter Of authorship and of cast, 1t
is a wonderfully jolly and ingenious enter
tainment; one which fully rewarded the
people who attended last night. In plot 1t
Is clever and consistent to praiseworthy
degree. 1t amuses more by Its intrinsic
fun than by the energetic endeavors of the
company to prevent any possible halt in
the action. 1t was sometimes that, in spite
of the palpable efforts to be funny than
because OF them, the audience laughed last
night. Mr.. Broadhurst has the facility of
a chef in blending old ingredients into new
and palatablc forms. The old gentleman,
who has gone on a lark and fears the con-
sequences at home, is familiar as the
irresponsible young man who finds him
self required to assume the gdiSe of clerical
dignity. Both of them are present, but so
neatly arranged are the surprises that the
impression of triteness does not assert it.
self. The novelty in character was cou-
tributed by Miss Matte Ferguson, who
unprecedented a Swedish servant girl with
calm, imperturbable humor that was i'm
mensely enjoyable. Mr.. George G. BOni-
face is Jealous in his portrayal Of the
who carries playing cards as a side line,
and whose escapades and embarrassments
give foundation for the title Of the play.
Anna Belmont was all attractive and viva
cIOus young woman. But the charm of the
piece was not in it's character deineation;
neither was it in symmetrical construction.
1t was in the lavish succession of incidents
which seemed to tumble from mental
cornucopia; whose supply was shut on
merely out of Difference to public convent
ence and not because the authors resources
had come to an end or because the story
called for a denouement. What Happened
to Jones' is a rollicking procession Of lu-
dicrous events, held together by genuinely
bright conversation and interpreted by
company which does not fall below the
average.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
Lovers of dramatic situations and fire.
quent climaxes will derive satisfaction
from witnessing Augustus Pitou's produc-
ton of Franklin Fyles' Cumberland 81
at the Lafayette Square Theater. Its pres
entation in Washington last night for the
first time was made before a, small audi
ence and one more apt to regard the melo-
dramatic climaxes with smile than with
clamorouS applause. The general theme OF
the story has been time worn in other plays
than Cumberland 81, but the author has
endeavored to reinforce it by weaving into
ii the threads Of two minor plots, a Ken
lucky vendetta and the vengeance of
diSowned half-breed son.
Cumberland 81 is war play, beginning
with romance at West Point and reality at
the front. OF course. the hero and heroine
find their sympathies arrayed with the OPP
posing factions of the great civil struggle.
their troubles being increased by having
inherited the feud between their families.
The scene Of action shifts rapidly from the
peaceful shores of the Hudson to the Willis
of Kentucky, where q marriage ceremony
is performed under the stress of war time
circumstances between the heroine and the
villain in a dismantled church by the glare
of a bonfire. The true lover arrives upon
the scene too late for the ceremony, but IN
time to be captured by the enemy and
threatened with being hung as spy. The
scenic hit of the play is burning bridge.
realism being given to the effect by the
use of steam for smoke and liberal utiliza-
ton of red fire.
The members OF the company deserve
praise for the efficient manner in which
they performed their parts. There is some
excellent material in the cast, especially in
the younger portion of it. Lionel Barry
more Adolphus Drayton Lenox, a West
Point cadet and afterward lieutenant in
the United States army; John L. kellerd
as Dirk kansett the half-breed son of Col
Murdoch; Viola Black as Pink Victor, the
daughter of the Missouri widow; Alvin
Drehle as Rance, a kentuckian, and Flor
ence Rockwell as Alice Ainsley, the noun
taineers daughter, took the parts of the
young people in the play. Charles c. Craig
taineer; w. ]. Ferguson as John Lenox all
idle New Yorker; Frank Losee as Col. Muir
dock. and Edgar L. Davenport as Gordon
Grayne, a cadet lieutenant. filled the prin-
cipal male roles, while Amelia Summer
Vile took the part of Mrs. Victor, the Mis-
souri, widow. Mile Sackett as Nanny
Hans, Richard Webster as Uncle Absalom.
S. X. Chester as Manning. the chaplain,
and Richard Malschen as Zeb, Kentuck-
ian, completed the cast.
ACADEMY OF MUSIC-"A Hot Old
Time as presented by the Rays at the
Academy of Music last night was as en-
joyable a conceit of the kind as has been
seen at that playhouse for some time. The
farce Is nothing more than a vehicle to car
ry along the exceptional abilities of Johnny
Ray and his wife and the other members of
the company in the fun making line, but it
caught the fancy of the audience from the
beginning, and 1t is no misnomer to say
the play was one continuous laugh. John
ny Ray is one of the cleverest Irishmen in
the business, and, with his wife, made a
team on the vaudeville stage that could not
be beaten. In their first season as stars
they have already made a reputation. The
audience that was present fully attested
the popularity of the Rays, for, although it
was a rainy night, the house was crowded
from orchestra to the last row in the gal
lery The Rays are supported by a conf
pany that Is eminently satisfactory in
every detail. There are chances given for
Marshall and Nelson, Bernard Dyllyn, Gil
bert Girard and Miss Claffiin secured en-
thusiastic encores for bright turns The
best work, after that of Johnny Ray was
done by Mr. Saylor. who had the hard job
of counterfeiting Rays makeup and his
actions. but he did it well. The situations
based on this dual role. as 1t seemed to be-
were extremely funny and made up the
principal part of the action. Mr.. Leach
also did some good work, but, as stated
above, the whole company was above the
average. "A Hot Old Time may be de-
pended this week to draw some of the
largest crowds to the Academy Of the sea-
son.
GRAND OPERA HOUSE.-"McCarthy's
Mishaps," with its breezy witticisms, with
its Irish jokes. ofttmes mixed in with
gel uine Irish bulls, with its catchy topical
songs and graceful, fancy dancing, was the
attraction which provoked the mirth of a
large audience at the Grand Opera House
last night. Besides the mshaps of Mr.
Mccarthy. which seems to De the only con
netting thread In the way of plot running
through the three acts, there are interpo-
lated a number Of highly entertaining spe-
cialties. which all conduce to the making
of an entertaining vaudeville performance
Barney Furguson, in the leading part, has
lost none of the artistic cunning which has
made the character attractive for two
thousand nights. Sam Ryan, his principal