The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-07
VIEWS OF STAGE AFFAIRS.
MAUDE ADIMs,S DELICATE dRT IN
1.-THE LITTLE MINISTER
Reasons Tor the Success or This Actress In ,.
NJ. Bnrrie'a Concdy-A Vaudeville Picce
That Recalls IVY slilIner's ~Biil'-CieScr
MnEIc-A Lnt Of Very EnuannI Acrnbnts.

VI dnrrie'a Comchy-A Vaudeville Picce
That Recalls Wy SlliIner's Blli'-Clevcr
MnEic-A Lot or Very Unusual Acrobnts.
Mnudc Adams WAS really scared on:the open
ing night of The Little Minister" and was ner.
vously unable to utilize all her talent Ii the first
halle OF tho play. Observations OF her performance
yesterday afternoon. however, detected no such
hindrance in the earlier scenes Of ]. NJ. Bar.
rie's comedy. Miss Adam9'5 temperament now
realizes the tantaiis!ng fascination and the elf.
ish charm Of Ludy BDbJic's character. Her
FIRST meeting with Gdrin is an occasion OF Saycty
and jest. She makes him ridiculous. while no
consents to blew the horn to arouse the sleeping
villagers of Thrums. and when, disguised in
Mamie Webstcr'S gown and second best cloak,
she compcls him to call her his wife before tho
soldiers, her own relief at having escaped arrest
seems no greater than her delight at the success
OF the prank, as it makes GGrin seem ridicu-
lous. That amuscs her as much as her rescue
satisfies her, and nothing could be more deli
cately indicated than these traits. Miss Adams
is now as variable and brilliant as quick
silver in these passages, and until tho second
act no element of coquetry Is developed. II has
that proportion OF flirting-to use the only word
which describes it-that conversation between n
man and a woman under such circumstances
must have, but there Is no indication Of any
thing like a deeper feeling until the scene at the
tea table in .Nannie's cottage. There BdGbie
enjoys his confusion as she makes the old wo-
man tell how he cherished the rose she gave
him. She adds to his confusion by the ironictl
respect with which she treats him, and not n
deeper note is heard back of her laughter and
her mock solemnity in the dominie's presence.
She Is all carelcssness, glee, and girlish happi.
ness. But the more serious sentiment shows
itself suddenly when Garin rises from the table
and 1t is evident that her raillery has wounded
htp, Than 10 has lirhF Hr,trN ~rraaan art--
thing as she crossed the stage and leaned pa.
thetically against the cupboard with her hand
share in making him ridiculous, even if nobody
Is there to witness 1t except old Mamie, who
does Northumberland it. Love may not have be-
itself. and Miss Adams could not indicate tho
sense Of that situation more plainly, II she were
to go UP and put, her arms around the mans
neck. What she does has the quality OF deli.
cato expressiveness.
When she seeks out the minister at the manse
and waves her lantern in front Of his study
window there has already come a still deeper
feeling into her heart. and, the ,pathos Of the
over the dominic, comes to seek him out, Is
evident in every movement with which she
him. Now Lady Bdbbie is very serious. almostr re-
m~orseful. and Miss Adams makes her as charm,
for only a short time. The delightful love
scene in her fathers castle shows her plain.
lively STRUGGLING between her love and what
dures only until she gets out OF the gypsy's
dress and into the gown OF Lady Barbara. In
the scene with her father she IS no longer the
Egyptian or the girl who has taken delight in
her tricks at the minister's expense. She be-
the force that is a surprise when it comes. from
gentle Mande adams, though there is a sng,
SestifG on OF Il it In in the the song When dssn she cnns slnEs At to 5he
are surprisingly powerful from a frail little
woman. Just. as unexpected is the flash of
and her Intention Of becoming his wife or no
mans. Her delight when. in the midst of her
| gravity 10 glee OF the kind which this actress
can indicate charmingly. There is only gayety
sometimes concealed and always kept in check,
although it finds a quaint and indetinab!e
Anal scene in with lady Bab9is's submit:
fingers beyond the bit of Duriessae that follows
it when the old people Of the church march in
to the music OF a piano, as though they were
rehearsing for Il comic opera or n burlcsquc.
That is discordant note, damaging 10 the
novel beauty OF the close OF the play, but 1t San
not spoil II. The delicate fragrance OF Miss
Adamss acting fingers too long and too po-
tently for that.
The weeks dramatic bi: at Kcith's Is a farci-
cal reminder OF My Milliner's Bill" It is
called "Extravagance." was written by Ida
May Ward. and Lillian Burkhart and Forrest
Flood are respectively a wife with a taste for
fnery and no head for practical affairs, and a
husband with a triaing note of $4,000 due and
no means outside a speculative account in the
stock market. To impress on his spouse the
need OF economy. the husband masquerades as
a sherif's deputy, and begins to carry OF house
| furnishings before the w.fe's eyes. During this
process a messenger brings word that the hus-
| bands POPULATION has won him lOO,OOO and
on this money .to-burn situation tho play closes.
Far greater than the interest it creates is that
| taken in the def slc!ght Of hand OF Servais Le
Roy, an unfamiliar magician. With face and
head made up like .Hephistophetes and the rest
OF him in a rusty dress suit, this man first ad.
dresses his audience in French, and then speaks
in English, in which Partisan and cockney &C.
cents wrestie on even terms. His inning or
slcight of hand il u very short one, but while
late Alexander Hermann. The Quickness Of
hand that deties the eye H. masked by a siSaula-
ton OF dcliberntion that Is very effective. He
performs one illusion that IS interesting. Raised
a foot above the floor is a box three feet square,
pended four feet above this is n similar box.
The back drop i3 ten feet away, and apparently
everything IL clear behind both boxes. The
magician steps into the lower box. closing is
doors, and in n moment n woman steps out OF
It. She pulls 10 the doors OF the upper box.
and a man. or dummy, looking very like lie Roy,
pops his or its head above its cover. Next the
magician is heard shouting IN the oentrn aisle.
and he soon ecramb!cs over the piano on 10 the
stage, wnen both boxes are apparently empty.
Eleven specialists arc in thei7 first week NJ
| American ment NJ inc Pleasure rance.
SIX Of thcse arc the Picchiani sisters, who tum-
BILE in skirts that reach almost to the floor.
Their hOdiCes arc low and sleeveless. When
first seen the women carry lOrgnCttcs. and hc.
/ fore their somersaults begin they eve each
other and the audience with the ianguid inter
est Of a member Of the 400 In a lIarrigan
drama. A dignihad man Of no trihine girth
watches over tho skirted ones, though for all
the help he seems to render lac might be a pic
ture on the drop behind him. but the women
do enough that IA novel to warrant their la
portation. A sample trick has one tumblcr
standing on another's shoulders, and lying
back toward the floor supported by tho topmost
one Ia a third woman. At n spring from the
lower two. the third turns a sOmersaulJ to the
lowest ones shoulders, tho middle woman
Jumping to tho ground. Again, q woman goes
whirling across tine stage In back ward soincr-
saults, To be caught in the middle III one turn
on the appraised hand Of one OF her companions.
and to be held there long enough for the strain
ing litter to add "A smile TO her other burdens.
OF hve women two stand on the .lIoulders of
two others, the fifth making IA line with the two
pairs thus made. backward somer.aulCs by
the upper two bring them TO the two pairs of
shoulders left vacant. The exercise that seems
most difficult involves a swapping OF footholds
by two, who are supported upright by their