Evening star., 1897-01-21
AMUsEaaENTs.


Richard Mansfield gave two performances
| at the Lafayette Square Opera House yes
terday. presenting in the afternoon his new
play, Castle sombras." The piece is not
the dismal affair that one had been led to
believe 1t was from the notices In the New
York papers, but Is rather q cynical, ro-
mantle comedy. The hero Is hardly in Mr..
Mansfteld's line. and the part will not prove
one OF his successful ventures. At night
Gloster in Richard III" The Ilay was
sumptuously mounted, and as production
it was perhaps the finest presentation Of
this tragedy that has ever been seen in
ton had been given both as to scenic and
costume details. and the stage pictures were
something to be warmly praised. Mr.. Mans
flelds impersonation of Richard has i'm
proved since 1t was first given here, some
seven years ago, but 1t is still uneven.
There are passages which are equal to any
that have been given by those who have
become famous In this part, and there are
others which are so wide departure from
the traditional lines that, while they exhibit
originality on the part Of the actor. can
hardly be accepted as correct. The large
number Of characters required In this play
tested the resources of Mr.. Mansfield's 8 COM
pany and 1t is sufficient to say that all the
parts were well sustained. Miss Beatrice
Cameron made a handsome and effective
Lady Anne, and Mr.. Jewett was a manly
Richmond.
Tonight Mr. Mansfield will appear in
"Beau Brummel," in which he Is seen at
his best. and which Is one OF his happiest
efforts.
showed his versatility and his adaptability
for romantic work by his excellent perform
ance of Claude Melnotte in Bulwers Lady
Of Lyons at the New National Theater
yesterday afternoon. This is play that
always attracts more ladies than gentle
men, and the general rule was not departed
from in the character of the audience yes
terday afternoon. Mr.. SINNERS work In
this role win compare favorably with those
Of the former period who are best remem-
bered in the part, and that he pleased his
audience was fully manifest by the ap-
plause he received. Tonight Mr.. Skinner
will appear in Romeo and Juliet"
Columbia Theater.-Modern minstrelsy is
making great strides to the fore, and the
aggregation of black and white face talent
ed entertainers, headed by Al. q. Field
that last evening, at the Columbia inca
ter, gave its first production In TINS city
stands in close proximity to the top of the
ladder. The company Is large, both as re-
CARDS numbers and ability; 1t is richly cos
TUNED. and the entertainment Is all that
Gould be desired, judging from the enthu-
siastic applause of an audience that filled
the house, Notwithstanding the decidedly
unpropitious state of the weather The
first part, particularly pleasing to the eye.
was styled THE Court of Momus." There
were at least dozen bones and tambos,
In red satin costumes. The interlocutor
and balladists were in court attire OF white,
with white faces, while the thoroughly eff
cent orchestra, in black satin, formed a
harmonious background. Then there were
kings pages, testers and guards. Dan
Quinlan was an ideal interlocutor, while
Al. Field, Lew Suly. Neil O'Brien and
Matt Diamond looked after the bulk of the
work on the ends. The latest ballads were
sung by Will Walling, j. w. Norton, James
Bradley and Harry Fielding, and comic
songs by Neil O Brien, Lew Sully and AL.
Field The olio consisted of really excel
lent features. 1t was opened by Eddie
Fox with a solo and several clever imita-
tions on the violin. The club swinging of
Ollie Young has never been surpassed in
this city. A characteristic and realistic
game of base ball between the Darktowns
and the Slapjacks, intended as a satire on
the national game. with Lii Hung Chang in
the person of AL. Field the umpire.
brought down the house. Lew Sully, In
monologue, was more than amusing, while
a dance Of the brownies, participated IN by
the majority Of the company, was a reveia-
ton in the acrobatic and terpsichorean
lines. Bogert and O'Brien, in musical
specially. were unusually original and
mirth-provoking. and Apollo, in a slack
wire exhibition, was in reality wonder.
Vocal selections by the AL. G. Field Octet,
In costume, introducing the Madrigal Quar-
tet, consisting of young boys from the
Notre Dame Cathedral, and also stereopti-
con views, were well received. The enter
tdiIIHent concluded WIN q SlQe-Spl1tttng
comedy entitled the "Darktown Circus"
interpreted by Clayton and Jenkins and a
remarkably educated donkey, Jasper that
acted its part as well as did thesmen.
'Humors of Parliamentary Humors
Of Parliament one of the sketches
English artist-entertainer, will appear
at the Columbia Theater next week.
Is an amusing reproduction of humor-
GUS Incidents and scenes in the British
The description of session of parlia-
ment is illustrated by hundreds Of Mr.
Furniss' cartcature sketches of eminent
British statesmen, many of whom are also
as they appear while speaking entering or
leaving parliament. &c. Nothing funnier
has ever been given in the form of an en-
tertainment than Mr.. Furniss impersona-
Gladstone, 1.-THE Member for Ballyhooley''
and other prominent characters in parlia-
ment. At the same time the instructive
feature has not been neglected. and
clean idea Is given in detail Of the methods
OF conducting public business in the Brit
ish national legislature.
Champion Fancy skater.-Mr. Meaeher
the champion fancy and figure skater of
the world, gave his second exhibition of the
week at the Convention Hall Ice Palace
last night, changing his program Of move
ments and presenting some entirely new
figures. Mr.. Meagher's repertoire Of fig
ures amounts to about 800 movements, and
he will, on account Of the change of pro-
gram nightly, be able to give the most of
them before the close Of this week. Last
night his audience was half again as large
az 1t was Monday evening, and 1t Is safe
to presume that there will be an increase
every evening during the week. Mr..
Meagher's exhibition lasted last night for
over a half hour, and In that time he gave
a program Of figures and difficult feats
which probably goes beyond anything ever
seen in this country. or, In fact, in any
other. New field movements were intro
duced last night, which showed that Mr..
Meagher Is q true master Of all the science
Of the edge. and which for skill and daring
surpassed anything that has been put be-
fore the public by any fancy skater. Mr..
Meagher's exhibition tonight will be given
with an entire change Of program.
The Cinematographe.-One Of the most
interesting and pleasing, as well as in
structive entertainments which the people
Of Washington have had within their reach
for q long time, is the cinematographe ex-
hibition at Willard Hall. The beauties of
the cinematographe have not yet become
familiar to the amusement-loving WASH
ingtenians, but when they are better un-
derstood the exhibition will doubtless at
tract the liberal patronage It deserves. For
those who are not familiar with the cinem-
atcgraphe 1t may be explained that 1t Is
mechanism by which photographs Of an
innate and moving objects are thrown upon
a screen and tha movements are reDrO.