Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-30
AMUSEM ENTS.

THE NATIONAL.-Another great play by
the master playwright, Sardou, was pre-
scented at the National Tuesday night by
Miss Fanny Davenport, assisted by Mr.. Mel
bourne Mcdowell and her excellent COM
pany Of players. In Fedora Miss Daven-
port essays a character more vigorous In
tone, If not more profound in passion.
than she does in LA Tosca," the play of
Monday. Subtlety is not so much the part
OF the Russian as 1t Is Of the Roman. and
We have Miss Davenport in character
which, in her effort to present at its full
value, is sometimes marred by over effect.
1t is excusable, Of course. for 1t is a great
character, and great characters are not
amenable to the laws of the calm and
lcwly.
Mr.. Mcdowell as Loris Ipanoff Is robust
and virile, and he compares not unfavora-
bly, with the first and greatest Of those
who have taken the part in this country,
Mr.. Mantell. Mr.. Mcdowell Is a handsome
man, and Fedora's lover was that. The
support IN general was excellent, and the
play was enjoyed by a fine audience.
Last night Miss Davenport repeated her
splendid Interpretation Of La Tosca," and
Cleopatra. AS Cleopatra" is long play
the management requests that the audience
Will be in their seats at o'clock sharp.
DAMON AND PYTHIAs."-The ORA
matte Association Of Gonzaga College pre-
sented Damon and Pythias" to an au-
dience that crowded Gonzaga Hall to the
doors last night, the event being the regu-
lar Christmas entertainment of the school.
The production, taken as a whole, was
creditable one, and the way in which it
was mounted, both with regard to scenery
and costumes, deserves special notice. The
cast of characters was generally we'll TAX
en-, Mr.. Martin T. Conboy as Damon car
ryins off the honors of the evening. c.
Hugh Duffy as Pythias stood a close sec
ond to him in this regard. Both showed
their respective roles and deserved the
hearty applause that they received. John
j. Turner as Dionysius, w. Todd Fox as
Crythes and Henry A. Hegarty as Medon
were good, while smaller parts, Entrusted to
George A. Lansdale, Thomas b. Eckloff.
Fl. Stanislads Lynch, Ernest E. Brisco,
Henry l. Quinn, John P. Meagher. Walter
!. Plant and Francis ]. Demer. were we'll
club who participated in the play were
James F. Marley, James P. Ryder, Michael
]. Leahy, Francis E. Harrington, Robert
J. Green, John ). Madigan, Frederick L.
Devereux. William H. Shea. William a.
Shreve, William J. Regain and John A.
Breen.
WILLIAM H. CRANE.-William H. Crane,
the comedian, comes to the National The
alter next Monday, when his engagement
will serve a three-fcld purpose-t will
make known "A Virginia Courtship,"
comedy that Is credited with having had
an overnowing measure of success in all
of the cities in which 1t has been seen;
II will introduce as an author one OF the
best-known stage directors in the country,
and it will afford the public an opportunity
of renewing the acquaintance of come
dian who has worked hard and done much
in giving good and legitimate entertain
ments in the past. "A Virginia Courrship,'
1t Is said. will prove satisfying to the
or me frtn y,1G for- fI,~ %I,x
will show him in a part that fits him like
glove 1t gives him opportunity for that
breezy buster in which he is always so
effective, and enables him to show the
touch of the genuine comedian in the little
bits of sentiment with which the character
is studded. The play is what is known as
costume comedy, the dresses worn being
those of the Georgian period. The period in
which the action is set is 1915. a time when
many Of the arstocrats of the old do
minion affected the dress. manners and
customs of the European courts. In the
play Mr.. Crane is seen as Major Fairfax
and his supporting company, claimed to be
the best he has ever headed, includes Miss
Annie Irish. Miss Percy Haswell, Walter
Hale, Boyd Putnam, William Boag and
Percy Brooke.
MIR RICHARD MANSFIELD.-Mr Rich
ard Mansfield will inaugurate his coming
engagement at the Lafayette Square Opera
House, which is limited to one week only,
d,
II augural production in this city of his
latest and highly successful play, by G.
Bernard Shaw. 1.-The Devils Disciple"
Since the days of Beau Brummell," it is
such success as he has found in this play,
which ran for many weeks during Mr..
Mansfield-s long engagement at the Fifth
Avenue Theater. New York. THE DEVILS
dramatic novelties OF the season. The
action of THE Devils Disciple" Is laid in a
New Hampshire village in 1T!7, invading
the neglected ground Of the American revo-
luton. TIE man whose nickname furnishes
the startling title is Richard Dudgeon,
young daredevil rebel. Returning home to
inherit his fortune. he meets with his
mothers curse, because. though a scape-
grace son. he has not been cut off with
penny A Presbyterian minister invites him
to his house to warn him that he is in
danger Of being hanged as a spy. During
the visit he is called out, leaving Dick with
the minister's young wife. Enters some
British soldiers. rot after Dick, it seems,
but the reverend gentleman. Not knowing
the difference, for he has hung his coat by
the fire to dly, they seize Dick, and he is
Just reckless enough to put on the minis
ter's coat and go off to the gallows with
a show of heroism. When the minister
learns OF the mistake he is coward enough
to leave town without rectifying It. His
wife falls In love with Dick for his sacri-
nee, follows him to prison, and exposes her
husbands deception at the trial. but can
not save Dick from death sentence. He
Is rescued eventually, however, at the very
gallows by no less a person than the min
lister, who, having enlisted, arrives on the
spot with goodly number of American
troops. THE Devils DISCIPLE is announced
for production Monday, Tuesday and We'd
nesday evenings and at the Saturday NATL
nee; IA Partisan Romance" Thursday
evening: Beau Brummell," Friday evening
and DIR. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde" Saturday
evening. The sale opens at the box office
tomorrow morning.
my FRIEND FROM INDIA."-The
smyth and Rice Comedy Company. pre-
senting that reigning success, my Friend
From India" which is announced for the
Columbia Tkeater next week, have enioyed
most prosperous career since the original
production Of the comedy. This bright
farce is unquestionably far superior to any
that has been given TO the stage in years
IT possesses plot that can justly be term
ed eXcruciating. 1t is written around a
subject that is new to the stage and which
oners the greatest latitude. Then, again
the company is such an admirable one. In
TACT, II would have been a difficult task to
nave secured more versatile cast. Origi.
naHty is at a premium in these days Of
constant imitation, and that, perhaus
largely accounts for the great success of
the piece everywhere. Comedies of this
a nho bo