The sun., 1897-04-27
PLAYS IN FUN OR SERIOUS.
,,ur CIRCUS GIRL" AND " THE ISLE
GOLDn SERIOUS.

,.-usmmerstein's Roof earden Opened.
a.. noro example OF musical farce, q kind of
'.stsinment fashionable these several years
eI.rdon. and sometimes acceptable here has
W. importcd to Daly's Theatre, where It was
s.s,orc,ed last night by an American company.
~, latest output OF stage foolery was
.n.a "Tho Circus Girl" and 1t was
-, .s mirthtul as some of It's predecessors, DIFF
I.,,s essentially from any OF them in method
manner. 1t had a plot about the amours of
.,,cus performers and others. and n definite
-, a, typical characters, in these respects
s....p,ing at least q semblance of dra-
,..to form. But the matter often became
..,r.yAganza, or like some Of the modern comic
sa.r.s II projected an English family into
p.r,sian gayeties, placing tho members at
!. boulevard restaurant. in tho anteroom
A. circus in police station, and
Al A masked ball. or course, this story
!. mt worth telling. nor had tho authors
r,,snt It to be- They had intended to DO wildly
,on,ensical, that was clear, and no doubt had
.rdeayored to be funny, too. No less than six
A these authors were named In the
MI James T. Tanner and w. Palings
h.a made tho dialogue. Ivan Caryl and
Ijonsl Monckton tho music and Harry Green
h.,t and Adrian Ross tho verses Besides that,
the acknowledgment was printed that some Of
N. scenes had been derived from a French piece,
and IL was known that Joseph w. Herbert had
,rsd his hand at sharpening tho English wit for
American use
Notwithstanding tho various authorships Of
sThe Circus Girl" the outcome was not nearly
Altogether good entertainment. There were
merry minutes, but they wero fewer than
those which were DULY sober; The nom
IL silly Some of this disappointment
sn comeal mo 10 SSSgh.sr Ss James
einia Earle was highly diyerting: Nancy Nc
intosh sang delightfully."-, but had been cruelty
a:Gne asGass Gyri Scott was easy and polished, but
misplaced in such piece. The production was
to nook ana d on nv dano
ing was graceful.
"Pharaoh's Daughters" new fve-act play
br Mrs Edwin Knowles. was produced last
night at the Park Theatre In Brooklyn. The
theatre was crowded with an audience that was
ulainly inclined to friendliness. but there were
other causes for the aniable reception the spec
tstors gave the play. 1t contained some bright
speeches and several Of its scenes were interest
ing, while the story, If conventional, contained
the popular proportion Of sentimental and hu-
morous qualities. OF tho five acts three were
laid in Colorado mining camp and two in New
York city.
The two heroines Of Mrs. Knowless play were
thedaughters Of an actor whose first name was
Pharaoh. He was stranded In the West, and
while one OF his daughters remained with him.
the other went to New York and continued TO bo
an actress there. There were other characters
n"Pharaohs Daughters" who had beon ON tho
stage and the result was that their talk fire.
Quently took on q theatrical tone that was
rather too professional for the enjoyment Of an
ordinary audience. But the retired comedian.
whose conversation was chiefly made up OF
Ghakespearean quotations, was an amusing
figure for any public. The unfortunate love Of
one Of the girls for q married man, the brave ef-
forts Of her sister in bringing about her subse-
girl with young English lord were the principal
themes OF Mrs. Knowless play; They were
eps1s sn1sa rive o sod the close
the spectators, and the close Of every act was
supplied with stirring tableau Probably tho
third act, when the girl who has been seeking
for genuine vein Of silver finally learns that
Inn @ieed ted os.e wealth. Mary shaws forcbie and
most Impressive in the play. There were mum.
awoman's light and graceful humor.
The play was in the main well acted. Mary
Of a mining camp was delightfully."- easy and
spontaneous In her comedy scenes, and the
sraver moments Of the play she treated with
shown such lightness and humor as comedienne.
olive Oliver as the loving and disappointed sister
@iaeiai Spe and coDvsntionai emit passaees. The mel
sncholy and inhexible personality Of John Z.
Ksllard cast gloom over the performance.
dArd, Thomas Hunter. E. A. Locke, and others
helped the capable performance Of the drama.
probably the best feature of the play, and this
!dvantage in the love scenes between the titled
Engishman and the uncultivated Western
lctress The old comedian, the miners. tho New
York actress. the antiquated negro servant, and
% tho action moi Of t the play. Mrs. Knowles was
eAllsd before the curtain after the third act.
All departments Of tho Olympia were in use
last evening, audiences gathering In tho music
hall and in the theatre. and the big roof garden
came into service at the end Of the music
hall programme. Tho medium with which
the theatre was recovered from its long
period Of disuse was tho three-act musi-
cal burlesque. "The Isle of Gold" which
was new In this city. though 1t had had
an unsatisfactory trial in Brooklyn. A very
liberal supply Of music had been provided for 1t
BY Herman Perlet. and 1t had good measure of
lunefulness. Recalls for its airs were plentiful
and deserved, and the appeal made to tho eye
ny tho scenery and by tho costumes of the
chorus women was strong one. But the story.
slender as it was. lacked sadly In enter
aiming qualities. Intervals between vocal num-
oers and dances were very short, in many cases
being filled only with q squib or two. but the
quality OF this alleged fun was not sufficient ex-
euSe even for tho short time It filed. A poet.
aWeak copy Of Bunthorne. was planned to
make comic climax. with the statement that
az verses sold at SO the yard, the last member
lhe race OF American Indians was watched
Ner solicit itously by his Indian agent, who feared
mat his charge would drink himself to death,
sha plumber was made to dethrone a king, the
~ ~ TWO topics being strung out through three
sSenwithout furnishing more than the faintest
Stsree OF amusement Little Egypt and the
IMhher at which she gained notoriety were
siuded to In one song, and delicate treatment
Va provided for the excise law by the highly
original comment that "it never Raines but It
oafs One industrious and heavily handi-
apped comedian when greeted with "There
sou are J! and q blow that sent him staggering.
,s!orted, mo, here am." and Of such was tho
sSerrtment. oifsetting such frayed foolery SO
nr I as they could were pleasing melodies and in.
ssaaioas ssa oontriving in tho way OF novel dances
BY pE1Se Setss were badly missed One attSmPt to sup
cSs,sa So end Of the SECOND act and brought tho
CAV snaaE ~ an American flag: Then a portrait OF
M JLsn Grant was lowered from tho fly loft, and
~ ~ response from the audience was hearty.
m kaN..t ia NlaAV