Evening star., 1897-03-20
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cluding Marie Wainwright, Alice Evans,
Grace Mae Lamkin, Forrest Robinson, By
rom Douglas. Edwin Wallace. Joseph Allen,
Joseph Callahan and others of note: also
that grand old man of the stage, c. w.
Couldock, who Is loved by ALL When Mr..
Lackaye concluded to star he was very
particular in the selection of his play.
ard "Dr. Belgraff," which is from the faci,e
pen of Mr.. Charles Klein, was chosen
from among the many that had been sub
m;tted to him. There is marked simllari-
ty between the characters of DR.. Belgraff
and Svengali. Each acquired by hypno-
tism power over weak-minded victims.
Du Mauriers character employed his art
to secure power and wealth: klein's doc
tor uses it to save himself from a felon' 8
death. DIR. Belgraff is an eccentric scien-
tist- locked up in his laboratory, devoting
the best years of his life to scientific re-
search. The pride of his existence Is an
only sister a girl of frivolous tastes, with
an all-consuming desire to be leader of
fashion Sir Godfrey Langdon. a con-
summate scourdrel. sees Bertha Belgraff
ard marks her for his victim. BY pander-
ing to her taste for social superiority Sir
Godfrey accomplished her downfall. and
the bisken-hearted scientist swears that
he will be revenged.
Sir Godfrey has a beautiful sister. as
good, as pure, as noble-hearted as he is
wicked DIR. Belgraff concocts a scheme to
ruin Agnes Langdon il. revenge for the ruin
of his sister. But his better nature OBJ
tains the ascendency and these dark
thoughts crushed out. The villainous
Ietrayer returns to the house of Belgraff
to taunt him. and in moment of intense
passion the scientist strikes Godfrey dead
at his feet. Agnes Langdon. passing the
scene of Belgraff's crime with a lighted
candle, observed plainly the victim and his
slayer. To save himself Belgraff Is forced
to keep Agnes in a constant state of hyp-
notism, and the suspicion of the murder
falls upon Gerald Fenton, who aaarreled
with Geoffrey just prior to his death. Ger
no ted Of T
don. but placed under hypnotic influence
by Belgraf she denounces Fenton as the
murderer. The end comes when the scien-
tist no longer exert his influence over
the girl, and the story of the murder is
told in all of its detail. Belgraff takes
poison to save his neck from the nang-
man and the other characters are made
happy. The usual matinees will be given
Wednesday and Saturday.
Lafayette Square Opera House.-A great
play by a great author. and presented by
AN exceptionally strong if not great COM
pany of actors. will be the attraction at
the Lafayette Square Opera House Mon
day night. Any play that Sardou writes is
worth seeirg. and his latest effort, Spirit
isme.' will command attention by reason
of the extraordinary amount of comment
and discussion which it has excited, apart
from its inherent attractiveneSS. The
striking originality of the subject has given
the play a profound interest at the outset.
Himself a firm believer in spiritualism, he
has selected ihe mystic creed the back
ground which to evolve story of in
tense. powerful human interest. 1t is
story. however. of great heart interest, and
is developed with the logical ciearness, the
forceful brilliant dialogue. powerful sItua-
tions and unerring hand toward a powerful
denouement which characterize every
work from the great Frenchmans pen. In
the second act of the play occurs one of
the greatest and most intensely dramatic
situations ever conceived by Sardou or any
other dramatist. An erring wife in the
home of her lover suddenly startled by
noises outside the window and learns that
q terrible catastrophe has occurred. A rail-
road accident has occurred to the very train
" Which the wife was supposed to have taken
the evening previous to visit friend in a
neighboring town. She is supposed to be
among the killed. Her body is net recoy
niZable. She cannot return to her home.
That would be to confess her sin. She is
really dead to her husband. For the effec-
tive presentation of this striking play, Man
ayers AL. Hayman and Charles Frohman
have engaged company tnat has rarely
been surpassed in ability and attractive
less. 1t includes. among others, Maurice
Barrymore. J. II. Gilmour. VIM. +. Owen,
Theodore Roberts. Charles Harbury. Geo.
II. Fernie. Milton Lipman, George Howard.
Edwin Warren, Robert Holland, Victor
Moore and Virginia Harmed. Olive l..
Oliver. Margaret Robinson. Blanche Bur
ton, Louise Brooks The production IS a
very beautiful one. and will be presented
here with all the splendid scenery, faithful
ness of appointments and detail which al
ways characterize productions presented
under the direction of these managers.
Columbia Theater. -"Shamus O'Brien'
will make it's initial bow to Washingtonlans
at the Columbia Theater Monday. This Is
the romantic Irish opera originally done az
the Opera Comique. London, last March.
under the personal direction of the late Sir
Augustus Harris. Cowdery and Duff have
brought from London the original cast, with
costumes and scenery. The cast includes
Mr.. DENIES OSullivan, the baritone of the
Carl Rosa Opera Company: Joseph O Mara,
tenor of the Royal English Opera Company
end Covent Garden; Reginald Roberts and
f. ]. Cunningham, Lucy Carr Shaw, sis
ter of Bernard Shaw, the musical critic of
the London Saturday Review. and author
of Arms and the Man." Miss Annie Rob-
erts and chorus of sixty trained voices
and an orchestra of twenty-five talented
musicians. The story is taken from the
famous poem of James Sheridan lie Fanu;
the libretto is by George II. Jessop and the
music is by DR.. Charles Villiers Stanford
professor of music of the Cambridge Uni
versity of London and the Royal College Of
Music. The romantic and comedy Gle
nents are described being well blended.
Briefly told, the story of .Shamus O. Brien,"
Who has fought on the hills tor his coun-
try. is ortlawed. and on his keeping Capt.
Trevor and his soldiers are in search of
him. Nora, the wife Of Shamus. has been
before her marriage sued In love by Mike
Murphy and had rejected him. Mike in -e-
Venge, determines to turn informer AMI be-
tray Shamus. The government reward is
100 guneas. Shamus hides in the viii
lage of Ballyhaynis. his faithful guides
being his wife Father O'F'lynn the village
pastor. and Kitty O'Tcole Nora's sister.
Capt. Trevor is smitten with Kitty, and
when the captain inquiries for the outlaw
Shamus himself, disguised as village na;-
ural. imposes on the captain and insists on
his own capture, by leading the officer and
MS company astray in the bog JOY and
dancing ensue, but In the midst of this the
ominous wall of the Banshees is heard and
almost Immediately after the captain and
his soldiers appear. and Shamus Is taken
He Is found guilty and is to be executed
but makes his escape through Father
Otlynn, who cuts the ropes that bind HIM
and the condemned man makes for the
nils Mike tries to stop him, and the SOL
dlsrs. hiring at the same time, shoot the
infprmer and Shamus escapes. There will
be five evening performances of the opera
and two matlnees. on Thursday and Satur-
day. There Will be no performance of the
opera on Tuesday evening.
Academy of Musc-"Girl Wanted +"
brought up to the times. from start to fin
ish. with that inimitable fun-maker, Frank
Bush. very much in evidence and bristiine
with brilliant features will be at the Acad-
emy OF Music next week. AS fun-pro-
ducer Girl Wanted is well known. as no
play last season did such an enormous