Evening star., 1897-01-19
ADJUSTMENTS.

New National Theater-Mr. Otis Skinner
has earned the esteem Of playgoers by q
career of studious ambition; by energetic
and persistent effort, combined with a ju-
dicious measurement Of his own powers
and willingness to remain within the
limits OF their natural expansion. Today
he stands easily in the front rank Of inter-
prefers Of the romantic drama, and there
are few people Indifferent to the graces of
the medieval hero, who wins those two
objects Of life, fortune and a lady love,
with nothing to aid him beyond his skill as
tighter and his grace as a wooer. Mr..
Skinner Is thoroughly equipped for such a
role, and "A Soldier Of Fortune" in which
he appeared at the New National Theater
last night, Is praiseworthy in SO far that it
Is full of opportunity for the star and for
the principal members of his company.
The episodes of the piece are thrilling to
the last degree, and there is no parsimony
in their bestowal. 1t is evident that in the
preparation of the piece that scene was
counted lost which did not contain a shock
OF surprise or cyclonic gust of senti-
ment. The theme, a feud involving Mach
1evelli, the Borgias and the Torellis, of
which last named family the hero is the
sole surviving member, is one of so great
natural fertility in incident that the i'm
preston Of incongruity in such crowded
array of climaxes presents itself but slight
ly, II at all. There are very few flights Of
language attempted, and there is no Slav-
ish fidelity to logic, either in the develop
ment of the story or in the delineation Of
the characters But 1t Is rousing appeal
to the emotions. and devoid of any fragrant
onenses against intelligence. The cast is
very numerous, and includes performers
who prevent Mr.. Skinner, handsome and
forceful as he Is, from monopolizing the
plaudits. Fred. Mosley, as Caesar Borgia,
and Frank l.. Sylvester, as D'Aubigny, de-
pict different types of consummate villainy
h.lf demands
ed by this dramatic school, and Miss Maud
Durbin has an effective role, whose ad-
vantages she does not neglect. The play is
presented with liberal attention to cos
tuning and scenic detail. 1.-The Lady of
Lyons follows "A Soldier Of Fortune to-
morrow afternoon.
Lafayette Square Opera House.-Mr. Rich
ard Mansfield has large number of per-
sonal friends in Washington. In fact, he
gained perhaps his first recognition In this
city at the commencement of his starring
tour, when he produced prince Karl at
the Grand Opera House a little over ten
years ago. His engagements in this city
have always been profitable and his work
has been generally commended He IS rec
ognized as an intelligent actor, with an
honest purpose to do his best for his art.
He has given to the stage creations that
will lobg live In dramatic literature. His
Baron Chevrial, Prince Karl, Beau Brum-
mel and DR.. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde are char
acterizations that command attention and
elicit the warmest appreciation. But Mr..
Mansfield Is ambitious and has sought to
enter the Shakespearean field. Last night
Mr.. Mansfield opened bis engagement at
the Lafayette Square Theater with Shakes
peares Merchant of Venice" appearing
himself in the part of the Jew. That Mr..
Mansfield has given the part careful study
IS every evident. While in the main he fol-
lows traditional lines, there are some read
ings that are original, and of these some
may be approved while others. can hardly
be considered an improvement. He is con-
sstent in his conception of making the Jew
revengeful, more because Of the outrage
committed by Antonio against his religion
than against himself and in this Mr.. Mans
field departs from the accepted theory.
There are passages in his work which de-
serve commentator, but as whole his
portrayal of Shylock is unsatisfying. Miss
Reatrice Cameron (Mrs Richard Mansfield,
played Portia with much tenderness and
feeling IN the love scene with BaSsanio, and
in the trial scene delivered her lines with
intelligence and good emphasis. Her mock
assumption of mannisE ways after the trial
was over, however, was theatric rather
than artistic The rest of the cast was gen.
orally acceptable and the piece was splen-
didly mounted In fact the manner in
which Mr.. Mansfield places all his plays
upon the stage evidences his thorough ar
tistic taste and merits the warmest praise.
The audience last night was decidedly
friendly and the applause of Mr.. Mans
fields work. as we'll is that of his wife,
was very generous. Tonight Mr.. Mansfield
will appear Baron Chevrial in "A Pari-
sian Romance" in some respects his best
part. and one of the most exquisite pieces
of character acting ever seen upon the
English-speaking stage.
Boston Symphony Orchestra.-The Boston
Symphony Orchestra at the Columbia
Theater this evening will present a program
that will appeal to every music lover who
hears it. The orchestra will present works
by Mozart, Handel, Weber, Beet and LsZt,
and the combination should prove to be
most enjoyable The soloist of the evening
will be Miss Toulinguet, who, while Let
known in this vicinity, comes here with the
highest kind of references as to her musical
ability. She will sing Handers aria, "Om-
bra mai fu," from "NerXes." ard Won We
ber's aria from "Freischutz.' both Of which
will give her ample opportunity to show
her ability as concert vocalist. The in
strumental portion of the program of
course, will be taken care of in the most
approved way by Mr.. Paur's trained mus:-
cians and there will be nothing lacking in
a musical way to make the concert an en-
tire success. as all of the Boston symphony
events are. The concert will commence
promptly at o'clock.
Academy of Musc.-We have had I'm
Old Kentucky" in Washington on previous
occasions, but to have seen the big audience
at the Academy last night one would Lever
have thought SO. 1t was not only big hut
1t was as enthusiastic as If small flask Of
Kentucky's famous product went with
every ticket sold al the box office. Still In
Old Kentucky to one who knows Kentucky
at all is rot Kentucky. There are glimpses
of it, and in and about the race track
scene at Lexington the scenic artist has
depicted what he has evidently witnessed,
but this does not hold true in the 1emotest
degree of his pictures of the mountains of
Kentucky. The first act scene IS mostly
mountains, hut they are Swiss mountains,
or those mountains in the United States
which have gorgeS and timber lines ami
great attitudes. The bilf mentions new,
beautiful and characteristic scenery"
which is true enough, but the characteristic
part is not characteristic of Kentucky. Col.
Sandusky Doolittle is about as fair a speci-
men of stage Kentuckian as could lie put
on the stage, because he is handsome ard
does rot overdo his work. Miss Laura
Burt, a most attractive actress at all times,
Is equally attractive as Madge Rrerly, the
mountain maid, but the Great Creator
never put maid like that in the noun
tans of Kentucky. Plump, pink-cheeked
maids, speaking darkey dialect, are abso-
lutely unknown in the mountains. So with
Mr.. Kingsley's moonshiner and Mr.. Gaines
Horace Holton, as to their manner CT
speech. Frank Dayton made q good hero,
Miss Mary Hall was handsome Barbara,
and Miss Nita Sykes was as If TO the man.
Ler born. The great horse race, the Iicka-
ninny singers and the other well-kn own ap-
purtenances of the drama, including the
DARING feats of Miss Burt as the mountain
maid went off successfully and We're re-
aiyed with unanimous apDrOyal