The sun., 1897-11-07
THIS WEEK ON OUR STAGE.
JoHN DREW RETURNS As THE HERO
IN A DUMAs-GRUNDT PLAE

Niondihoo at the utnr-Many Other Piecos.
It has been the rule with John Drow to appear
In now play at the beginning OF each annual
engagement at tho Empire, and no will not
break II whom no returns to that theatre So-
morrow night The pieco this time is :" A Mar
riaRe of Convenience" and 1t comes from tho
French of Alexandra Dumas through the Eng.
lish pom of Sydney arundy. There Is not much
hazard In this production, because tho piece
has had success at a theatre enjoying In London
about the same fashionable vogue that the EN-
plre does Ia New York, aud because Mr.. Drew
assures good degree OF certainty in any role
which he undertakes. Tho theme Of tho play,
Al the title indicatcs, Is marriage that
10 lovoloss at frat, but loving at last.
Each of tho parties to II has u prior at
tachmcnt, and they agree that the bond OF
wedlock between them shall DO merely formal,
but circumstances bring them into unison, the
husband fights duel on his wife's behalf and
amarital wooing ends In conjugal felicity. Tho
work may probably DO classed as o society ro-
nance. Its timo and place aro the period OF
Louis XIV. In Franco. That II is highly respect
able literature Is guaranteed BY tho names of
Dumns and Grundy. and that It will be also ex-
cellent in the manner Of its representation Is as
sured by the Frohman brand. Isabel Irving
will tako the place OF Maude Adams as Mr..
Drew's principal companion in the action. Elsie
Do Wolf will be recruit 10 tho company. and In
tho cast will be Mr.. Harkins, Mr.. Byron. and
seven others.
A new farce will bc performed at the Manhat-
tan tomorrow night. 1t is called miss Francis
OF Yale" and is the work Of Michael Morton.
brother OF tho well.known playwright, Martha
Morton. 1t 10 understood to be q wholly iovial
thing. and not a translation from the German,
but wholly native in authorship as we'll as in
characters and scenes. 1t has been used in Eng
land, however, and is to be In Germany and
Italy. The leading comic part has boon assigned
here to Etienne Giradot, q comedian recalled as
the chap who made fun in skirts when "Char-
ley's Aunt" was q success at the Manhattan.
Tho first Klondike drama to get hcro will be
acted at the Star tomorrow night. 1t is entitled
"The Heart of the Klondike," and is tho com.
position of Scott Marble, who Is O dabster at
making popular plays on current themes. He
has mixed nihilism with his main subject this
time and Russian plot of criminality runs
along with the adventures of gold seekers in
Alaska The heroine is q girl who, ten years
before this. was found in the snow Of Chilkoot
Pass, and is now a companion of miners at Daw.
son City. The mystery Of her parentage 10 hid
den in cipher message found In the pocket Of
her frozen dead comrade. There is q murder in
the first act, and pursuit of the assa sin during
the rest Il the piece. No doubt the repre- ,enta-
tions Of life up tn. re on the X oadike will be
faithful enough. as Mr.: Marble is q thorough
worker in his chosen field of sensationalism and
ism. The company includes odeii Williams,
for ability to deal tellinely with meodrama.
Edward Harrigon Will go to the Third Avenue
Mns hss qt
1t serviceabe piece in other cities. 1t is in the
life in New York. and it provides the role Of a
genial 1rishman for Mr.. Harrigan to enact.
comedian, and he will be welcomed back to the
east side: Tho company will contain some OF
the old oil asrrean favorites and their doings
A stage version OF Oliver Twist" announced
as having been made By Mckee Rankin WIN
particulars thi play differs from the familiar
one on the same subject is not described. 1t is
lar and his faithful woman have been lessened
in interest, as MI; Rankin himselfis to enact the
cast is made up from the stock company.
In the weeks list of plays that simply remain
where they are. as a result Of success In tho
drawing of remunerative audiences. the Four
teenth Street Theatre has one in Cumberland
81" with its graphic depletion of a vendetta.
feud and fight, preceded by scenes at West
Point. A party Of twenty cadets was in yester-
day afternoons audience. Tho piece is excel
lently acted and beautifully mounted.
Mr.. Goodwin is to stay at the Knickerbocker q
month longer surely without changing his play
from AN American Citizen" and it is not
probable that he will need to bring out anything
else during his engagement there. He is liked
in his present role better than in any other since
he abjured burlesque.
Mr. Russell will use "a Bachelors Romance"
at the Garden until the close Of his engagement
next Saturday night. He has other pieces
ready, but they are not needed, ana we shall
have to wait until hiG next visit before seeing
"The Tanning of the Shrew." He is admirably
fitted for the title role Of the modern comedy.
Miss Arthur has had little but praise for her
acting in "A Lady of Quality" at Wallack's.
and for her sumptuous mounting of the drama.
She appears TO have established herself through
this venture as an artist fit to head company,
ana to direct fine productions. She is to remain
at this theatre until about the middle Of Decsm-
ber. when the new romantic drama, Ward
OF France will be brought here from Boston.
Mr.. Daniels is the only comic opera comedian
now in town with play and company OF bis
ids Vent for
his eccentricity and mirthfulness. The ensuing
psfs % be bH SE being
organization in which Hilda Clarke Is the
soprano actress. Accounts agree that it do
Mr.. Mansfield has changed his mind about
bringing out another new play while at the
least to repetitions of 1.-THE DEVILS Deputy" In
which production his courage with odd and
Ih Wy material Oecn amply ToNhTu6u
istactory results. He conducts an "independ-
ent theatre" OF his own. He expects to revive
pieces from his repertory before his departure.
Then Mime. Viardfs debut.
This is the last week of What Happened to
Jones" at tho Biiou 1t will have had nearly q
hundred performances in New York before Its
departure on q tour. Its successor here will DO
THE Swell Miss FitZwell." new farce, written
by George Dusouchet for May Irwin. That
geninlly comic actress has been using 1t q month
or two In other cities, and by this time she has
undoubtedly worked into her role with her usual
felicity.
The welcome of "The Old Homestead" back
tothe Academy OF Music has been hearty. and
It's spacious scenes. with Denman Thompson
figuring in them, lind ample latitude on that
broad stage. We are to get next at this theatre
Charles Frohman's annual reproduction OF a
foreign melodrama. This time IL is to be an i'm
porthtion from Drury Lane OF The White
Heather the mounting OF which requires q
No news OF a withdrawal of "fhe French
Maid" comes from the Herald Square. In Its
latest developments this entertainment CON
tyn and Mr. Bigelow to sing with much illustra-