Evening star., 1897-04-03
THEATRICAL GO SSIP


| play that has had its initial performance
here and has been given the stamp of ap-
proval has met with success elsewhere,
while. on the contrary. If either defects in
construction or weakness of situation or
dialogue have been pointed out, and
those defects have not been remedied.
the piece has met with disaster. Wash
ington audiences are honest in their
treatment of a play, and there is no
attempt here to influence their judgments
by clique; so if a production receives the
stamp of favor f. m a Washington au-
dience, 1t Is safe to a.. sumo that it has gen.
uine merit and the elements OF success
ful career. The knowledge of this fact has
induced shrewd managers to launch their
plays upon the boards Of a Washington
theater. and they admit that the verdict
here has been indorsed elsewhere. "Aris-
tocracy," 1.-The Girl 1 Left Behind Me-"
Held by the Enemy "The Heart of
Maryland, Mime. Sans Gene" and "Wil-
kinson's Widows" are among the dramatic
successes that had their first production in
this city, and Monday night THE Myster-
ious Mr.. Bugle" will have its initial per
formance at the Columbia Theater, with
Miss Annie Russell and Mr.. Joseph Holland
in the leading roles
Miss Annie Russell has been regarded as
being the most dainty, the most spirttuelIe
the most Interesting ingenue on the Amer
iean stage. She is very young, very pretty,
Of the highest artistic capabilities and pos
sesses an utterly unmatchable charm of
personality. She is the distinct representa-
tive of a type which is regrettably rare
among professional players. OF late Miss
RusseIFs stage appearances have been in
frequent, and she has wisely waited for a
hitting vehicle in which to again come be-
for the public. This. Miss Russell believes
she has at last discovered in Mrs Ryley's
farcical play, "The Mysterious Mr. Bugle."
AS the heroine, Betty Fondacre, Miss Rus
sell brings the old quiet. self-possession.
the old winning sweetness, the old gracious
happiness, the old sivery voice, ever filling
the stage when she is on it with the bright
ness Of sunny presence. For period of
sickness, out Of the public view She made
her re-entry III The New Woman" and
her return vas the occasion of an ovation
| unprecedented IN the annals Of the stage.
greater progress in the affections of Amer
ican play goers. and but for her sickness
and consequent withdrawal from the stage
there is no question but that she would
long ago.
Born In Liverpool. Miss Russell made her
first appearance on the stage in Montreal
at the age Of eleven years. She was after
ward seen in New York in juvenile Pin
afore" company. and ther went to South
America and the West Indies. On her re-
turn to America she became member of
the noted Madison Square Theater Com
pany, and soon became famous as Es-
| meralda in the play of that name. in which
John E. Owens also acted. Still later she
appeared as Ada in Sealed Instructions
Maggie. in Gilberts comedy, Engaged"
| Sylvia, in "Our Society,"" Elaine" in the
| dramatic version of Tennysons idyllic
| ard Mabel. in Captain Swift" Her most
recent success was Sue in Bret
Harte's play of that name To this gifted
artistic has fallen the happy lot to interpret
beautiful. winning and tender creations of
young womanhood with which dramatic au-
| thors have favored the public in recent
years. In every instance the grace and
| charm Of Miss Russells personality lent
| refinement and purity and life to the pic
ture of fiction. In Madeleine Lucette Ry-
| ley's new play Miss Russell will be seen in
a very radical departure but none the less
eminently suited to her convincing talent.
| She has been surrounded by a company of
| comedians whose artistic work will be
thoroughly in keeping with their environ
! ment. Mr.. Joseph Holland will play the
| companion character to that of Miss Rus
| sell.
Sometimes, as is well known to regular
| theater goers, the most trivial happenings
| on the stage, not contemplated in the ''busi-
| ness Of the performance, will destroy the
| most dramatic situation and cause an audi
| enCe h1Sn strung WIN enOllOn 10 give way
| to laughter. Everybody has witnessed the
| ruin caused by the theater cat. 1t was only
| recently, while Mr.. Frederick Kerr and Miss
| Mona X. Dram Of John Hares company
were playing at the Knickerbocker Theater
| New York. in Zangwills duologue, six
| Persons" that the appearance Of the cat on
| the stage and its decided evidences Of affec-
ton for Mr.. Kerr set the house in roars
| and practically destroyed the effect of the
performance. While THE Two Little
| Migrants was being performed one night
| early in the season at the Boston Museum
| not only one but two cats appeared ON the
| scene where Fan Fan discovers that Helene
] is his mother and Claude is given such a
rude awakening. Both cats-the act being
| little late-came after the chicken bone
| which Jessie Busley was in the habit of
| giving to them at the end of the third act.
| Fortunately, the scene was saved, but as
Miss Busley afterward said. IF Minnie Du-
! prees mouth had taken the slightest up
| ward curve, l would have gone to pieces"
John Hare. who is bringing his exquisite
| art to the Lafayette Opera House the week
beginning Monday evening next is not
likely to forget one night when he was
| playing Lord Aflclare in Charles Coghlans s
"A Quiet Rubber in the English prov
inces. The actors had come to the end of
| the great quarrel scene between Mr.. Sulli-
van and Lord Kilclare. which those who
have seen nithat delightful performance will
easily remember On the offended noble
mans reappearance to leave the "parve-
| nus mousse Ior gooo IL IS necessary to bring
on the stage a small portmanteau. This
was given, to him as usual by his servant
Now, it was necessary when travelling thai
all baggage should be labeled in a special
manner, Just as is done with theatrica
| baggage IN this country. On the servants
| entrance with the portmanteau-a pathetic
little incident that should be and almost
always is received in significant silence
Mr.. Hare was amazed to find himself
greeted with tremendous shouts of laugh
ter. the meaning of which he could no
understand. But on turning the portman
teau around to pae}< ireland Under Eliza
beth" and THE Noble Families of Gal
label. with the words. Mr.. John Hare,
London Garrick Theater Company, Man
chester. Then he grasped the situation
VIII Bring His Family Here.
i Mr.. ]. Earl Wagner has decided to brin,
his wife and children to Washington mex