Evening star., 1897-02-09
AMUsEMENTs.

wins popularity was fully proved last
night by the large audience that filled
every part of the New National Thcater
1t was his first appearance here since his
trip to Australia, and people were glad to
see so excellent an actor back upon the
American stage. He presented also new
play, called AN American Citizen" The
play was written for the actor, and the
part Of Beresford Cruger, afterward Carew,
fits Mr.. Goodwin perfectly. The lines are
remarkably bright. and although the con-
strLction seems rather weak In the first
two acts it develops after that and there is
genuine interest IN the story. Briefly
stated, Mr.. Cruger agrees to become an
Engl1sEHan and marry an English Wo-
man, In order to accept a large fortune
left him by an eccentric old uncle who died
IN England. He does this in order to save
the reputation of the firm. of which he was
member, and which had lost heavily
through the defalcation of one men,
Der, VINO Is supposed to have gone
to the bottom of the The girl he mar
ries is his cousin. who had been disinher
tied by her father because of her attach
ment for an American. who proves to be
the defaulting partner, and who she
thinks has perished in the mountains of
SWttIerlar d. The marriage is simply one
of convenience, and the parties separate
immt diately after the ceremony and do
not again meet until q year has elapsed.
and then it Is at Nice during the flower
carnival Here they proceed to fall in love
with each other and here the real interest
In the play begins. OF course, complica-
tons arise in the temperance of the for
mer lover. supposed to have been dead, and
who Is also the defaulter above referred
10. "A valet who Is continually doing the
wrong thing at the right time and
widow addicted to filtration help to mix
things up but there is satisfactory end
ing. In every act Mr.. Goodwin is thor
ougfly satisfactory and his audience was
most enthusiastic. Curtain calls were abun-
dant and after the third act he was COM
PEELED to make a speech. which he did in
snat graceful manner that is characteristic
of him.
Miss Maxine Elliott. in the part of Bea-
trice Carew, does the best work ever seen
Dy her mere. Heretofore she has been con-
.eidered as stage beauty, who only had to
wear good clothes and to pose gracefully.
NOW she has developed ability as an ac-
tress. and last night there was as much
praise tor her really artistic work as for
her beauty. The supporting company is
a coed one. though none of the members
nave great opportunities. These deserving
especial mention are Misses Estele Nor
timer. Hattie Russell and Gertrude Elliott
and Messrs. VIM. Ingersoll, Frazer Coul-
Ter, Clarence Handysides and Neil OBrien.
An American Citizen" will hold the stage
until Saturday night, when Mr. Goodwin
will present The Rivals
Lafayette Square Opera House e-"Thor-
oughbred can be commended as a per-
formance that will neither bring blush to
the. cneek of modesty nor cause dangerous
excitement to the most delicate nerves 1t
is purely English in its quality and brings
Mr Charles Frohman to attention not as
a discriminating patron of the drama but
as simple importer of theatric mere ham
disc 1t affords an excellent index to the
temperament of London audience Laugh
ter Is a good thing, but it may be carried
TO an extreme, and so be source of harm
instead of benefit. The piece is, therefore,
hot h.A v,,,I,l
taken unawares; the situations are un-
folded with the most nlethodical decorum
and notice is tacitly served that it will be
time to laugh at least two or three SEN
fences before the jeu d'esprt really hap
pens. Thus the person of unduly suscepti-
Die risibilites is warned; and if he should
harm himself by excessive mirth, it is en-
tirely his own fault; the author has exer-
cised every precaution, and the manage
ment is relieved of all moral or .ega
responsibility. The ideas upon which
Thoroughbred is written are themselves
very amusing, but they are wholly extrava-
giant in character, and cannot be adequately
interpreted by small company which la
bors apparently under the fear that 1t may
DO something to sacrifice the ina aginary
dignity of supposititious legitimate
comedy. Rollicking, graceful and versatile
Henry L. Dixey seems more completely In
der spell than was Adonis when ne step
ped into life from marble. He seems to
feel the superstition which hovers over the
occasion, and does not permit himself to
be funny until the story formally demands
1t in the third act; and then only with
moderation. The stage setting for the
races suggests combination of the dre5 M
scene in Richard III and the act OF Rose
mary in which a brokendown vehicle fig
ures. tally no coach and a lawn tent do
not suffice to give picture of a race Cay
al Ascot can ten or a dozen people
produce the impression of an excited mob
of bettorS, such as is calculated to make
the auditor hold his breath. But this seem
ing inadequacy may be intentional and due
to an impression among London theater-
goers that holding the breath is a very
unhygienic proceeding. There are two or
three songs in the minstrel scene. My
Apply Little 'Udson River One is a clever
satire on the negro ditty, as it is conceived
in England. There are a number of good
performers on the stage, but there is little
opportunity for them. Thoroughbred"
with an abundance of vaudeville interpoia-
items, might be very enjoyable produc-
ton; as it stands now 1t can scarcely ap-
peal, in this country, TO other than an ac-
Quired taste.
The Stoddard Notwithstanding
last night was the third consecutive time
for MIR. Stoddard's lecture the Yellow
stone Park at the Columbia, and 1t will be
given twice next Saturday, the standing
room-only sign went up before O'Clock,
and hundreds, including many ladies, stood
during the entire lecture. Everybody has
heard of the wonderful beauties of Yellow
stone Park, and many have seen them, but
they are not fully realized until they are
presented as Mr. Stoddard presents them
in all the richness of their glorious color
upon his canvas. The lecturer, acting as
guide, carries his audience from the gate
of the park through all it's wealth of gey-
sers, boiling springs, rainbows in the rocks,
vistas of magnificent scenes, lakes of sap
phre and emerald. an ocean of blue in Yel-
lowstone lake. snow-capped submits, and
ends at last in a perfect burst of beauty
through the Grand canyon of :he Yellow
stone. Surely, no lecture and pictures that
Mr.. Stoddard has ever presented, # all he
has presented, is SO beautiful as this of
Uncle Sans grand national park. whose
landscape gardener is the Infinite Creator.
Tonight and tomorrow Old and New Rus
sia. The Yellowstone again Saturday mat
inee ard night.
Academy of Music.-The lovers of meo-
drama have perennial occasion to thank
Messrs. Davis and Keogh for the gifts they
shower upon them. Last night at the
Academy these caterers to the public pleas
ure presented their well-known play, THE
Sidewalks of New York. to good house,
and 1t is putting IT mildly to say that the
house received 1t with an ovation. The play
is in four acts and is, as it's title indicates,
a New York play. Incidental to the plot
and playing are some very fine and realistic
pictures of New York city, painted by John
H.. Young, from photographs of the locali-
ties The play involves two villains (Rarry