Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-18


best with it in her power, which was no,
much. Viviani made an acceptable Wag-
ner, and the chorus good in some
places and uncertain in others. The Ker-
mess scene was never better done. but the
great soldiers chorus was allowed to go by
with hardly a hand because of the lack of
precision with which it was sung The
orchestra was under the direction Of Mr..
Damrosch.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
-Adroit stage management is involved in
one episode of Cumberland 81" which
VIII be presented at Lafayette Square
Opera House for one week. commencing next
Monday. The problem of presenting a SEN
sational fire scene without subordinating
emotional dramatic interest to the realism
has been solved successfully by Mr.. Pitous
handling of 1t. This episode starts with a
picture by Homer Emmens that on dis
closure is applauded nightly. The view is
along the windings Of the gorge. In front
and raised well above the stage Is the
bridge, with roadway leading to the
woods at left and right. Beyond are scat
tered and uneven tops of trees that root in
the bottom of the chasm, and in perspec-
tive are distant and more thickly wooded
sides. The gray of moonlight softens all
but the bridge and it's approaches and
makes indistinct for a moment the face of
the old mountaineer, who rifle in hand,
awaits his enemy. On the heros approach
the rifle is leveled, but shooting an I'M
taineers notion. and he casts aside his
weapon. The two men grapple. In their
parley the glow of the fire is seen in the
chasm beyond, and while they wrestle it
increases and approaches until its smoke
and glow envelopes them. At the moment
that the younger man fells his opponent
and reaches the other end of the bridge
the herone-the sweetheart of the one and
the daughter of the other-begs that the old
man be saved. So, amid an excellent coun-
terfeit of consuming flames. the hero drags
his antagonist off the doomed structure
Then the curtain falls and successive lift
lnSs of 1t disclose the structure in pro-
gressive stages of consumption.
NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-There is
no name upon which more indignity has
been heaped, nor any name that has been
responsible for more that is bright, clever
and startling, than the dulcet name of
Jones. 1t is doubtful too, If there is any
enc edifice large enough to hold all the
Joneses there are in Washington. in which
case the National Theater will be taxed
TO its utmost with those who will want to
learn What Happened to Jones'" Mr..
Broadhurst has constructed farce which
mas run for three months in New York.
Farces such as What Happened to Jones'
rely largely upon the people there are in
them. They must not only be good PLAYERS
they must be farce players. This farce has
players who fulfill all requirements ad-
mirably. They are Geo. c. Bonface jr,
George Ober. VIM Bernard, Reuben Fax
j. W. Cope. Cecil Kingston Harry Rose,
Anna Belmont, Kathryn Osterman, Matte
Ferguson, Florence Robinson. Mrs E A.
Eherle and Rose Stuart. The particular
Jones represented in this farce seems to
possess the Yankee versa tilty of being a
drummer for playing cards. impersonating
pishop, and then exhibiting those touches
OF emotion that are the zest of every farce
Tor the truest fun is. in fact that which
dews every laugh with tear Contrast is
life's charm.
COLUMBIA THEATER.-The presenta
ton of The Passion Play for a brief sea
son at the Columbia Theater beginning
Monday evening next, is awaited with the
deepest interest. not only by the general
public. but by clergymen and others inter.
ested IN the teaching of Bible history and
the promotion of religious education gen
orally. The impression somehow got
abroad that this most sacred of subjects
was to be presented in dramatic form in
Washington by living persons, and as n
result Mr.. Metzerott has had hundreds of
inquiries under this head during the past
week. This story Of 1.-The worlds subimest
tragedy will not, it is needless to say be
presented by living persons but 1t will he
given by means of Lumieres enlarged and
perfected acknowledgement. or moving pic
lures the very next thing, perhaps, to
witnessing the Passion Play" enacted by
the simple, devout peasants of HoritZ In
the beautiful Bohemian forests. The alb
sence of flesh and blood will only make
certainly relieve it from any touch Of ir-
reverence. And still the play will be there,
exactly as presented at HoritZ, called 1.-The
Austrian Ober-Ammergau," silently pass
ing before the audience, and showing in
minute detail with every figure and ges-
ture and muscular movement perfect, 1.-The
baptism of Christ Christ blessing the
little children" the Resurrection of Laz-
rus" ''Christs entry into Jerusalem 1.-The
Last Supper" Christ washing His disci-
pies feet Judas receiving the thirty
pieces of silver Christ in the Garden of
Olives Christ before Caiaphas," Peter
denying Christ" Christ before Plate"
Christ before Herod," "scourging and
condemnation of Christ 1.-The way of the
cross, the crucifxion," and SO on to the
resurrection. In many of these pictures
from 100 to 400 figures are seen moving, es-
pecially in that showing 1.-The way of the
cross. which will give to those who wit
ness it 4 new significance of the passion of
the Christians. Over 10000 of these pic
lures were necessary to make the perfect
whole, and they were only secured after
the weary waiting of years. Prof Ernest
Lacy, well known to literary men, and a
ripe scholar and educator, will come from
Philadelphia to deliver a descriptive lee
ture. which is said to be beautiful piece
of word painting. A large pipe organ is
being erected on the stage of the Column
bia for the incidental music that will be
played during the progress of the play.
Afternoon presentations will be given
Thursday and Saturday. The prices have
been fixed as follows: Evenings, 81, rs
cents, 80 cents and % cents; afternoons,
- cents and so cents. A distinguished
gathering of Washingtonians, including
many clergymen, will witness the first pre-
sentation Monday evening.
ACADEMY OF MUSIC-The Academy
announces for its attraction the coming
week the Rays in "A Hot Old Time" The
author of the comedy is Edgar Selden, who
wrote Mckenna's Flirtations, in which
Barry and Fay starred for seven seasons
also had run of over 300 nights in New
York city. Mr.. Selden's treatment of his
latest comedy, which is called his best, is
| celebrating and humorous. yet refined. The
action is amazingly rapid and complications
follow each other in such quick succession
| to cause continuous laughter The sit
| nations are massed together so as to en-
| nance the interest and around them all is
| an atmosphere of fun that is contagious
and decidedly comic. Each situation is so
| excellently contrived that the merriment is
| continuous. The Rays-Johnny and Emma
have parts that afford them ample scope
| for their peculiar gifts of character por-
| trayal which have given them their repu-
| tation. Nothing funnier in their line of
| work has been seen. Johnny Ray as Larry
| Mooney, Mrs. Emma Ray as Mrs. Gen
| Stonewall Blazer, John c. Leach as Gen.
| Blazer, Bernard Dyllyn as Alkali Ike, Mar
| shall and Nelson the generals daugh-
tiers, in a cast of rare individual and coll