The times., 1898-10-02

With much the same class of perform
ances holding the boards at the local
houses there was a notable decrease in
the quality of last weeks entertainments
when compared with those Immediately
preceding them. Brilliant farce at the
National gave way to stupid horse-play
at the Lafayette; naturally-acted comedy
made way for artistically-given roman
tic drama within the portals of the Co
lumbia and elsewhere the changes were
equally pronounced. Only the Academys
patrons found the attraction provided for
them 10 be something considerably above
that TO which they are used and the au-
diences attending the National were thor
oughly satisfied with the amusement af-
forded there So much interest, indeed,
was manifested in this last offering that
the other houses suffered terribly in con-
sequence and, leaving out Viola ALE \ and
her production of Hail Gaines Chris
tian." the week was a very bad one. Miss
Aliens initial stellar engagement packed
the theater at every performance from
orchestra 10 gallery and the returns
reaped must have been enormous. Cres-
ION AizL-7ke clever I-eStEAatlDIS o.
standard plays drew very lightly at the
Columbia, while Blaney's Female Drum
mer' proved prOhibitive to the regular
clieEtel Of the Lafayette and in conse-
Quence that handsome place of amuse-
ment was practically deserted. John
Griffith gave An Enemy to the King,
at the Academy before houses that, if
scant still ranked first among those not
monopolized by Miss Allen. Bryan and
H.
came up TO the mark, either in merit or
business at Kernan's. while an unusu-
ally good vaudeville bin drew well at the
Bijou
During the present week the lighter
tastes Of the public are to be catered to
exclusively, and Washington viii have
nothing that has not been designed TO
create laughter. Farcical and musical
comedy predominant, while the variety
houses are to I'LL in with their regular
entertainments. A record-breaking event
occurs tomorrow night in the production
of two plays-the first time in local his
tory that the city has ever risen to the
dignity of having so many premieres in
che evening. II a. DuSouchet, author
Of My Friend From India" and THE
Man From Mexico is responsible for
the first Of these, a piece entitled "A Mis-
fit Marriage" which is TO be done by
Smyth & Rice's comedians at the Co
lumbia The play was seen in a few
small towns last year, but has since been
completely rewritten, fitted with another
title and otherwise so robbed of its ear
marks that the coming performance will
really be an original one. of and On, -
the comedy to be introduced 10 this
country at the Lafayette, is from the
French of BissOn, and has made a rec
ord for itself in Paris. 1t will be pre-
seEted by Charles Frohman's Madison
Square Company, an organization quite
as young as the piece. After a few sue
cessful weeks in Chicago and one or two
other cities, why Smith Left Home" :"
the long-expected farce by George Broad
hurst, author of What Happened to
Jones'" viii be seen on the stage of the
National, while "Gayest Manhattan re-
turns with a new company to the Acad-
emy of Music. Harry Morris, formerly
manager of the Twentieth Century
Maids" brings to the Lyceum his Little
Lambs" and the regulation vaudeville
show viii be given at the Bijou. There
is every reason why business should be
good all around. with little probability OF
ore attraction overtopping another.