Evening star., 1898-12-03

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Sol Smith Russell has done the best busi-
ness of the week. although his new play is
not SO good IN construction as the
Bachelors Romance" His own character
OF John Grigsby is well drawn and affords
Mr.. Russell excellent opportunity for the
display OF his peculiar abilities as come
dian. and that is what people who see him
most desire. Blanche Walsh and Melbourne
MacDVV ell have both done excellent work
at the Lafayette, but they have not received
the patronage that they deserved. Miss
Walsh has been a surprise even To her ad-
mirers. She has developed power that
she not credited with and is proving
herself Il worthy successor TO the great ac-
tress who was The American creator of Sar-
douS hcroines. Col. Jack Haverly's min
strels have done a good business at the Co
lumhia. and it is hoped that this venture
may reCoup the coloncTs fortunes. At the
Academy there 4 very bad melOdrama.
Next week there Will be tragedy at the
National. Italian grand opera at the
Lafayette. lIipuuOn comedy at the Co
lumhia. farce at the Academy and vaude-
willie at keTEan's. MOdjeska has many
trineds here who Will he glad to again see
her in characters in which she has gained
Tame The opera company is a new one TO
this city. but il opened last spring at Wal
lacks In New York and astOnished every
one by the excellence of its performances
The Liliputians very popular here and
the midgets should attract crowded houses
The Rays are also popular and look for a
duplication of their last years business.
a TIT % nf ing q ha
theater nowadays that it has become al
most novelty. The cause is surely not
thdt the playgoing public is bored by the
dramas of Shakespeare and the great
classic writer's. people want to be stirred
ana thrilled by grand emotions as much as
they ever did While there We're the
heens, tragedy had no lack of patronage
and possibly. therefore. il is the dearth of
great actors that is responsible for the
practical abandonment of this field which
after all. is the real foundation on which
the theater as an institution is built
Today the English-speak king stage does
not boast a single tragedian in the sense
mat Mr Booth was such, unless Henry
irving ne an exception, though his fame
rests rather upon his dramatic pageantry
man The genius Of his acting. But if We
haven t q tcaSedian. We are at least able to
boaSt q tragedienue. in the person of Ma
dame Modjeaka. The reflection is an the
happier that though foreigner by birth,
she belongs to the American stage
Nothing could be more aproDOs of an
event such as the engaS cement of Madame
ModJesKa than the article by Mark vain
Mhlch recently appeared in the tTo.I,n
The great humOrist apologies for his
preaching. with the remark. Il only do it
because the rest Of the clergy seem to be
on on vacation As many may he interested
IN his point If view il rnighf he i'm or,lar to
quote one of his paragraphs
II Is night and wholesome" saws Mark
wan To have light comedies and enter
tanning shows; and ! shouldn't wish to see
Inn
IN the comedy spirit; We have our graysr
iI'"uS, they come to US all, the Iightest of
H Us 'ahh3t escape them. These moods have
thtlr ap3Futes-hea5thy and legitimate an
pstlteS; and there ought to be some wa, Gf
sadSiE ing them. 1t seems to me that Ncv
10TH ought TO have One theater devoted tn
HoEtHH- with her 3,HO.OvD of Dopulation
anu tnFE't'" outside to draw upon. she
can arord it-she can support it Amcric
H"Votrs more time. labor money and atTa,~
uCl 10 distributing literary and rnusicaI
culture among the general public than doee
any other nation, perhaps: Vet here 1-oiI
IIid hei neSIectinS what is possibly tbe
mos In'>t eItytile of all the breeders. ana
!iuiS'S ana tIissemiHators Of high literarv
,3Stt ana lofty cmOtion-the traei.. 100
10 ',.Hr mat powerful agency out is To
IdpI 'L" culture wagon with q crinnIed
N"ili. Nowadays when a mood coInac
winch only Shakespeare can set IN ,o,+nin
"Hdt must We do; Read Sha akespeart. 1Iir'
80, iSh II Wufui? 1t is playing an
eIS'ti solo on jew SHARP, We cant -
None but the Booths can do it, -'' u
,.l,,.-. Ma ads.elne i-ueette Ryley. the wen-known
pay "rlSht' has made another big success
IN the dramatizatinn Of '.On ana ofg -
blsSon farce now running at inc liadisnr
square Ihedter. New York She is now; AT
work ON "A new and original comed,, f0r
frphIHan- which may be presented
ether by Maude Adams Annie Russfi Gr
the Empire Stock Company.
Among the famous comedicnnes Of The
future Miss Blanche Bates. who is I1nIer
contract TO Augustin DAILY, appears IN ne
" N most promising. In recent intervi w
MdIaine MotJcska is reported as looking
upon htf as the best Of our younger actress
es' even though she quotes Annie Russell
an -NdUi" ADAMS as artists for whom she
mas much admiration Miss Bates has been
making more or less of an artistic sens,-
u"n with The FrdWIey company in CaTfFor-
MA which she Joined under "a tempo-arv
arrangement with Mr.. DAILY. on the Pacific
Slope Miss Bates has a high a place in
public esteem as Miss Adams enjoys in the
cast.
SigHorina Montanarf soprano of The RovaI
italian Opera Company, is said to be one
a. the most attractive personalities seen In
opera for many a long day. She is pretty
as e picture, graceful and effulgent of pres
enc" and carriage. When She IS in sight
she lights up her surroundings with 4 charm
OF manner and genial vivacity that are ir-
reslstibie- She possesses that indescTib-
able talent which can evoke laughter or
tears with almost equal facility Giuseppe
Agostlui Tas a delicious voice of purest
tenor quality and at once becomes the
favOrIte and popular idol of the public. He
has gained a great reputation for so young
Il man in European cities.
Il never considered that the late Henry
Abbey was manager in any sense Of the
word" said Mr.. Ben Stern. who for many
years looked after the interests of Miss
Fanny Davenport. and who is now per
forming the same duty FOR Blanche Walsh
and Melbourne MacDowrU Mr.. Abbey
was simply plunger. He gamblei on his
attractions Just the same way as a man
bets at faro o. roulette. He secured the
highcst-pricsd stars and then trusted to
results. ! remember one season. when /
was working for him, he had one attraction
that he expected would net him hand
some profit. but which actually lost him
sl53,Wn. He didn't Worry over it at all
for ne more than made up that deficit on
other attractions. But how many men
would lose that much money without goinS
10 pieces under The strain2 Abbey was a
splendid plunSer, and always wanted the
best in the market. lie couldn't always get
the best, for during the fight he had with
Maplrson ne tried to get Patti away from
him, but tho prima donna would not leave
the colone! then, although Abbey offered
her $'.41 for each performance she sang
MapleS"n was giving her $1,000