The times., 1898-12-25
COMING EVENTS.

The Rogers Brothers return to this city
next week for brief engagement at the
Columbia Theater. Messrs. Luckett &
Dwyer have been long smbitious o secure
these stars as their New Years Offering.
Everything goes with 4 rush and hurrah
in their vehicle from the instant that the
curtain rises IN "A Reign Of Error on
the beautifully painted deck of the pleas
ure yacht. floating in mid-ocean. with
hosts of pretty girls on board. until il
finally falls upon the splendors Of a Bra
lillian palace in which the final side-split-
ing complications of the farce take place.
John ]. McNally has been specially for
tunate in providing the Rogers Brothers
with a medium for the display of their
talents. He has written many bright
comedies for other people. but in this case
playwright and players seem TO have
worked together with harmony which
has brought about perfect results.
"A Reign of Error" has one of the
funniest plots that local audiences have
seen in a long time. 1t is bristling with
ludicrous situations, which keep the spec
taJor in roar of laughter from begin
| ming to end. The lines are uniformly
bright and the jokes so frequent and so
| clean that one does not have chance
/ 10 sober down so long rs the curtain is
I up. y funnier pair of stowaways than
/ the Rogers Brothers never twisted the
| English language People may have
| thought that they knew all about the
| cleverness of these stars. but they do
! not, for never was the pair seen to such
advantage as row. Their jokes. their
| songs, their parodies. their sea battles,
! their newspaper personals, and their duel
| all go with vim that is inimitable. The
| supporting company is wonderfully
| clever one and much OF the success of
| the entire entertainment is due to the
! excellent manner in which the less i'm
portant characters are assumed. In
George Marion, John Parr and Budd
Ross, Klaw & Erlanger have selected a
| clever trio and one which does
well to second the efforts of the
stars. Rarely is there seen such
collection of beautiful women
as this play displays. George Caine is
Just as attractive as formerly, and If ever
| there was an American Parisienne. she is
the one Her Frenchy grace is most
fascinating and her dances are splendidly
given. Another prime favorite Is Maude
Raymond whose coon songs are among
the hits of the piece. Ada Lewis is ex-
| cellently fitted with one of those novel
character bits which she plays to perfec-
ton, and La Petite Adelaides dances are
grace personifed.
The arrangement of the piece admits oe
the introduction of many clever special
ties, and in this line Is the strongest at
traction that has been seen on the local
stage in years.
A grand opera company of far more
than usual merit is what is promised next
week at the Lafayette Square, when the
organization managed by Charles a. Ellis
makes its appearance The combination
is one of the strongest in the country and
has created genuine furore in Philadel-
phia, where 1t is just finishing the longest
season of the sort ever played there. Each
of the performances given has been at
tended by crowded houses, and indica-
tions are that the attraction might remain
among the Quakers some time did other
bookings permit. Among the people being
seen with the Ellis Grand Opera Company
are Madame Melba. of whom nothing new
can possibly be said; Johana Gadski. q
lyric soprano universally known for her
ability; Zelie De Lussan. an American