Evening star., 1898-11-01

bringing him uptto date, and both he and
composer Victor H4bert have written
new song for Helerf5 Redmond, which will
be sung by her ii the templs scene of the
second act Of The Rolls Eye" New cos
TUNES and new scenery have been provided
Tor both operas since they wers last seen
here, and their production will be ade-
quate in everys particular Among the
other principals Of the cast are All Z.
Wheeian, VIII Danforth, John B. Park,
who succeeds MAurics Darcy: Kate Uart,
who succeeds Claudia Caldstedt Norma
has been in D8ineb' chorus for several
years. She is native of Boston. and will
be seen during the engagement In a prom
inent part of the opera, to which she has
been promoted aH q seward or merit.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
An awfully clever, bright and Jolly bit of
ciean-cut comedy is "A Brace of Part
ridges" at the Lafayette Square Iheater.
For fear the "birdy" name may confuse
some ono into the idea that the piece Is re.
lated to that artistic frost, The Cuckoo"
let US say in the beginning, neither feath-
cred songsters. nor human Ones haVe ab-
solutely any part in "A Brace OF Part
rioges." The brace consists of two young
Englishmen bearing the quail1sh name, one
an honorable lords son, the other a scape-
grace fifth cousin. Both were played by
Mr.. h. Reeves Smith, as VersaUle IN uual
role as anyone ever seen in Washington.
Sparkling with bright lines and delghtfully
srappy in makeup and go, "A brace OF
Partrdges' is a pure COMEDY no! marr'u
by the slightest suspicion of horSe-play ana
appealing throughout to the higher rislblll-
ties of mana sharp contrast to many or
the broad farces heaped upon us OF late.
The interest hinges on the dolngs OF the
two Partridges, a quiet young felloW
whose impecuniouS parent desires MN TO
wed an African heiress-a very charming
one, too-but who falls desperately IN love
with barmaid. His fifth cousin. Alfred
Partridge, is like the other In face ana
figure, but has run up numerous depts. ana
escaping to the country, finds hlmseif at the
inn where Arthur.s maid holds forth Ihere
are many complicated situations IN "nlch
the cousin is mistaken for the real Par
fridge, ending in the marriage OF the 1of-
mer to the heiress, and all Is well.
AS the happy -go-lucky cousin Mr.. reeves
timenta1 Hon. Arthur. His quick changes
of clothes and personality are wonderful
and many times ELECTED the applause of
large audience. The remainder OF the com
pany is from the Strand Theater, London,
and, like all Englishmen carry out their
respective parts in thorough and consci-
entious manner that is extremely retres3-
ing. Miss Jessie Bateman, dainty httie
blonde English girl. with mellow voice, is
a most attractive barmaid, while Mr. Geo
Shelton, as Spiffins, a city waiter who Is
disguSted with the way they do things IN
the country. is indeed comical some OF MS
droll sayings completely convulsing his au-
ditors. Cecil Thornbury, as bailif pursu-
ing the cousin, and Fred Dark. as the Hon.
Arthur's rival for Peggy, the barmaid. both
do clever character work. Misses Agnes
Knight and Mabel Lane, and Messrs G.
r. Leicester. e. Ford. Gordon Tomkfns and
Charles V. France complete the competent
cast.
"a Brace" Is preceded by a curtain-raiser.
Goodbye" in which Messrs. France, Fra
ser, Thornbury and Tomkins and Miss Lane
have parts.
ACADEMY OF MUSIC-Wm. H Vests
claim that he has revived old-time high
class minstrelsy is no idle boast Indeed,
Mr.. West has gathered about him as clever
lot of people, in their respective lines, as
have ever been seen in minstrel combi-
nation in Washington. Col. Jack Haverly,
when his celebrated troupe was at it's best,
may have had more attractions in his
show, but the beSt,he had never eXcelled
what Mr.. West effers now. No attempt is
made at Innovation in the character of the
minstrel show: rather, Mr.. West has gone
to the other extreme of following old-time
models in mnsfrelsy But with genuine
minstrel talent to supplement his effort the
generous, spontaneous applause met with
at the Academy last night proved that he
had made no mistake in his ideals or in
the successful carrying of them out The
Academy was packed and probably in all
its history there was never audience
more agreeaby entertained. The laughter
and applause was almost continuous
Carroll Johnson, the chief of the tambos,
and Tom Lewis, the bones. with Charles NJ.
Ernest another bone twirler, are justly
termed the "premiefs of burnt cork COM
edy. The performance opens with the
usual first part in which the whole COM
pany, gorgeousfy arrayeda in minstrel at
tire, take part. This furnishes the oppor-
tunity for the introduction of a number
of popular songs and choruses. Charles NJ.
Ernest Charles Kent, Clement Stewart.
Tom Lewis, Richard J. Rose and Carroll
I@l, oh
to this part. The second part is made up of
vaudeville Specialties, all exceedingly clever
In their way. Freeze Brothers give real
ly remarkable exhibition of tambourine
spinning. Then follow Tom Lewis and
Charles NJ. Ernest In their irresistibly funny
comedy sketch. The great Trovolo' is de-
cidedly clever in his ventriloquism and
walking automata sketch: Eddie Horan's
cane dance, Mcmahon and Kings eccentric
dancing were all clever productions Then
comes Ezra Kendall in his nimitable hu-
morous monologue, which seems to lose
none of its attractiveness with age. The
performance closes with war sketch, in
which the battle ship Maine, Capt Sigsbee
and detachment OF bluejackets are the
figures about which the interest is CEN
tered Altogether the MINISTRIES at the
Academy is genuinely entertaining exhi-
bition and deserves the patronage it is re-
ceivinS.
KERNAN'S LYCEUM THEATER.-Ir-
win brothers, Venetian burlesauers. onened
a weeks stay at Kernan's Lyceum Thea
Ter yesterday afternoon and evening before
two large audiences. Unlike a majority of
the burlesQue shows, the Venetians omen
with straight variety turns and close with
the usual burlesque. From start to finish
the Feretians are clean cut artistic and
entertaining, not a vulgar turn of Joke being
seen or heard. while several Of the come
dlans are real funny, and many of the acts
can be clasSed as novelties. The perform
ance begins with a knockabout act by Rus
sell and Tillyne that was well received.
Harlan and Yost the Washington bows.
followed in a clever singing act that scored
heavily, and were later heard to good effect
with illustrated songs. The versatile trio
Sylvester, Marshall and Weston, proved
exceptionally bright, the singing especially
winning much applause. The CarmenteIle
sisters. In an act fun of dancing, singing
and bright sayings, proved the novelty of
the bill, one of the sisters being blackened
and dressed in the 'Topsy" order, which add
ed greatly to the effectiveness of the act
The clever bar performers, Newell and She
vett, gave an act that stamped both per-
formers as being among the leaders in