Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-20

| Ineatrlcally speaking, washington no"
approaches the close of the entr'acte There
| has been little preliminary entertainment
| by the variety theaters before the rise of
| the curtain on the grand ensemble which the
| season promises. And so far the vaudeville
| performers have been welcomed heartily.
| There has been no avalanche of new songs
and no dazzling outpour of freshly minted
witticisms, but there has been a satisfac-
| ton in meeting old friends, both in melody
and humor, and in watching the stage
young women, whose seeming GOODNESS of
attire is restfu1, even though it may be but
| an optical illusion. The success which le-
Ultimate vaudeville has had in other cities
| may lead to something of the same sort in
Washington in the course of events But
| the time is not yet, and the admirer of the
terpsichorean favorite and the vocal phe-
nomenon and the acrobatic marvel must be
prepared for certain infusion of the risque
or else bide home and wait for the further
elevation of the stage in all its depart
ments.
Managers are talking of a revival of pros
perlty with the enthusiasm of a political
campaign manager. Great things are ex-
pected OF the season of 1S9S-99, and men of
experience are putting their hands into
their pockets with lberality which be-
tokens confidence in their judgment. Some
very interesting experiments in new plays
Washington will have it's share of first pro-
auctions. To the cold, calculating business
person who goas to the theater calmly
pecllng to get certain amount Of enter
tainment or artistic edification for so much
| money hrst-night performances NAV not
appeal with entire favor. The chances are
against the early editions of show being
as satisfactory as those produced after a
snort period of elimination and amendment
But, fortunately, the cold, calculating bust
ness person Is not representative of theatre
cal patronage In general, and the fascina-
tons of chance, even when another pfsvs
the game; the knowledge that the hit or
the failure of a lifetime may be recorded
pe1ore the nnal descent of the curtain, more
IMAM compensates for the possibility of
deficiencies in the interpretation
The first new venture launched here will
be A. NJ. Palmer's company and the dis
examination which its manager has hither-
10 SHOWN makes an organization and play
IN which he expresses so much faith matters
OF more than usual interest. Mr. Palmer
mas done much for the American stage. and
perhaps his most noteworthy characteristic
! Is MS confidence in the higher and more
dehcate forms of theatric art. He has in
many instances wholly defed the prophets
VINO declare that the public clamors for
ciap-trap, and has come out with flying
colors as the managerial exponent of pure
| wit, pure humor and pure pathos, as the
| case might be.
Another first production which will he
awaited with interest is the dramatization
| OF The Christian with Viola Allen as
| Glory Quayle. The decentralization of a
novel does not profit by the prestige of the
| library as often as might be expected.
| Theoretically, the novel should be a COM
| plete work of art, with nothing left for the
| stage to add, and which can only be in
Jured by the hacking and hewing necessary
! to fit it for representation in the theater.
With the mere story-teller this is not the
case. When he weaves his plot his mission
| i1I- 1na.
| consideration, and with an abundance of
| incident and action the transfer to the
stage is easy, the main essentials of an in
| teresting drama being at hand. But where
| the authors whole intent may have been
chronicled in a silent heart-throb the en-
| terprise becomes difficult. The writer may
without improperly explain directly in his
text that the heart-thTob has occurred
| but the actor must exercise great tact in
conveying the information to his audience.
Yet dramatiZed literature of the highest
class, when it succeeds, succeeds brilliantly,
and The Christian has admirers enough
| to make anything other than success for it
| the occasion of wide regret. The arrange
| ments for the production are very elaborate
and Miss Aliens capabilities have been
demonstrated beyond any doubt.
| The performance of Miss Maud Adams as
| Juliet will present a hard proposition for
some of the blaSe theater-goerS who have
unreSeryedly put themselves on record to
| the effect that Shakespeare is an irretriev-
! able back-number. 1t was magnanimouSly
| admitted that he was we'll enough in his
| day, but it mildly limited that while
| his Hamlet and Julius Caesar were very
good in their way, he never could have
written "One Summers Day or "A Stran-
ger in New York" or The Circus Girl 1t
| was even minated that in places he was
banal, which every one knows is very cut
| ting. But when it is sought to ciinch Miss
Adams reputation as a star Mr.. Froh-
man places his stepladder to the bookcase
| ana is presently blowing the dust off a copy
of the neglected bard of Avon's works
| And no sooner is it announced that Miss
Adams is to play Juliet than speculation is
| rife as to how she will do it. Popular in
| terest asserts itself in a way which leaves
| no chance for doubt that the public is not
| anxious to forget the old plays, though it
( Is often compelled to stay away from the
| theater TO show it's disapproval of the way
| they are handled. In this case the high
| est expectations are justified. Miss Adams
may differ much from the traditional Ju-
| iets, but that she will play the part most
| lovably no one will hesitate to assert Miss
Adams comes upon the scene in the nick of
| time for the despairing cassicist. Shake
| speare was all right. All he needed was
| Mi. Frohman to manage him.
very amusing story is told of the first
production of the new creation. Hotel
Topsy-Turvy.'' The piece was underlined
for production at the Foles Dramatfaues
lie Timbale D'Argent' was being sung
| there while Topsy-Turvy'' was in rehear-
1
| the two principal singers failed to come 70
| the theater NJ. Silvestre the manager. was
In despair, but he finally came before the
audience and said: Ladies and gentlemen
| our two principal singers have disappointed
me, and We cannot therefore give per-
| formarce of 'Timbale DArgent,' / pro-
| pose to give you instead full dress re-
| nearsal OF our new piece 'Topsy-Tu1vy'
Any one who doesn't care to remain will
| nave his money refunded at the box-office' -
| This speech was received with great an
I piause, and not a single person left the
| theater The piece made a great hit ac-
| tors and audience sharing the spirit of
| good humor Next day all Paris was talk
| ing about the new play and its public dress
| rehearsal. The critics alone were indig-
! nant. why didn't you ask US to attend 81
! they demanded Of NJ. Silvestre, who re-
| piled: My dear fellows, 1 had no intention
| of producing the piece an hour before the
| curtain rose on the first act"
| COLUMBIA THEATER-The Columbia
| Theater will open it's doors Monday even
| ing, August % Workmen have been busy
| for the past four weeks adding to the at
! fractions of this always handsome and
| comfortable play house. Their labor is still
| incomplete, but its fruits are manifest in
| the maze of scaffolding which has been
erected. The visitor, entering the spacious
| lobby from the r do xU;I1b a