The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-25
PLAY BILLS THIS WEEK
MARLOwE AT ENGLIsHs AND "JId
THE PENMAN" AT THE GRAND.
Later in the Week VIII he HaverIy'a
sIinstreIs and the Bostonians-
Park and Empire.

This viii be a busy week at EngnSn'S.
Opening with a special Christmas matinee
tomorrow Julia Marlowe will occupy the
theater for three days. There will be some
thing OF change Wednesday night, when
Haverley minstrel organization comes for
one performance. Following Haverley the
Bostonians, with Helen Bertram as the
prima donna, viii appear for three perform
ances. giving THE Serenade" and robin
Hood"
Julia Marlowes return to indianapolis,
after an absence of two years, during which
she is said to have made more progress In
her art than during any five preceding
years, is an event which has aroused the
keenest interest and her engagement prom
Uses to be one Of the most successful of the
season. Indianapolis theater goers were
among the first to indorse this young actress
and Loyalty stood by her when she was
much less prominent than in recent seasons.
MarIowe engagements became annual theat-
rical events, and society made it a rule to
cancel all other dates for that week. She
returns now at the head of what is claimed
TO be the best supporting company her man
ayers ever furnished her. with an attractive
repertory that includes both the romantic
and the classic drama. THE Countess Va
lesl1a," her newest production, is the most
notable OF the several new plays she has
staged.
Briefly outlined, the story of the new play
is as follows: The Countess Valeska is a
beautiful young woman who is passionately
devoted TO the cause of Poland, and is in
tensely loyal to Napoleon, by whom that
cause is espoused. She loves a Prussian Of
ficer, one of Napoleon's enemies, and secret
ly harbors him in her castle, disguised as
an overseer on the night before the battle
of Freidland, when Napoleon has estab-
lished his headquarters in her castle. The
identity of the overseer is suspected by the
military representative of the Emperor in
command of the castle, whose eyes are all
the sharper because he also loves the Count
ess and is stimulated by jealousy. The Prus-
sian fugitive not content with refuge, enters
into a conspiracy to kill NapoIeon--the chief
colleague being his father, who has OBJ
tanned entrance to the castle of Valeska in
the disguise of a shepherd-and so resolute
and obstinate is he IN his impetuous and
fanatical course. that he illustrates all Va
leska's most generous endeavors and schem-
ing to save him until at last, by his vehe-
mence, he compels her to alarm the garri-
son and deliver him to his foes He es-
capes court-martial and sudden death by
defeating his French custodian in duel
The further development of the story is
strongly worked out, but the details need
not be given.
Miss Marlowe has q splendid supporting
company and the production is said to be
very beautiful in point of settings, cos
tuning and accessories. The scenic elabora-
ton will be continued in the other two
plays that are to make up the engagement
'Valeska" is to be repeated Monday night
On Tuesday night Miss Marlowe will be
Rosalind in "As You Like IT. and on
Wednesday night Parthenia in 'Ingomar,"
the role in which she made her New York
debut.
1t has been years since Haverly's min
strels were seen in this city, and the en-
gagement for one performance at English's
Thursday night will tend to revive the men,
cries of all that was great and dazzling in
minstrelsy a score of years ago. Col Hav-
erly's present organization was launched
early this season, and since then it has been
playing mostly in none but the large cities.
In addition to the regular old-time first part
in black face Haverly has secured a number
of speciality acts from the other side of the
ocean, and his entertainment will introduce
several novelties in the vaudeville line At
the head of the black-face forces is the only
Billy Rice, with a budget of new songs and
witty stories. Haverlys is the only minstrel
company with women artists, and there are
only two of these. They are the Nichols
sisters, who appear in black face and give
their limitations of negro girls in a way that
Is said to have made them one of the big
hits of the show. The Nichols sisters though
little known in this city, are Indianapolis
girls, and the only ones In their line of work
Others in the organization are Bogert and
O'Brien, whose act is described as full of
musical and mechanical novelties. Among
the vocalists are Joseph Norcross, John w.
Early, Harry L. Talley, Joseph Roy, Will
Charles Foreman
John DAILY, William Kiley, Eddie La Barre
H. G. La Barre, Fred johnson. Ole Peterson
and Gustave Vernon.
The annual engagement of the Bostonians
is always regarded as the theatrical musical
event of the season. This celebrated lyric
organization still maintains its rank as best
in light opera, and with list of famous
singers who hold their own year after year
at the top. Jessie Bartlett Davis, the
greatest American contralto, together with
denry Clay Barnabee, w. III. Macdonald,
George rockingham, William Brodarick
and the others have valuable helpmeet
this season in Helen Bertram the greatest
HooSier prima donna, who has made light
opera speciality. Great things are expect
ed from Miss Bertram since her return
Of last season. The Serenade,'' with which
the Bostonians open their engagement next
Friday night, is the best operate score by
Victor Herbert yet heard here, while the
book is likewise the best which Harry B.
Smith has yet produced. The comical con-
ceit Of the serenade song that runs through
the opera is only one of the many notable
numbers which are encored during the per-
torrance. Produced two seasons ago. this
opera has captured the musical Strongholds.
and the victors are the recipients of as
many ovationS as when they Stormed thea
ter-goers with the well-remembered robin
Hood" Since the first production of THE
Serenade, music lovers have taken up the
score and those brilliant numbers, THE
Angelus" Woman, Lovely Woman"
Cupid and l." Dreaming and the Ser
enade" have generally become familiar
These numbers have been gracefully dis
ganization while the well-tod and humor-
GUS story and clean-cut Characterization
give ample opportunity to display the acting
abilities of an unusually large cast The
story of THE Serenade" deals with the
jealousy of an old Castiian duke whose
ward has fallen in love with an unknown
serenader. subsequently the duke discov-
ers that the serenader is Alvarado, a bari
tone. Several incongruous personages hum
ming this song in the presence of the duke
are mistaken for the rival and are in Ear
cerated and his many journeyings bring
him in constant contact with the fatal and
worrying song. The background is FUR
nished by life in CASTLE in the eighteenth
century. and attractive series of stage
pictures are furnished I'm the rollicking
spirits of brigands and monks the coquat-
~ peasant girls In a tinkiing bolero the
ludlcrouS adventures of jealous old duke
and his rival Alvarado and the delightful
masquerade of his ward Dolores and
Yvonne, a danseuse, as boys. The principals