The times., 1898-04-26
AT THE TBEATERS.
Lafn,ette-sThat Lass o. Louri,

The first theatrical prophecy of oncom-
ing summer was read last night from the
list of prices hanging above the box Of
flee at the Lafayette Square Opera
House. Not since the Castle Square OPP
era Company closed it's season in this
city has a first-class theater reduced rates
and the combined announcement of low
prices and an "all star" organization did
not inspire any great amount of faith in
the latter. Indeed it may be said that
half the audience that witnessed the first
production on any stage of Frances Hodg-
son Burnett and Rose Eytinge's play,
That Lass o Lowrie - by the Mckee
Rankin Company, were decided pessimists
and the other half friends of the authors.
That the presentation was a great
surprise to all reflects, therefore, only
credit upon everyone concerned in the
work of the evening
1t is not probable that this first effort
of two women cOllaborators will ever be-
come sufficiently popular to make money
unless put in the hands of some actress
whose name could be counted upon to
draw big houses, but there is, neverthe
less, no end of good material in the piece,
and year of hard work for that talented
woman, Nance O'Neil. in haunts far dis
tant from the guiding mind of Mckee
Rankin might make it an excellent veht-
Gle for her initial starring tour. Despite
the rough edges inseparable from a first
presentation of any play, it does not take
a second glance to discern great merit in
the drama, nor much boldness to declare
it unquestionably the best thing, in a the
atriCal sense, that Mrs. Burnett has ever
done There are occasional lapses from
the straight and narrow path of dramatic
construction but neither so serious nor so
unremedial those in either The First
Gentleman of Europe" or "A Lady of
Quality" In addition to this, the many
dramatic incidents and the forceful story
of the book from which the play is taken
have given a foundation for work infin-
itely superior to anything in either of
the two dramas named.
The worst discernible fault in THAT
Lass OLowrie's'' is that the attention
and interest of the audience is not con-
centrated. A love story begun in the first
act is unceremoniously dropped until the
last and even the primary theme woven
around the affection of Joan Lowrie for
Fergus Derrick is frequently quilted in
order to take up a tale of Liz Dallng and
| her child. A lack of comedy is made up
for in the excellence of that commodity
and Scarceness of business may be blamed
to the newness of the play more than
anything else. A certain abruptness and
precipitation in some of the scenes should
not be difficult to eradicate and a number
of other and smaller points will be
blunted in time. All that then remain TO
be criticised are the climaxes to the first
and fourth acts In the latter caution
and generosity in scenery and effects to-
gether with some careful building will
prevent remark while the removal of
Mr.. Rankin from the cast would make
the former tolerable. AS it is, the fiat
ness of one and the superlike ranting.
melo-dramatic aspect of the other are
hardly commendable.
! But, as has been said, the virtues of the
drama far outweigh it's faults The dia-
/ logue is good, though a little excessive
| in the second act; the situations force
| full and forcible the plot remarkably CO.
| herent and the characters truly and
| clearly drawn. The pathos and power of
| the piece are unmistakable and its verify
its realism and it's literalness strike one
| so strongly as to leave room for no ar
| gument to it's merit. The story which
| Is Identical with that of the novel is
earnestly and sincerely told and the en-
! tire play gives little chance for doubt as
! to its ultimate success. Few more prom
! ising first night" productions have been
! given in Washington.
! The cast. while not without fault is
certainly capable. Nance O'NeiI is an
! actress who uses her brains and that to
| great advantage. She is intense in all her
| work and the attention she gives to de-
| tail reminds one forcibly of Minnie Ma
| dern Fiske Undoubtedly the force ana
| energy she puts into her work are only
| equaled by the judiciOus care with which
| she curbs those qualities. Her personal
| ity pervades the piece and totally over
-EaT eli larnn H..
! tion. Joan, in her hands. is not quite the
! savage the novel portrays, but, neverthe-
! less, distinct and definite characterize
1 ton. The pam could not have been better
| played. Andrew Robson, who was the op-
| posite role, lid not seem owes familiar with
! his lines and was more anxious to- win
| the applause of the gallery than the ad-
| miration of those critically inclined, but
| despite this, shows some ability in a diff
| cult line of work. The Dan of Mckee
| Rankin is an unbridled and wholly un-
! promising piece of work The PLAYER
| punctuateS only with the strength of his
lungs and brings into play every sensa-
! tional and stilted method used in a dec.
| ade. The best that can be said of him
! is that he looked every inch the cuffian
! he portrayed. Julia Stuart is a sweet
| Anice Barholm. Mrs. John T. Raymond a
! wholly inefficient and inconsequential
Liz, and Carlton Wells a very meo-dra.
matte and conventional Landsell Rose
| Eytinge scores heavily with an excellent
| bit Of comedy and Burwell Cutler is
good Paul Grace, while Ricca Scott gives
one of the very best Juvenile bits seen
in decade. baby. a dog and number
| of other members of the cast appeared to
excellent advantage the infant rather
| oVeracting than underdoing its part.
| hnti0nnl-"The Man From Mexico
Few authors ever surpass their first
triumph. Whether the success of it
turns their heads from hard work to-
ward their own greatness or whether
they exhaust all their ingenuity in the
one crucial effort is unknown, yet the
result is usually the same; the single eff
fort ever remains as a monument of
what might have been In many re-
spects this is the experience up to date
Of II. A. DuSouchet who won his dra-
| matte spurs with MY Friend from In