The sun., 1898-05-29

professional leading man starts in to sup
port her on the stage, and winds up by
contracting to support her through lie,
The balcony scene from Romeo and
Juliet" is used effectively. Tie piece
scored hit, and several vaudeville play
ers have already asked Mr.. Holcomb,
who is dramatic editor Of the Washing
Post, to write one.act plays for them.
How long will managers continue to
advertise in their advance notices with
the original cast" ETC., when, as mat
ter of fact, very few Of the people origi-
nally in the New York production are
found in the cast when the piece is pre-
sented in this or any other Of the large
cities? Some managers even have the
effrontery to onhounce in bold type in
the program the name of some popular
player, when, as a matter of fact, and
well known, of course, to the aforesaid
manager, the person SO named is either
playing In some other piece in Gotham
or is resting. If the substitutes are as
capable az their predecessors, then there
is no possible ground for complaint But
in most instances this is not the case
Harry L. Knapp in Philadelphia In
quirer.
"The Greek Slave" a musical play, is
to succeed "The Geisha' at Daly's
Theatre, London. The first act takes
place in the home of Heliodorus, a necro-
mancer. His "oracle" is none other
than Iris (Letty Lind), the little Greek
slave OF the Princess Antonia. Iris is a
gossip; she runs all over the town pick
ing up tit-bits about every one, and
these she tells to Heliodorus, who uses
them in his forecasts" When the play
opens Iris tells him that the great Pre-
feet of Rome, Marcus Pomponius, is COM
ing to him to learn what the future has
in store for him. Before his arrival we
make the acquaintance OF Cyrene Marie
Tempest) daughter of Heliodorus, who
is in love with Diomed Hayden Cottin) J,
one OF her fathers slaves, and the hand
somest youth in Rome; he is the model
Of the statue of the God of Love, Eros.
Princess Antonio is coming to have her
future read; Heliodorus must tell her
that her fate is bound up with that of
Marcus; that it is ordained that she
shall be his wife. X + Antonia has
come to discover why it is that she has
everything that woman can desire, save
the greatest gift of all-the power of
loving. Heliodorus tells her that she is
believed by the God of Love himself, great
Eros. The curtains are drawn, and the
statue is disclosed to her. She asks that
it snail be vivitied. Heliodorus, unwill-
ing that the great statue should be taken
away, has replaced it by the model, Dio-
med, made up' as its counterpart. The
supposed statue is unveiled, and with
the princess standing anXiously at the
Lase Of the pedestal, the whole of the
assemblage, in Il striking chorus, ad-
dress an impassioned appeal to it to
come to life. To theil delight their
prayer is answered. and Diomed steps
down. The next act takes us to the
palace OF the princess. This is to be one
OF the loveliest classical scenes imagin-
able. \ i Anionia is dreaming of
Eros, whose statue she thinks is in the
palace, ready to live again at her wish.
In reality it Is Domed himself whom
Heliodorus has sent to her. They meet:
she makes ardent love to him; but he
stands adamant, for Diomcd is true to
Cyrene, and, besides, is under a promise
; OF secrecy as to the scheme. = ! : 1t
is the period OF the annual saturnalia
when for five days the masters and the
slaves change places, when the slaves
command and the masters obey. This
saturnala is the most brilliant and
magnificent incident of the production.
The dresses ale OF the most bewiIdpling
description, the stage is thronged with
Whirllng mcrry-makcrs. After many
amusing and entertaining incidents, and
after Cyrene AID Diomed, in a dramatic
duet, have begged lnr forgiveness and
their lives, and won both from the
princess, Antonia bcstoNs her hand on
the faithful Marcus and tie curtain
fails.