The evening times., 1898-10-25
AT THE TREaTERS.
Lafayettc-"Thc Jolly Musketeer.

Lafayctte-"Thc jolly Musketeer.', /,
Francois, Marquis de Chantilly.
Van Rensselaer, Wheeler
II mn, Count de Boaupret. Jefferson De Ange Is
Capote. " infeld Blak
Didot Blanc. Harry Matdoaou-
AVctte- Maud llOllinS
NerYe- Bert Waltz.ngsr
Chorus Of Masketeeers, Flower Girls, Ladies Of
the Court. etc
Jefferson de Angels made his initial
appearance as star in this city last
night at the Lafayette Square before an
audience no less large than II was dis
tinctly friendly. Mr.. de Angels has al
ways been a popular man. locally, and,
while even his best friends must have
doubted his ability TO ego it alone" he
has always been assured of a following
sufficiently notable TO make his Wash
ington booking promising one. This,
together with judicious advertising and
the usual amount of Monday courtesies,
made his auditors numerous.
Perhaps the most notable thing about
the new presentation is its staging. The
jolly Musketeer" has been put on in a
manner that discounts not only the recent
production of THE Charlatan,' but any
thing else of the sort ever seen here. The
the scene painters art, while the proper
ties and costumes compare fayorably
with the surroundings in wlich they
placed. Then there is a well trained and
especially attractive chorus of laIge-co.-
lectiVe-dimensions and a number o.
other details that go toward making tie
Offering of such binding magniticence
that its faults dwindIe almost To nota-
ingness.
The book of THE Jolly Musketeer" is
very good and the lyrics very bad. Both
are the work of Stanislaus STANCE. His
ibretto has no situations of which one
may speak and comparatively few incl
dents, but il abounds in sharp, bright,
epigrammatic lines and is in every re-
spect capable of affording an excellent
background for an evenings entertail-
ment. Mr.. STANCES rhymes, however, are
not comparable to those of Gilbert, or,
indeed, of anyone else save Mother
Goose Frequently, as in the case OF the
three topical songs, Woman, Woman,
Just to Pass the Time" and That
Sweet Oblivion. Drink, their ground
work is notably fine, but the words lack
in jingle, spirit and ingenuity.
Julian Edwards has composed some
clever music for the opera-none OF II
really beautiful but all of il catchy and
bright enough to become popular. Many
of the airs are delightfully."- tuneiul ana
there is no doubt that they Will get into
the streets readily. Friends, The
Kings own Musketeers." and one or two
solos. including The Wishing Well and
the waltzes assigned YVette and NerVe In
the second act, were the best OF these.
jefferson de Angels is, personally,
something of failure He works hard
and often succeeds in being really funny
but he has not the distinctive merit to
warrant a starring tour and shows the
lack of it plainly. Harry Macdohoush 10
not as good as Mr. de Angels in his
u,orIx though he gets great deal out OF
a bad part. and Van Rensselaer, Wh.e4er
SINGS and acts with his old spirit. Maud
Hollins and Bertha Watzinger compete
the ouintette on whom the principal parts
- ~. o,,ara hang. and both do well, es-
neeiaIly in 50 far as vocalism goes. The
remainder of the cast is ali that can be
reouired. "A Brace OF Partridges next