The times., 1898-02-06

'Js7t-ha VIII tfct iOliS oitrCh-
ing diet and the upheavai is not far off.
The first thing necessary for the real
drama is leyeling, so to speak-an
evening out of kinds. Because we give
UP the false and artificial there is no
reason why we should either go to the
country play or to the classic. The for
mer has too much SameneSS and the
latter is infinitely better for reading.
In spite of lamentatiDn for the good
old days" the Shakespearean drama
Will probably never again become gen.
orally prevalent, in this or any other
country. Denman Thompson was ex-
cellent for a time, and Duse gives US
the spirit we need. but the play of the
future Will undoubtedly be nearly be-
tween the two. 1t is more likely that
the dramas of Augustus Thomas and
the acting Of Minnie Maddern Fiske
will be popular. than that the sort pre-
sented by James A. Herne will ever be-
come general, or. indeed, admired in
more than one particular genius at
time.
Still. this is. at best, more a surrnise,
seemingly warranted by present cGndi-
tions, than a prophecy. In the fiuctu-
atons and variations of public taste,
as well as stage application of the law
of supply and demand ii is well-niSh
impossible to foretell anything. What
ever and whichever it may be. however
and whenever ii may come. change
is inevitable, and the law OF the surviv-
al of the fittest has ordained inexora-
bly, the passing of the costume play.
The novel is always acceptable in
anything, and no entertainment is so
good than an excess cannot make it
lose all the charm it ever possessed. 1t
was mainly for that reason that Jane
Mauldin- Feigfs "A Paris Modei' created
so excellent an impression among local
theatrical wiseacres last week. SO far
as other merits go, the play was good,
but hardly above the average. 1t was
the fact that nothing of the sort had
been seen here recently that made us
so willing to laugh at "A Paris Model"
In point of critical fact, the comedy
was little more than a padded sketch.
Had the authofess cut off the first two
acts completely, the real purpose of the
play would have been fulfilled. The
production had the sentiment Of
drama, the quiet of comedy, and the
intent of a pure farce. 1t was neither
flesh. fish nor fowI-of the heavens
above nor the earth beneath. The
heartiest laugh in the entire play was
in one line that Joseph Harrington, as
the policeman, sprung in the last act.
There was not a single situation to
provoke uproarious laughter. The
bright lines. abrupt contrasts and the
work of Maud Haslam were simply
amusing, and not really funny. One
was pleased; he smiled if he did not
break into audible mirth. Under ordi-
nary circumstances, with no other
point than this to note, the farce would
probably have failed.
But there were other things to con-
slider. We had been given such an ex-
cess Of nonsense about domestic diff
culties. naughty husbands and suspi-
cious wives, that when a charmingly
breezy little comedy like "A Paris
Model appeared on the theatrical ho-
riZon we We're quite willing to overlook
it's faults and be immensely pleased
with it's good qualities. This is only one
example, but ii shows just how weary
one becomes of the same thing and
how ready he usually is for a change.
A new phase in vaudeville has also
been developed in the last few weeks.
For more than a year there has been a
constant demand, in cities commonly
spoken of as being "on the read" for
1igh-class yaudeville-the kind that
has become so popular in New York
and Chicago. OF late the very best
people in the profession have gone to
that branch of art and the largest cities
ment the greatest pleasure. The spirit
Of the times has called for just such
class of entertainment, and ii has been
given. The essence of thing without
the padding has always been far pref
cradle to Tthe long drawn out, and
sketch work has been the natural re-
suit The short story was the legiti-
mate offspring of the novel, and the
vaudeville play bears the same rela-
tion to the drama.
BUT this luxury has been, almost
without exception, confined to New
York city. Manager Grau did, at one
time. make an attempt to plant vaude-
vile of the best sort firmly in Wash
ington but he found that the seed was
difficult 10 procure and that the air of
the Capital did not let his flower grow.
And, so neither the plant nor Mr. Grau
thriYed TO any alarming extent, and, at
the end of three weeks, he left us, de-
claring himself much encouraged and
promising to return later-a promise he
has never been able TO fulfill.
Meanwhile we have been forced to
content ourselves with the old style of
variety entertainment seasoned with
cigar smoke. and, in one case, dampen-
ed with beer. We have been treated TO
a large and bucolic sufficiency of
Nights in Paris and jay New
Yorks:" have watched with wondering
eyes the playful gambols of the sweet
young chorus girl-age 46-and have at
tended the inquests and listened to the
post mortem statements of full many
a medieval quip and jest. On occa-
SionS we have even taken with becoTn-
ing resignation, the steady diet of lin
gerie. hosiery and other sup
posedly hidden emblemS of femininity !
in dress and have gone home and wor- I
ried all night in order to invent club /
or a late dinner for our women rela- !
tiyeS the next morning. All this was
truly educating and duly elevating in /
its day, but now the appetite is stated 1
and for some time We have been calling |
for something in addition.
We have not gotten it. The cruel !
managers of prosperous vaudeville |
houses have strolled heedlssly up and !
down the far away Rialto and paid no
attention to our cries. The ladies !
have been banned and barred from To-
cal variety houses. and the blithesome /
three-sheet, with the date slip posted |
over portions of the picture thereon, |
has continued to destroy the simple /
happiness of many quiet hearth.
But in the last month it has evident
ly occurred to some one in Gotham /
town that there is no reason why ex-
ceptionally clever vaudeville stars /
should not be sent on the road at the I
head of vaudeville companies as dra-
matte stars are with dramatic compa-
nies, and that person has had the en-
ergy to act on his own suggestion.
First the youthful, but hustling Flor
ence Ziegfeld ended Anna Held's en-
gagement at Roster & Balls. in New
York, and, backing her with a comedy |
and drama, sent her out to gather in
the ducats of the vaudeville hungry.