Evening star., 1898-12-21

The characters are novel in construction
and are well carried out. Mr.. Reed has
surrounded himself with an exceptionally
clever company, headed by Miss Isadore
Rush, who has novel character to por-
tray. that of a female detective, which
gives her splendid opportunities and in
which she is seen in some very stunning
gowns.
THE GRAND OPERA SEASON.-Sub-
scriptiCn seats for the Grand Opera Season
to be given by Mr.. Chas. A. Ellis to open
the New Year at the Lafayette Square
Opera House. are being taken in large
numbers by Mrs. Pemberton Berman, and
there are indications thus early that the
season will be a financial and social sue
cess. 1t is sure to be artistic success,
for Mr.. Ellis has secured some of the best
song birds to head his company, the chief
of which is the peerless Melba. Grand
opera always appeals to Washingtonians
when presented in competent form. and
such Mr. Ellis promises for besides Melba
he announces Gadski Zelie De Lussan.
Bonnard. a new tenor: Bourderesque. the
basso, who created such favorable i'm
preston here last year, and other prom
inent principals. as well as a good chorus
and an excellent orchestra.
THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY.''-New
York dramatic critics all agree that there
are several interesting differences between
the last two plays which VIM. II. Crane
has presented. The vital one is, of course,
that Worth q Million" was very bad-not
worth thirty cents-and The Head of the
Family is very good. One provided no en-
tertainment. and the other is prolific in di-
version. Mr.. Crane cropped Worth Mil
lion in the shortest possible order when he
discovered it would not go" and secured
the rights to The Head of the Family"
which has proved to be one of the marked
successes of the metropolitan season.
JAMES O'NEILL.-Seats go on sale to-
morrow morning for the engagement of
James O'Neill at the Academy next week.
Monday. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
evenings and at the Monday and WedneS-
day matnees, Monte Cristo" is the bill.
Endowed by nature with handsome per-
sonal appearance, stately carriage and faS-
cinating personality, Mr.. ONeill is ro-
mantle actor to the manner born, and add
ed thereto the elements of a true artist,
which were developed and trained under
the guidance of such men as Forrest and
Edwin Booth. it is but according to the
law of the survival of the tittest that he
position of being the leading romantic actor
in this country today. Tuesday evening
Mr. ONeill will be seen Nirginius. In
the part of the proud stern and later on
sorrow-stricken Roman father, Mr.. O'Neill
is said to be revelation. A large outlay
of money has been expended on the scenic
accessories. Thursday evening and at the
Saturday matinee when Greek Meets
play in four acts by Joseph Hatton. A
novel by the same name, also written by
Mr.. Hatton, has met with an excellent re-
ception from the literature-loving public of
this country and England. The part of
Henri is one that is said to give Mr.. O'Nein
an opportunity to play on the whole scale
of human emotions and is a part which
particularly appeals to women.
Al. REEVES BIG FAMOUS COMPANY.
4 h I,ic ISiryE
of twenty-five whites and twenty-five
blacks, will be at Kernans next week in
a potpouri of new and catchy music, fun
ny situations and dances, new and magnifi-
cent scenery, handsome women, gorgeous
wardrobe and grand electrical effects. Mr..
Reeves stands without peer in his line,
and says that the show is a laughter-pro-
ducing one from start to finish. The COM
pany is composed of chorus of thirty wo-
men, who are shapely and beautiful and
all of whom possess strong voices There
is a very amusing satire that opens the
performance entitled The Ladies of Life"
where Al Reeves Big Minstrels will be in
troduced. Then we go on with an olio of
up-to-date specialties. such well-known peo-
pie as Mitchell and Jess. Burton and Ash
ley, Miss Zoe Ball. the phenomenal con-
tralto: Cope sisters, Emerson and Omage,
Alice Gray, lady cornetist; De Graft sisters,
Miss Fanny Fern Thatcher, the Unique
Quartet and Al Reeves and his two-dollar
banjo. concluding with up-to-ddte OPP
eretta hurletta entitled America, How Are
You?" The show is thoroughly clean and
non-suggestiye throughout.
MOVING WARGRAPH VIEWS.-The
Wargraph is presenting excellent moving
pictures of the SPANISH American war
These views have wonderfully vital hold
upon the people, and express most graph
ically and realistically the leading scenes
and incidents of our contest with Spain
They bring to the eye animated ilustra-
lOns of one of the most singular and in
sons marvellous moving pictures will never
grow old.
"A REIGN OF ERROR."-After a pros
porous tour in many of the principal towns,
MessrS. k!aW and Erlanger bring their big
organization, of which the Rogers broth
erS are the stars. to the Columbia Theater
for return engagement New Year week
1t has been a long time since these two
Inlmitable German comedians have had
such good opportunity for displaying
their versatility as is afforded in John j.
McNaIly s new play, "A Reign of Error"
The piece is of American farce comedy and
French vaudeville. 1t is in three acts the
first being on an elegant steam yacht in
midocean with moonlight and later storm
effects followed by attack by Spanish
cruiser and a sensational but an amusing ex-
ploslon. The setting of the same act
shows the same yacht in a dock in New
York city, the combination scene, which
is a mechanical stage novelty, while the
third act shows a finely painted picture of
an ancestral hall in semi-ruined castle
in Brazil. Messrs. Klaw and Erlanger
have satisfied their ambition by sur
ers as Georgia Caine, Maud Raymond, Ada
Lewis George f Marion Holm Parr la