The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-01-26
COMING TO THE THEATERS.

The latest success of Mr.. John Drew
"A Marriage OF Convenience" appears
at the Lafayette next week. with Mr..
Drew in the leading role. The play is
an adaptation from TN Marriage sous
Louis XIV" by the elder Dumas. The
adaptation was made by sydney Grun-
dy. and the production is under the d.
reCtion of Charles Frohman. which
ought to be enough to carry any drama
triumphantly through brilliant sea-
son. The play deals with the expert
ences of two young members of the
French nobility, who have been be-
trothed by their parents in their in
fancy. and do not see each other from
that time until they meet on their we'd
ding day. OF course they have formed
no particular attachment for each
other, and the count has some rather
decided inclinations in another direc
ton. while the young countess, who is
"a convent bred maiden fresh from
school, has a penchant for gay young
cavalier i'm no way resembling the
count That is the fashion i'm which
things are arranged in the beginning.
But as time goes on the husband and
wife discover, much TO their surprise.
that they are falling in love with each
other, and all is idyllic peace and joy.
Mr.. Drew plays the part of the count.
and Miss Isabel Irving, his new leading
lady. that of the countess. Miss Elsie
De Wolfe takes the part of maid, in
which she has made great success by
her perfect rendering of very French
character. A Boston critic called her
zone of the maids of Moliere," which,
from a Boston critic is praise Of con-
siderable altitude. The costumes are
after the Louis QuinZe style, and are
elegant. brilliant, and dainty, as were
the costumes of that famous period.
Down to the heels of the slippers, ev-
erything is in keeping, having been
made after models of the costumes or
the time In the furniture and other
accessories the same care has been OBJ
served. and every bit of scenery and
furniture is the property of the conf
pany.
The NAV has had long and success
ful run at the Empire Theater in New
York. and is now playing two weeks
engagement in Philadelphia. Mr..
Drew's arrival always calls out an au-
dience selected from the most intel
,ectual. cultivated and wealthy classes,
and the Lafayette Square Opera House
next Monday night will be filed with
an assemblage as notable as the play.
Otis skinner comes to the National
next week with his new romantic COM
edy. prince Rudolph The play is
an adaptation from Robert Louis Ste
venson's story, Prince Otto first
published about twenty years ago.
1t deals with life at the court of one
of the lesser German princes, which
is a very good place for romantic dra-
ma, and the time is the beginning of
this century, very good time, also,
for q romance of any sort to happen
The comedy is. of course, somewhat
changed from the story, and the ex-
igencies of stage production caused
some of the changes to be radical, but
the adapter, who, by the way, is Mr.
Skinner himself, has been fortunate
in preserving the charming atmos-
phere of the story throughout. No
better actor could have been found
for the part of the young prince than
MIR. Skinner. He is the best leading
romantic actor on the American stage
at present, and in such parts as Or
lando, Duval Romeo and other
young and picturesque heroes he has
never been excelled. He has played
first at Days Theater in New York.
and afterward with Modjeska, a wide