The times., 1898-01-09

he is doing anything out of the COM
mon, endear the quaint figure to the
audience. In the second act, his dis
covery of Pecksniff's perfdy, and the
fall of the idol he worshiped, ending
up with Toms dismissal from the
Pecksniff home, are all beautifully por-
trayed by Mr.. Willard. In the third act
Pecksniff gets his desserts, and the
comedy ends happily with feast in
Toms chambers in London. The char
acters introduced from the book are
Pecksniff (Mr. Clarges); his two daugh-
ters, Mercy and Charity Miss Van
.Cane); Old Martin (Mr. Taylor;
Young Martin (Mr. Oswald Yorke),
Ruth Pinch (Mrs. Yorke), Mark Tap
ley (Mr. DavenporD, and John West
lock (Mr. Lonsdale), and a child's part
by Miss Ruby Johnson. The quaint
costumes of 1880. and the perfection of
staging and detail TO give the play
thorough Dickens atmosphere, help to
make this notable decentralization. On
Thursday evening" for one performance
only, The Rogue's Comedy with Mr..
Willard as the willy adventurer Bailey
Prothero, will be revived. On Saturday
evening 1.-The Middleman," with Mr..
Willard in his great forceful creation
of the old potter Cyrus Blenkarn, will
be presented. Visitors are earnestly
requested to be deated by the hour adj
vertised for the Using of the curtain.
Tomorrow night at the National Prim-
rose and Vests minstrels will begin
weeks engagement. 1t has not been
SO very long ago that a Primrose and
West company was seen at this house.
It is said, however, that the program
this time VIII in no way resemble the
other one, and NOT only will the pro-
gram be different, but also the people
who are to render it. One of the cen
trail figures in the company is Ezra
Kendall, who comes to Washington for
the first time as minstrel. Mr. Ken
dali is no doubt well remembered for his
portrayal of eccentric countrymen in
the various farce comedies in which he
has been seen. While he will not ap-
pear in black face it is said that in his
speciality he makes a most decided de-
parture from all his previous efforts.
Other prominent members of the COM
pany are Carroll Johnson and Billy
Rice. the wellknown minstrel coined
ian fthe unctuouS type, who has been
in this branch of the profession for
Hong time and has amused thousands
in his time. ''The Zouave Patrol is
William II. Vests newest marching
production and is to be personally di-
rected by that gentleman and to have
all the advantages of special scenery,
calcium lighting and gorgeous costum-
ing. THE Animated Music Sheet, the
latest New York success, is to be intro
duced with an addition in the shape
of dissolying views. In the company
beside those already mentioned are the
Schrode Brothers, acrobats and panto-
mimists, who were seen here last
season with the Hanlons; Fake and
Semon musical comedians; Troyoll0,
a ventriloquist, who uses walking fig
ures in his act; George w. Lewis. a
dancer, who has invented new step
called the 'Melo- phrase" Freeze
Brothers, who are said to be the cham
pion tambourine spinners of the world,
and Messrs. Devlin and Whalen, baton
manipulators. To many the singing is
the best part of minstrel program.
For these Messrs. Primrose and West
have provided a corps of capable vo-
calists, including among others
Charles Kent, Alex Cameron, Lewis
Pritzkow Lawrence Diamond and Jo-
seph Garland.