The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-04-19
AT THE THEATERS.
Lnfayette-"The Highwaymam..


"A Hot Old Time the rare, n...i "A
Hot Time in Old TOWN. and You Amt
So Wa'am' for incidental music, would
have seemed strangely appropriate last
| night, and amusement lovers, realizing
this, together with the fact that roasting
| is said to be the most painful of all
deaths, stayed away from the theaters
with persistency worthy of a better cause.
| A few houses were able to gather au-
| diences. however, and this was particu-
| larly true at the Lafayette Square, whore
a crowd that comfortably filed all three
! floors witnessed the first local production
| of De Koven and Smiths latest operate
success. 1.-The Hghwaymen. Those
present seemed to enjoy it, too, and the
probability is that even larger audiences
will fill out the week.
| In some ways the piece deserves the
many kind things said of it, but in several
others it does not and, while it's faults
are more those of omission than commits
sion, there are quite enough of each to
make anyone critically inclined. vince
| occasionally. The opera was evidently
begun as a romantic Irish composition
|
and Brian Boru" Later the coIlabora-
| tors probably determined that comedy
paid better and the result is a produc-
ton that is neither flesh, fish nor fowl.
The construction is lumpy and uneven
| and some of the scenes are so shockingly
bad that not even the wholly good ones
serve to take the taste out of ones
mouth.
No one ever ventured to accuse Regi-
maid De Koven of originality in more than
one of his productions, but it is not
pleasant surprise to find that Harry b.
Smiths libretto is much older and more
| worn than its setting. The story passes
the medieval stage and delves into an
cient history, every incident being not
only familiar but known seemingly by
heart and seen in advance by the major
| ity of the house. The incident of the
arrest of the three highwaymen at once
around which the plot centers, has been
used in half the operas and three-fourths
of the farceS written in the last twenty
| years, while the characters are also men,
| orous If not memorable, and the situa-
tons evolved by Captain Scarlets-im-
personation of Lord Kilkenny calls to
mind similar complications in "Erminie, :"
Half a King and dozen other operas.
There are hardly five bright lines in the
| entire piece and the most charitable thing
to be said of Mr.. Smiths jests is that
they had put his wit to sleep before
| being written. Altogether, the book is so
conventional as to impress one with the
utter uselessness of a printed argument
on the program with the word custom
ary at the bottom.
There are two redeeming qualities to the
work of Mr.. Smith, however, and these
are most pleasant. In the first place, the
lyrics are exceptionally good, the rhythm
being graceful and the rhyming ingenious.
-tn OH IN he
charming and occasionally lift the lines
to the value of poetry. The second feat
ure of the entertainment is in the char
acter of Constable Foxey CUTLER, which,
despite it's "Reminiscences, is delightfully."-
comic and comically delightful. The part
1 approaches straight comedy, the one top
zeal song used being of so dignified and
pathetic a nature as to add rather than
detract from its Legitimacy. Constable
CUTLER is a comingling of Sherlock
Holmes, the Sheriff of Nottingham, Willie
Golfers detective in Little Christopher
and all the rest of the sleuths known to
fact or fiction. His assumption of the
third person in speaking of himself and
his dime novel style of treating his sup
posed talents is very funny. 1t has been
a long time since heartier laughter has
been heard in the Lafayette than that
evoked by his Have a care, have a
care says Constable Quiller with a flash
ing glance of his jet black eyes
OF the music in THE Highwayman'
little need be said. 1t is less the result of
plagiarism than that in THE Mandarin
and, perhaps for that very reason. it
is not nearly so pretty. Beautiful airs
and charming choruses there are but one
could not, by any chance, pick out of
the entire opera more than three tunes
worth whistling. A few of the members
are delightful, but these are seldom more
than cleverIy selected medleys in which
whole bars from other operas and even
from popular songs are recognizable.
Many bits seem traceable to Robin
Hood 4" which has been the source for ev-
cry thing clever De Koven has done
since writing it. Bread and Cheese
, and Kisses, THE COnstable's Chorus, -
. Captain Rodney's" Sea Song Farewell
to the Kings Highway" a tenor and
soprano solo and Society in London
Town" all pleased. though the last is lit
tie more than copy of certain
melody in ''Erminie."
: When one reaches the company pro-
ducing the piece and the staging given II
all condemnation must end. superior
: organization all through. it abounds In
clever leading people, we'll cast in con.
genial roles.
Jcsome Sykes. who will be remembered
for his fat boy in AN American Beauty "
is a unique operate comedian and gets
all there is out of what is undoubtedly
the best part in the piece. His humor Is
contag ious and his care in doing without
| OVERRIDING cannot be praised too highly
Constable CUTLER could not have beer
half so we'll played by any other enter
tainer in the country. Harry MacDon-
| ough showed the hard work he put into
Toby Wrinkle rather too plainly but was
; nevertheless, really amusing, while vii.
! liam COrliss does a small role to perfec
ton. Joseph O'Mara, late of "ShamuS
OBrien," is that rare specimen, a good
actor and singer, his rich voice being
, heard to most excellent advantage
through the evening. George O'Donnel is
n capable comedian. Van Rensselaer,
Wheeler proved his ability conclusively
, and Reginald Roberts succeeded II
| pleasing without having much to do
+ Charles Powell contributed a study Of al
operatic- nelo-dramatic villain in tn
worst possible form.
4 decided disappointment was Camille
= D'Arville who neither looks. sings mol
acts as well as when last seen here. Sh,
seemed totally unable to give her line!
, last night a bad cold complcating mat
GERS with a voice never too strong. Sh'
! seems stiff and self conscious and he
playing. though finished was not up e
expectations. Maud Williams does fairly
well in "a small part and Nellie Braggins
who has grown stout enough to resemble
Phyllis Rankin Is delightful barmaid
T | The scenery and costumes are tasty ant
: beautiful, total disregard for eXpens
being a notable feature of production
] which though mediocre in many way
r and often critically bad, afforded AM
9 seems capable of affording entertainment
: In sufficient quantities to be enjoyable.
a After the performance last night tn
( | cpfun9ny ipinpI in singing THE Sta