davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times., 1898-09-18

the foremost organization presenting
plays on the stock system in America.
Sonceoing New York to be the first the
ftricai city of the country, this claim
Is substantiated in the extension of a
1ortnights engagement, begun in that
city last Spring, to one of three months.
That was then only interrupted by the
heat OF Summer. The triumph was won
by mastery presentation of brilliant
plays by brilliant company, in welcome
contrast to the hurly-burly perform
ances Of travelling shows, to which the
metropolis had been accustomed
Few dramatic ensembles may boast of
a stronger roster of famous names than
that which is to offer Diplomacy here
Frank Mordaunt is too well known as an
actor of rugged emotional roles to re-
Quire comment; Mary Shaw is a conspic-
nous figure in the dramatic armament;
Edgar L. Davenport is fast climbing the
ladder of reno%n surmounted by his
father; Alberta Gallatin is a local favor
ite. while Frank E. Aiken, William G.
Beach, Violet Rand, Una Abel, Kate
Denim Wilson, William Heisman, R.
Sutherland. Theodore Devere, Mortimer
Weldon. and Donald G. Bowles are repu-
table associates. William Seymour stage
manager for years of the famous Boston
Museum, is mentor of the Mordaunt G.
Block Company.
Pretty nearly everyone familiar with
the standard drama is acquainted with
the movement OF Diplomacy" Sardou's
first great play. The action opens in
Monte Carlo amid a congress of diplo-
mats and social butterflies. Count Orloff
a Russian exile; Julian Beauclerc is
The times., 1898-09-18

quentIy receive half the values meted out
to places like New York or Chicago. and
pay for them twice the rate assessed
burgs varying in population from the few
hundreds of Scranton 20 the many thou
sands of Cleveland, and even Philadelphia
a case in point is afforded by the COM
pany which last week presented here f.
Z. Rices buffoonric extravaganza, THE
Girl from Paris" at the New National
favorite locally. and it's three visits have
not drawn forth any unreasonable degree
of enthusiasm. During it's first engage
ment business was not what might have
been termed large, and the demand had
SO decreased when the organization re-
turned that its management was reluct-
antly obliged TO confess having beaten the
record at the Lafayette Square Opera
House-backward. Even the combination
primarily seen was not by any means
identical with that which pleased New
York for so long period, despite adver-
tsements to the contrary. and the second
equaled that which had preceded it in no
single regard. All this was clearly recog
nized, and yet Mr.. Rice insisted upon fore
ing his distasteful concoction upon the
city for third time at the beginning of
the present season.
Notwithstanding the lesson learned be-
fore, however,. no one ventured to be-
lieve until the list of names was an
nounced that the metropolitan puryeyor
of legs and lingerie would venture to fur-
ther cheaper his combination. There was.
in fact, considerable Importance attach
ed to statements that the PHILADELPHIA
press had praised the company above all
those which had preceded ii. According
ly local critics Were somewhat bewilder
ed when the personnel of the cast was
| made known and still more so when the
comedy was put on view Then It was
learned that many of the most impor-
| tant parts. in the piece We're in the hands
| of people who had been seen here seldom
before in any position more elevated than
the chorus and that others were being
done by players so totally and wholly
incompetent as to make remarks unnec-
essary- The four or five capable enter
tanners with the organization Were una
bic to lift it from the slough of general
wretchedness-a wretchedness to the
completion of which was added the effect
OF Shop-worn scenery and an insufficient
ensemble. But some of the daily papers
that have been recently boasting of the
honesty of their reviews came out with
a great deal of indscriminate praise de-
spite the truth of these observations and
numbers of the unwise expended the
same sums of money generally charged
by combines of far greater pretensions
and witnessed 1.-THE Girl From Paris,
And now it develops that from this
time on the Rice venture will go into the
popular-priced houses of the country, and
will be heard in other cities at rates
ranging from one-third to one-half the
amount asked here.
But this is not the first case of the kind
that has come to the attention of local
theatergoers, and it will probably not be
the last Only four months ago Charles
Frohman sent to the Lafayette a body of
The times., 1898-09-18
THE PASSING SHOW.

There is nothing so abject as medioc-
rity-not even ranking beneath 1t. The
middle path in mind in music. or In NOR
ais is invariably the one that is most con-
demned, and those who must follow In
its narrow. confines suffer accordingly.
And nowhere is this fact so keenly felt
as in the world of theatricals.
Washington is the most cheated and
most readily swindled city in the Union
WHEN it comes to this particular For
Washington is not sufficiently large to all
ton Of the country's best actors, and it
is not small enough to be taxed as low as
are other towns of less Importance for
the companies that do pass through. As
a natural result, local theatergOers fire.
The times., 1898-09-18
Kernan,s,Isham,s octoroon-.


1t was long aiquestion how the English
patron of amusements would take a
modern all-negro show, esecially such a
one as Sam L. EJackss Creole Company.
1t was argued that, no matter how pleas
ing the artists of different shades in that
company might be, the Britishers would
resent the application of the word Gre
ole, IL they did not regard the whole
combination as an imposition. 1t may
be remembered that lin Louisiana and
other Southern States the citizens rose
in righteous Indignation when Mr.. Jacks
billed his organization, and the signs be-
came so threatening that the company
did not appear. 1t was John w. lsham,
then Jacks's manager, who thought dis
cretlon the better part of Valor and shook
the dust of New Orleans from his feet
when the populace swore they would
burn his special car and the theater, too,
If the show opened there.
1t was not long after this that Sam
L. Jacks concluded to tour Europe with
his combination. and Mr.. Isham was de-
tailed TO go over to London and arrange
the preliminaries, but at the eleventh
hour Mr.. Jacks abandoned the trip.
isham. however, had an abiding faith
| IN European trip. and the next season
| sent representative over, but the man
| returned, declaring that there was neil
| ther an opening nor demand for the
| show. About the same time the man
| ayers of another negro organization sent
over an Englishman who was thoroughly
| acquainted with London and the prov
| inces, and he. too, came back without
| having accomplished anything.
John Isham is a hard man TO convince
or discourage. streak of bad luck only
| makes him more tenacious and notwith-
| standing the testimony of his own repre-
sentatives, as well as that of rival, he
| determined to make a foreign tour with
his Octoroons at all hazards. The great
est difficulty TO overcome was in getting
| an oening, but he went over there him
| self, personally arranged the prelimina-
| ries, took the company there, and sue
ceeded in field that was not only rich,
| but had been given up in despair by 9TH
ers. The English accepted the word "oc-
| toroon" as a matter of fact, when they
| might have taken offense at creole.
Mr.. Isham's two organizations, the
| English and American, combined, are the
weeks feature at Kernan-s, and the pat
rons of that house should find enjoyable
the entertainment of an organization that
I-could have surmounted the obstacles of
| London engagement.
The times., 1898-09-18
An excellent mater
Went TO the theater
To let her poor dog see 4 show;
But the thing was so bad
That the canine went mad.

An excellent mater
Went TO the theater
To let her poor dog see 4 show;
But the thing so bad
That the canine went mad,
And one couldn't blame it, you know.
Those who were amusement hungry last
seek did not find in the line of attrac-
lions presented here a sufficient amount
of nourishment to deceive their appetites
until better things came along. Arts
tically, the first real engagements of the
season proved wretched failures and
those who witnessed any of the perform
ances given will probably bear personal
grudges against the press agents for some
time TO come. Thanks to the cool weather
and a prevalent desire to look upon the
footlights once more. whatever was be-
hind them, none of the houses did badly,
though the business average did not come
anywhere near the point generally ex-
peoted. Those two seductive Inaidens,
'1The Girl From Paris and THE Hula
Girl drew good audiences TO the Ma
tional and Columbia. The first-named of
the plays was wretchedly given by, a
cheap company. and the second was pre-
sented by amateurs. Within the walls of
tne academy that ShOp-WOrn melOdrama,
The Electrician was acted to benches
that We're almost. if not quite empty
while Sheridan and Faust's Metropolitan
burlesquers," at kernan's, proved 10 be
neither above nor below the standard set
py their managers in former efforts
Better things are expected for the COM
ing week, and, while the offerings ad-
vertised are without exception of the
light and frivolous order, the list OF peo-
pie comprising the producing organiza-
tons guarantees a great deal. Some of
the best musical farces on the road will
holu the boards at the downtown houses
while more stable sort of comedy will
be done al the Columbia. The desire
Tor bright entertainment is 50 general
that there can be no doubt of the financial
success of all concerned The LAFAYETTE
Square Opera House opens its season to-
morrow night with a Herald Square COM
pany in Rice's new farce, Hotel Topsy
TurYy, which viii then be given its first
production on any stage The Rogers
Brothers and Georgia Game come 10 the
National with John J. McNally's sue
cessful absurdity, "a Reign of Error. -
while the heaviest morsel of the week
VIII be given from the Columbia in the
hordaunt-Block presentation of '.Diplo-
macy" Eddie Girard, late Of the firm nf
Donnelly and Girard, is to revive Nat
ural Gas" at the Academy, and Isham's
Octoroons are booked for the Iycellrn
where they have nver failed to play to
the capacity of the house Altogether
there is so much promise in the next six
Gays that one feels sorry that the poor
cog did not have a constitution sufi-
ciently strong to enable him to try again
before giving up the ghost
The times., 1898-09-18

& Erlanger. That the occasion viii prove
most auspicious is apparent from the
great interest that has already been
manifested in the engagement There is
no class of stage entertainment which
seems to appeal more strongly to amuse-
ment lovers than comedy. In his latest
work Mr.. McNally has endeavored TO
separate himself from the old, beaten
path of farce and is credited with having
written a play which borders more
the French vaudeville" than the class
with which we have been surfeited dur
ing the late years.
The company supporting the Rogers
Brothers is a large and interesting one
1t was selected with the greatest care
and includes such clever artists as Geor-
gia Caine, the most dashing of commedi-
ennes; Maude Raymond, Ada Lewis, Car
rie Elberts, Hattie Waters La Petite
Adelaide, Edith st. Claire, George Marion,
John Parr. and Budd Ross. There is a
large chorus, which is said to be COM
posed of pretty girls with good voices.
The songs are new and catchy and the
music of that class which meets with
immediate favor The entire production
| is under the personal stage direction of
! Ben Teal.
The action of the play is full of interest
| 1t begins in the handsome steam yacht
| of a young millionaire Balderini, who is
|
| lister. He is on his way TO Brazil where
the Balderini fortune awaits him, on con-
! dition that he weds the daughter of the
| corsini family, young lady whom he
has never seen. Being of a lively and
| generous disposition, Jack has given free
| transportation on his yacht to the theat-
| rical company of an unfortunate mana
ger who has organized a company in
| Europe 70 tour South America The lead
4, ing lady of this company is the daugh-
| ter of Corsini, using, of course, a stage
name, and for the purpose of the drama
| tfst she promptly falls in love with the
| hero. On board the yacht also is DR.
| DaSo Hasgeri, an adventurer, and the
| heir to the Balderini property if Jack
| cannot be found. He schemes with very
| charming female smuggler to represent
| herself as the daughter of Corsini while
! he claims 10 be the Balderini heir, and
| thus by union gain the combined for
| tunes. Jack hears of their plot. In the
| theatrical company are two German girls
| who have run away from home, thinking
| they have left their lovers, Hans and
| Carl. behind. These heroes have how
| ever, gone on board the yacht as stow
| aways. They are discovered, are taken
| for Spanish spies, are denied by their
| sweethearts, and are in a serious posi-
! ton when Jack comes to their rescue and
announces that he knows them, and that
! Hans is the real Balderini and that Carl
| is his cousin, Balderoso. This announce
ment greatly upsets the plans of Dago
and his fair schemer. An attack by
! Spanish cruiser is said to create a
wealth of lively comedy for all and to
| give the act a funny and sensational end
| ing.
In the second scene the yacht is shown
The times., 1898-09-18
CoIumbia-sDi,Iouacxy

a special engagement of the great
Mordaunt & Block Stock Company, from
the Herald Square Theater, for this
week, is the stroke effected by the CO.
lumbia's management. Encouraged by
the artistic and pecuniary reward that
followed their presentation of the coun-
try's best stage products last season.
Managers Luckett & Dwyer this year are
determined to sustain the excellence. Ger
tainly they are taking no chances with
their coming bill. The Mordaunt &
Block combination is today confessedly
The times., 1898-09-18
Nationalist Reign of Error,

A new play by popular writer. inter-
preted by an admirable organization un-
der the direction of recognized manage
ment, is always an event fraught with
considerable anticipation by Washington
theater-goers. Beginning tomorrow night,
at the National Theater, a new comedy
by John J. McNally, entitled "A Reign of
Error" will be presented by the Rogers
Brothers, under direction Of Messrs. Klaw
The times., 1898-09-18
Academy-..SaturaI Gas.v

According to all reports Eddie Girard
and his company have found unusual
success in their revival of Natural Gas"
This farce affords opportunity for the in
PRODUCTION of a number of songs, dances
and humorous incidents. which are being
received with much applause. Mr.. Girard
is alone worth the price of admission"
and his organization is said to be of al
most equal merit. 1t includes several
well-known players. among them many
The times., 1898-09-18

who were seen in the primary production.
Amy Ames, one of these, will appear in
her original characterization of Kitty Ma
lone. The part of Christopher Bluff, for
merly played by Mr.. Donnelly, is in the
hands of Edward Garvie, for the past
four years principal comedian of Hoyt and
McKee's forces. Last season Mr.. Garvie
made distinct hit as Hot Stuff in "A
Black Sheep Others in the company
are Mollie Thompson, Frank OBrien, Gus
Hennessy. John Conley, John Letter.
Allie Black. Marcy Thompson, Nellie Gil
christ and Josie Clark. AS there has been
The times., 1898-09-18

TO the melodrama nor to any journal
that would commend 1t. The other letter
echoed the sentiments thus expressed.
Altogether 1t seems that the critic of
today Is very much between 1.-The devil
and the deep sea" He must either lose
the friendship of the managers of whose
performances he speaks or the conf
dence of the public for the benefit of
which his reviews are supposed to be
written. In the case of the two COM
municetions mentioned above the humor-
The times., 1898-09-18

absolutely worthless players in his New
York success. Under the Red Robe"
which ran 300 nights at the Empire The
ater," and the pre;ense was kept up con-
sistently, even after The Times had prov
en- that REORGANIZATION could not boast
the services of a single individual who was
a member of the original east The
drama left here to enter the popular
priced theaters of the country, and was
finally taken off the road altogether My
Friend from India" and ''Old Lavender"
The times., 1898-09-18

constant lfequest from theater-goters
throughout the country for revival of
this play, the engagement at Academy of
Music this week should be a most sue
ceSSful one.
The times., 1898-09-18

Manager Eugene Herman seems to be
particularly fortunate in the acrObats who
come 10 his house. No matter what the
failed in the last three weeks to have on
his bill at least one, and sometimes two
teams of clever aerial performers. Thus
the only people of special worth brought
here by Sheridan and Fausts ''Metr0poli-
tan Burlesquers'' were included in the
trio advertised as consisting of Nelson.
Glinserti and DemOniO. Notwithstanding
the ingenuity necessary TO the invention
of such lot of tongue-twisting names.
the organization retained sufficient vital
ity and brain power TO devise a number
of new feats in ground and lofty tum-
bling. contortiOn and bar work Several
of these exhibitions were remarkable from
their difficulty and not less so in the ease
with which they seemed TO be carried out
The harsh breathing and red faces gem
orally inseparable from such a turn, and
always so disagreeable to an audience.
were altogether lacking in the three en-
tertainers, and no one was heard to re-
gret their absence. Aside from its aero
batic matter, the combina ton proved to
be made up of capital grotesques and CO.
medians. Its humor did not appear to be
forced, or even carefully prepared. and
yet 1t served to keep last weeks audi
ences laughing heartily during the entire
act. A number of excellent bits of pam
ance and served to show ability on the
The times., 1898-09-18

Apropos of some recent remarks on the
usefulness of dramatic criticism, come
two letters that were left with the writer
last week. Both We're evidently penned
by men who knew of what they were
speaking and both gave considerable
weight to statement that the public is
vitally interested regarding what may be
printed concerning performance. One
of the notes ran: Dear Sir: IF you
print anything in the way of praise about
The Electrician we will stop our sub
scriptions to your paper. You can do
just as you please about the matter but
we have determined that there is no use
cheating more people than is necessary
and we want to say that while we will
stand by you we will not tolerate Blan-
eys play" Following this came a long
line of remark not at all complimentary
The times., 1898-09-18

One of the most promising of the clever
amateurs engaged in presenting the The
Hula Girl last week at the Columbia
was little Marie Howe. who on TWO Occa-
sions assumed the part of Baby Truth.
Miss Howe has rare ability as an actress.
besides possessing a sweet voice and
graceful stage presence that is delightful
She tlas none of the crudeness and self
consciousness so apparent in most ANA
teurs, nor does she show any signs OF the
staginess that often takes the place OF
these defects. when cleveruess and care
ful coaching have removed the primary
mistakes. Miss Howe is simply natu-
rally bright and vivaciOus girl. whose IN
herent qualities have not been s-unted by
efforts to moduIate them. She dances
well, too, and in every respect equal to
a great many of the professional people
seen here with more pretentious pTOduc-
tions.
The times., 1898-09-18
ON THE LOCAL RIALTO.

While the theater advances in all other
directions the passing of years seems TO
bring no added life or worth 10 the melo-
dramatic stage. The time when powerful
plays were sufficiently in vogue with men
and women of brains 10 make it necessa-
~ that they be well written has gone by
and in its place has come the day of
high-sounding phrases and meaningless
tricks. Actors of all other sorts improve
and grow more capable but the people
who devote their years to delivering he
roics at audiences OF intelligence that
would require charity to be called medi-
ocre do not go forward in any particular.
This appears to be especially true Of the
performers who assume heavy parts.
Fifty years ago villains wore kid gloves
and smoked cigarettes and consequently,
in the general opinion of the profession,
they must do il now. There is no special
reason why the scoundreI OF a drama
should invariably be better dressed than
anyone else, but he always is nOtwith-
standing the fact that he generally
verges on bankruptcy. There never was
any warrant for bold, bad men starting
nervously at the slightest word, for the
consistency with which they chewed
their mustaches or for the manner in
which they yelled threats into the ears
of their victims. and yet these things
have always been done in popular-priced
houses and probably always will be s-In-
ply because the patrons OF such theaters
have been educated to nothing else and
no one is willing TO show them that na-
ture is art and the actor who portrayS
10 NJ hrrrfgEuUe
Arthur E. Sprague. who had the heavy
role last week in The Electrician. was
the sort of a person who looked and was
the villain consistently from start 10 I'm
ish. In real life he would never have
achieved any harm. because people would
have told his true nature at sight and
called out their bulldogs. The mOment
he stepped on the stage the gallery boys
began gritting their teeth in position 10
hiss. while sweet young girls in the OF
chestra circle stopped chewing bonbons
and drew of their gloves preparatory 10
showing their appreciation OF the defiance
the hero was sure to throw in his lace
And vet these very spectators apparently
considered ii perfectly natural that every
one who had to with the play should be
deceived by the gentleman. OF such a Va
riety-or lack of twas Mr. Sprague's un-
derstanding of the part. and that IS the
manner in which ne carried It out a sec
ond's intelligent thought should have
showed him how absurdly impossible was
his portrayal. And yet the player did the
role no worse than do many Of the best
heavy men on the stage II simply does
not occur TO them evidently that some one
should be misied as 10 the intents and
purposes of a scOundreL They simply
brand him and let him bawl out his lines
regardless of their meaning or their re-
latiOn 10 common sense. Even the man
who stole Henry Miuer's opera IN
'Heartsease'' spent all his time during
the first act of that piece in making enc
mics of the servants and gaining the wan
ton distrust of everyone. And this artist
was no less a parsonage than John l. Sui
lvan.
The times., 1898-09-18

member Of the British legation: Henry
Beauclerc, his brother, is an attache of
the British embassy; Baron Stein is Sc
The times., 1898-09-18
Lnfayette-..HoteI Topsy Turvy."

The latest French novelty, Hotel Topsy
Turvy," viii have its first presentation in
this country at the Lafayette Square OPP
era House tomorrow night. Its produc-
ton will also mark the opening of the
theater, which has been beautified by
painters and decorators during the Sum
mer. There has been very large de-
mand for seats and the Importance of the
event will be attested by a large and
fashionable audience. Hotel Topsy Tur-
Wy" will also open in London tomorrow
and is expected to be received with the
same favor there and in this country that
it was in Paris, where for two years it
has been running under the title of
"L'Auberge du Tohu Bohu." When the
Herald Square Theater management
brought it over here they are said 10 have
gone TO great expense to present it quite
as well as it was done abroad. Prodig-
ious productions. with picturesque stage
effects. dazzling costumes and pretty girls
have always been characteristic of Herald
Square offerings. but in Hotel Topsy
Turvy" the directors have endeavored 10
surpass their previous effects. For the
portrayal of the different roles in this
latest musical comedy they have engaged
some of the cleverest artists in this line
of entertainment. A review of the char
acters and the players who will interpret
them is given below: