The times., 1898-12-29


fair TO be the best OF the year at the La
fayette Square Opera House. And this
greeting is well deserved Not only. is
''Zaza" remarkable play. but 1t is re-
markably played Under the authors
supervision the excellent organization Sc
cured for the production works without
hitch. The interpreted business is
ample, the ensemble perfect and every
member of the cast is faultless in his or
her lines. Very few changes will be
made in the offering before it enters New
York and these will be more in the na-
ture OF omission than anything else. Mr.
Frohams scenery and costumes are ad-
mirable, while the properties are marvels
of detail. Those who do not see ''Zaza'
this week are doing themselves an injus-
tice.
At the Columbia next week local theater-
goers will be given another opportunity to
witness John J. McNally,s latest effort, "a
Reign OF Error in which the two popular
Rogers brothers are being starred this sea-
son Klaw & Erlanger. The organization.
which was seen here several months ago.
is n large one, and includes some of the
best known players now on the comedy
stage.
The story of "a Reign of Error is dis
tinct departure from that OF the average
I
ingly funny. 1t depicts the adventures of
two stowaways. who. being desirous of fol-
lowing their sweethearts without discovery.
adopt this method OF travelling in order to
conceal their presence. II happens that the
owner of the boat on which they are hid
den hears two schemers plan to deprive the
rightful heir Of his vast Brazilian estate,
and, finding the stowaways. decides TO palm
them off as the missing millionaire and his
4 lns svr1,- fatN hnnn NINA
most ambitious In their efforts 10 convince
everybody of their. identity and the COM
plcations which ensue are ludicrous in the
extreme. The comedy is in three acts, the
| first depicting scenes on yacht. where the
stowaways are discovered. In the second
dock in New York harbor is portrayed.
while the last setting shows the ruins OF
deserted castle.
The company engaged to interpret this
! comedy is an exceptionally large one. num-
| bering almost forty people. and including
besides the ~----s brothers, Georgia
| Caine. George F. Marion. Maude Raymond,
Ada Lewis John Parr, George Lawrence,
| Budd Ross. La Petite Adelaide and Edith
! st. Clair The stage is to be under the
personal direction of Mr.. Ben Teal.
II reports from New York are reliable
! md there seems to be no reason for doubt
1
play in 'The Head of the Family" which
he is to offer next week at the New Ma
| tional Theater. II the work did nothing
| more than present the star in character
totally different from others shown by him
in the past there would be cause for hap
piness among the actors admirers, but It
is said to do more than this The comedy
tells a very interesting story that is sup
posedly cumulative in interest-a story
that is devoid Of claptrap and one that is
| so often met with in actual life that but
little OF the entertainers art is required
| to impress its force on an audience In
| the vehicle Mr.. Crane is seen as meek
little man so buried in his fads that he -
content to allow his wife to rule the house
hold. This good woman. with tact pc
culiar TO many weii-meauing spouses.
makes fatal mistakes in the bringing up
of her daughters, and it is only after the
honor of one of them has been brought
into question that the fathers eyes are
opened to the fact that in not paying more
attention to his children and his wife's
! idea of management he has made a great
mistake. Mr.. Crane is said to have staged
the play handsomely, the settings are pre-
sumably tasteful, and it is claimed that
the dresses worn are what women arc
prone to call creations" In the star
support will be Walter Hale Boyd Put
nam. Frederick Truesdell, William Boag,
VIII Dupont, Percy HasweIl. Olive Oliver.
Gladys Wallis, Ysohl Haskins, Kate Les
ter. Frances Stevens, and Leila Bronson.
For those who can understand and appre-
ciate the loftier aims and purposes OF mu-
sic-who can discriminate between the
worthy and the unworthy rendering of the
gems provided in different schools-there
is genuine treat promised next week at
the Lafayette Square. Beginning with a
presentation on Tuesday night, the Ellis
| Grand Opera Company will then play a
local season of three evenings and a matt
nee. In this time the greatest works of the
Italian and German masters will be sung
with appropriate settings. costumes and
musical environment. At the first perform
ance Counod's Romeo and Juliet will be
given in French. with a notable cast of
characters Bonnard and Melba are to be
heard in the title roles, with Chevalier De
Vries as Mercutio. NJ. Boudouresque as
Friar Lawrence, Ellison Van Hoose as Ty-
bait and Marie hatfield as Stephano. On
Thursday evening "Tannhauser'' will be
sung in German. Andreas Dippel appearing
as Tannhauser and Johana Gadski as Eliza
beth. Rosa Olitzka is to be the Venus
Gerard Stehmann the Landgrave, Max
Stury the Wolfram and Ellison Van Hoose
the Walter. On the following night Chali
is to sing the role OF Santuzza and Franoco
Pandolfni that of Turiddu in Cavaliers
Rusticana,'' with Zelie de Luzssan and
Signor Pandolini appearing as Media and
Canio in 'I'Pagliecci." This opera will
be presented in Italian. and the rendering
of THE Barber of Seville" at the Saturday
matinee is to be in the same language. In
this masterpiece of Rossini's those two pre-
miere artists, Melba and Bonnard, will
again come to the fore with many other
people of Importance. The singers will be
accompanied by the New York Symphony
Orchestra, under the alternate direction OF
Maestro Seppilli and Walter DamrOsch.
noteworthy event in local amusement
circles is the coming appearance of that
eminent comedion, Francis Wilson, who
opens weeks engagement with a special
holiday matinee next Monday, at the
Grand Opera House. The star will then
present his latest success. "The Little Cor
poral," of which the book is by Harry B.
Smith and the music by Ludwig Eng
lander, who it will be remembered wrote
Mr.. Wilson's former great success, HAL
a King"
The comedian comes to Washington after
season OF four weeks in Philadelphia that
has proven the drawing qualities of stal
and production to be exceptional. 1t Ii
claimed for his new opera that nothing Mr.
Wilson has ever produced is so well fitted
to his own qualities as comedian, while
1t offers splendid opportunity for thor
oughly effective work. to his supportine
organization, which this season is claimed
to be the strongest he has yet had. Among
his leading associates are Dennis O'SuIli.
van, the English baritone, first heard here