Evening star., 1898-11-08
AMUSEMENTS,

tHe JolheSt little farceS that w ashlngton mas
had the opportunity of seeing in a long
time is Because She Loved Him So." pre-
sented at the New National Theater last
night by cast whose members more than
made up in merit for what they may have
lacked in fame. 1t is a translation from the
French. but it justifes none of the fore
bodings which this announcement might
arouse. Piquant and ingenious to the high
est degree, there is not an unwholesome idea
in it. Despite the fact that one or two of
the scenes are permitted to become pro-
tractedly conversational, the preponderance
of honest fun, lovable character delineation
and briskness of action is overwhelming.
The few arid expanses of explanatory talk
are wholly inconsequential when the lux
uriance of comedy to which they lead is re-
membered.
The story has to do with a young wife
who has insisted on having Jealous quarrels
with her husband not for any reasons of
real significance, but because she loved
him So Her father and mother resolve to
show them how such scenes look and dis
turb their own thirty years of placid domes-
tic life by condition of mimic matrimonial
siege. The young wtfe's brother Is to mar
ry the daughter of a clergyman who has
horror of all disquiet, and the lads hopes
are being continually blighted because he
always tries to introduce his prospective
father-n-law to his family just at mo-
ment when their quarrels, genuine or coun-
terfeit. are raging most f1ercely. The com
plications are deftly handled and when an
evenings entertainment has been accom-
plished the tangled ends are brought to-
gether and the story is cut short without
any attempt to invent an artistic denoue-
ment. There are no unsuccessful attempts
of any kind In the piece. The dialogue is
held down to the level Of the plain people
who are supposed to be talking, and the
interest depends on the situations and the
fidelity to human nature with which the
actors perform their parts. In discussing
the company there Is temptation to take
at random the name OF one who had
speaking part, add an unqualified phrase of
admiring approval and then use ditto marks
for the remainder of the cast ]. E. Dod
son the old gentleman who consents, in
the hope of restoring his daughters happ1-
ness. to engage in sham warfare at home
was lifelike and lovable, and Miss Ida Con-
quest was tempestuously charming as the
young wife. Edwin Arden and Arnold Daily
were animated and interesting without be-
ing at all unnatural, while Miss Kate Meek
was as gentle and amiable a dear old lady
as ever gave the lie to the mother-in-law
joke Leonora Braham contributed a good
character sketch as a Spanish lady, and
Bijou Fernandez made the servant not the
least entertaining member of the family
circle where she SO successfully assumed to
domn aer. An interesting feature of the per-
fOrmance was the debut of Miss Edythe
Skerrett of this city. daughter of the late
Admiral Skerrett. She did the very little
which fell to her share in a manner which
promised favorably for her future. BE
cause She Loved Him So is in every way
one of the most satisfactory and meritori-
Gus comedy productions that recent times
have developed.
THE COLUMBIA THEATER-An audi
ence that filled every seat and caused
standing room to be at premium on all
three floors of the Columbia Theater last
night and four curtain calls attested Frank
Daniels popularity as comic opera star
OF course, the pretty and tuneful opera,
The Wizard of the Nile had something
to do with drawing the crowd, but Daniels
personality was the chief attraction. The
Wizard" is SO well known in Washington
that it needs but passing notice. 1t was
mounted with that same care with regard
to the costumes and scenery that charac-
terzes all of Daniels productions, while
its music, always tuneful and ever novel
and pleasing, struck the same responsive
chord in those who heard it that it has in
spired in past years. Aside from the fact
that Victor Herbert pays rather more at
tention to the score as written for the or
chestra than to the effort to suit his music
to the voice 1t is one of the most satisfying
comic operas that is being produced today
and it will doubtless stand many more pro-
ductions before it's course is run. The COM
pany presenting THE Wizard Of the Nile"
was the same that has been seen here be-
fore with the exception of John B. Park in
the baritone role and Kate TART as the
Queen of Egypt. Both of them made good
them in their parts in The Idols Eye" to
be produced by this company later in the
week. Alf c. Wheelan as the ruler of all
the Egyptians was the same funny, erratic
monarch as of yore, and made the most out
of the opportunities given him for fun.
VIII Danforth has not SO good a part as
he has in The Idols Eye" but he also
makes the best of his opportunities and
sings his opening song in splendid style.
Helen Redmond has beautiful stage pres
ence, and in the part 0. Cleopatra she is
more than pleasing, both with regard to
appearance and in the matter of voice
Her solo in the last act was received with
emphatic applause. Indeed, the encores
that were demanded to nearly all Of the
principal numbers in the opera strung out
the performance until "a late hour but then
Frank Daniels was there, and no one tired
of his quaint comicalities and humorous
ways Norma kopp made pretty and eff
fectiVe assistant to kibosh the wiz - AL
though she is not given the opportunity to
show off that she has in The Idols Eve >
Inc remainder OF the company is emnently
satisfactory In the smaller parts while the
chorus is one of the best thai has hean
heard here in some time The concertad
numbers We're given with a spirit and dash
that added not little to their effective
ness, while the choral effects given Hith
out the aid OF the orchestra at yarioue
times, could hardly be improved And here
should ne mentioned the excellent orches-
IRA that rounds out the production and
makes II a complete success Its work W.
at all times up to the highest standard
And then the Viz Frank Daniels is To-
many minds al the head of the list of the
comedians of the day. He does not reIv on
acrobatic agility for his success, and there
is not at any time the slightest evidence of
strain Tor effect Indeed. his apparent
naturalness is one of his most attractivc
qualities as comedian, and some of his
pest situations are those produced merely
by facial expression and some common,
place phrase uttered as only Frank Daniels
can. There Is no one on the stage today
who can so swiftly secure the entire good.
VIII OF his audience: in fact, he seems to
take his auditors into his confidence and
tax TO and act to each one individually
ana IN TINS trait. perhaps, lies his great
measure of success. For he is a sucoess
and will always be one in whatever he an
pears. The Wizard of the Nile" will be
reproduced tonight tomorrow night and at
the Saturday matinee, while Daniels otha'.
success, The IdOl's Eye fully as tunafni
ana as elaborately mounted and costuned
as Is the wizard, Will be produced Thurs
day, Friday and Saturday evenings.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOI7sI2
WI no has not seen The Old Homestead D.,
" no has not felt its touch of natureo if
there are any they should see it at the -