The times., 1898-02-20

which the programs of the piece were
printed the performance heightened its
Metropolitan run considerably and put
the word over before the 800 nights
the advance man had told us of.
As matter of fact Under the Red
Robe was given just 21O times in New
York, counting matinees and special per-
formances.
After one had seen the company pre-
senting the play at the Lafayette he was
tempted to wonder why in creation the
cast did not run out of New York In
stead of in it. With one or two excep
ti0ns the principal parts were taken by
people wholly and grossly Incompetent
ladies and gentlemen who strutted
around the stage and screamed at the
tops of their voices with perfect igno-
rance of any such fabled thing as drama
tic art The smaller roles We're in the
hands of players who either are students
in schools of acting or should be. The
many beauties of the play were hidden
by the cheapness of the stage business
and the lack of understanding exhibited
by the Interpreting cast. This was the
case from the first entrance of Olive
Crompton, who has the distinction of
knowing less about acting than any sin
gle person ever seen here, until the final
curtain fell on the deep-toned voice of
William Morris.
But the surprise that such organiZa-
ton should exist in the Metropolis died
out when it was discovered, by a look at
the program that the company was
never seen In New York city. The peo-
pie who made the many beauties of
the production famous are at pres
ent either heading other attractions or
are playing with the Empire Theater
Stock Company In 1.-THE Conquerors."
William Favershann, an actor of marked
ability and intellect, who was the origi-
nal de Berault, is now with that piece
and has been for some time. Viola Allen,
Ida Conquest Charles McGlynn, j. l..
Finney, and E. II. Baclkus, all artists of
recognized ability, at least two of whom
could make play in themselves and all
of whom Were in the original cast of
Under the Red Robe" are also with the
Empire Company. Robert Edeson, who
was the Lieutenant in New York was
seen here over five months ago lead
ing man for Maude Adams. Others Of
the cast that made q successful produc-
tton possible are scattered around the
country with other attractions. In the
organization seen last week at the La
fayette there was not single member
of the original troupe and. with four eX-
ceptions, not a performer who was clever
enough to deserve anything more i'm
portant than a small part in a cheap
melodrama.
These four were Giles Shine, whose
Richelieu was an Improvement on that
of j. Il. Dodson; William Farnum, an ex-
cellent character actor: Frank McGlynn,
who made Clon sufficiently erewsome to
be attractive, and Mary Hampton,
! clever woman much handicapped by poor
support. The scenery used here was
frayed and lily painted, far inferior to
that seen in The Last Stroke at the
Grand Opera House.
To be asked to admire "a play under
such conditions is not unlike being sup
posed to find castor oil palatable. sim
ply because the glass in which il is
handed TO one once held some pleasing
beverage. Nothing can be more dishonor-
able than sending out a cheapened or
ganization under the same title and with
the same prices of the larger and better
one. If Mr.. Frohman continues so to
presume on his good name he will soon
find himself without any to presume on
Washington is not a couAtry town. and
will not put up with attractions seflt un-
der false pretenses. If Charles Frohman
cannot give the best we want moth
ing al all from him. There is no rea-
son why meritorious combinations
should be confined to one city. or. If
they must be, why the plays should be
sent out with poor companies. Neither
Mr.. Frohman nor anyone else can eX-
pect us to take his cast-on plays, done
by inferior people, and next time such
a thing is tried here the great metro
politan manager is likely to have taught
him the very lesson he taught US last
week-and at greater expense.