Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-09


SO far as audiences were concerned this
week and only the actual receipts will be
able 10 tell which has won. Both the Co.
lrmbia Theater and Lafayette Square OPP
era Eouse have been well filled at every
performance. for the friends and admirers
of both actors have rallied to their SUP
port. Next week the ban of Lenten OBJ
servance will BE- removed, and the theaters
ought all to do good business. Miss Julia
Marlowe will be seen at the Lafayette
Square in her new play, THE Countess
Valesca.' and at the National will be the
New York Lyceum Theater Company in
1.-The Princess and the Butterfly At the
Columbia the Liliputians will present an
entertainment that especially appeals to
the children. but which is also pleasing
to adults. At the Academy Katie Emmett
plays return Ell gagement. and at the
Grand Thomas Shea returns with the
.'Man-oWar's Man." At the Lyceum The
City Sports will present a good variety
program.
NATIONAL THEATER-Daniel Froh-
mans New York Lyceum Theater Stock
Company will begin their annual spring en-
gagement at the National Theater on Mon
day night They will remain but one week,
and Will present A. w. Pinero's society
comedy, 1.-The Princess and the Butterfly"
This play was one of the chief successes In
New York this season. 1t was played by
the Lyceum Theater in that city for several
months TO crowded houses. 1t is described
as a fantastic comedy in five acts, and, as
there are nearly thirty speaking parts in
the play. it calls for the full strength Of
the Lyceum Company. The subject which
many of the large number of characters talk
about, in their divers ways, and from their
various points of view, is matrimonial love.
A woman of forty, who is a fascinating
princess, and a man of forty-five. who is so
gay a member of fashionable society that
no iS Ilal he. h,tft
agree to marry each other at the end of a
month, but when that time has expired
she pairs off instead with young fellow
and he with girl, and the end comes with
double wedding in prospect. A charming
performance of this play is promised. The
older two of the lovers will be played by
James h. Hackett and Julie Opp, and the
younger two by VIM. Kittredge and Mary
Mannering The other parts will be inter-
preted by such favorites as Katharine
Florence. Elizabeth Tyree, Mr.. and Mrs
Charles Walcott, Mrs. Thomas Whiffen,
Grace Root John iFndiay, William Court
leigh, George Alison, Thomas Whiffen. jr.
ana that admirable comedian, Felix Morris,
who enacts the part of an unsuspecting
husband with marked skill and effect.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE THEATER.-
There is no player now before the public
who enjoys so marked degree of artis-
Tic favor, personal esteem and popularity
as Julia Marlowe, and she is assured in
advance of the most cordial greeting from
Washington theater goers when she ap-
pears for the first time at the Lafayette
Square Opera House Monday evening in
Ter greatest success. THE Countess Va
1eska, which is a romantic drama in four
acts. from the German of Rudolph Strait,
eEd may be called a Napoleonic play, al
though one only sees the back of the
Little Corporal for a moment at the
close of the first act. Its scenes are all
laid in the castle of Countess Valeska a
young Polish widow, just before the IA
nous battle o. Friedland in 1907. Napo-
leon was then posing the friend of Po-
% land, .nc at the opening of the play is
about to arrive at the castle to take up his
quarters there for the night. Meanwhile.
the Tall Prussian," whose soubriquet was
the original title of the play, has had
Els horse shot from under him by the
French, but manages to escape into the
castle, with the aid of the countess, who
from her window saw him fall. These two
We're once lovers, and the memory of that
love forces her TO save the life of the man,
although size is aware that he is the man
of men the French want, and that she
ought 70 be loyal to Poland and Napoleon
AT ner request the Tall PruSsian" dis
gulses himself as her new overseer until
he can find an opportunity to slip out of
the castle. When the countess says she
TO longer loves him he threatens to give
himself up to the enemy, whereupon she
confesses that her love is stronger than
ever Fresh complications arise from the
fact that the young mans father is in the
castle in disguise and Matching a plot to
assassinate Napoleon. in which he begs
his son TO assist him. Furthermore, a
French officer, who loves the countess, has
penetrated the Tall Prussians'' mask
The plot miscarries and the countess has
another struggle between love and patriot
ism. and is forced by her lovers attitude
TO divulge his identity. Meanwhile the
French officers Information has caused
him 10 be court-martialed and sentenced
to be shot. He escapes, however, but to
relate how would be to disclose the cul-
mination of the story, which is reserved
Tor the greater interest of those who &C
to see the play. The production is a very
beautiful one, several castle interiors be.
ing artistic products OF the scene painter's
brush. while The costumes of the officers
and others are rich and handsome. The
supporting company is an excellent one
the cast including among others Alfred
kendrick. j. NJ. Colvile H. A. Langdon
Donald Maciaren. G.. w. Arson, Miss Maut
Monroe and Mrs. Sol Smith. THE Counties.
Valeska' will be the bill all week. except
OIL Saturday night. when an urgent de-
mand to see Miss Marlowe as Parthenis
in "Ihgomar' will be needed. There will
be no matinee Wednesday.
THE COLUMBIA THEATER-For tn,
first time in their long career the Lilipu
tians will be heard in English at the Co
lUmbia Theater next week In a new play
Tine Fair in Midgettown." II is therefor
natural that many Americans who hereto
fCre nave taken very little interest in thi
unique organization. who have been i'm
merse favorites with our theatergoers
would Ike to know some particulars abou
the principal members of the company
There are at present nine Liliputians win
carry the burden of the play, and 1t is no
saying too much that they are royal enter
tanners who can easily compete with an
comedians three and four times their size
Two of the members belonged to the or
ganiza.ion since Its formation, fifteen year
ego Ttey are Frapz Ebert, whe he q ~ ~
ed wor,d-renoWnsj tame. and the dashin
little soubrette. Miss Selma Goerner Fran
Ebert, who was born in Berlin about thir
ty-four years ago. measures today not quit
three feet, and hardly reaches I'D to tn
hip OF any medium-sized man. He Is a
cute and unctious as few comedians an
is usually called a pocket edition of CO
quelin-" 1t Is of him that Joseph Jefrerso
said 'he would have made his mark even
lie had been a six-footer instead of a three
footer." Miss Selma Goerner is of the sam
size as Mr.. Ebart, and has not the within
OF other soubrettes and leading stars, an
disdains to lose her diamonds, of whic
She possesses great number, some
them given to her by the Car of Russi
and other crowned heads of Europa tn
har dsomest member of the company anon
the ladies is doubtless Miss Bertha Jaese
whose trim little figure stands about thre
feet two inches. She Is twenty-eight yeaI
old. native of Koenigsburg. the same ct,