The evening times., 1898-04-12
AT THE THEATERS.
Natfonal-ssThe Princess and the hut

NationaI-ssThe Princess and the Butt
teray.D
! A very usual play by most unusual
company. was the verdict of the large
society audience which witnessed the
first production in the city of 1.-The
Princess and the BUTTERFLY at the New
National Theater last night. In the COM
pGny are many of the best-known of
American actors, the names of whom are
as familiar as those of Jefferson, Good
win, Crane. Arthur, Fiske, and Daven-
port. In Mr. Hackett. Mr.. Walcot, Miss
Mannering, and Miss Opp, we have a
qrartet as clever as they are diversified
and versatile in their several lines of la
Dor. Only the work of such as these pre-
vents the piece from going the way of
many better.
THE Princess and the Butterfly" is styl-
ed a society comedy in five acts. 1t is
what is known as pretty play" with
F! infinite possibilities in the way of beau
tiful women and elaborate gowns, ar
tistic scenery, and clever speeches. While
fertile in prettiness it is barren in action
and only the hardest and most conscien-
In this successful endeavor Miss Man
nering is deserving of greatest credit,
sharing her well-won laurels with Charles
Courtleigh Possibly first from a strict
ly critical point of view is Julie Opp,
woman new to the Washington stage,
but who won success in a role certainly
unattractive TO a woman of her person
ality. Mr. Hackett viii be a disappoint-
ment to his lady admirers. as he as
sumes the role of a man of good two
score, yet. for all that. he makes as fine
a lover IS one would wish to see. Others
of the company who are especially worthy
OF notice are Mr.. and Mrs. Walcot, Felix
Morris. Grant Stewart, Mrs. Whiffen, and
John Findlay.
Lafayette-"The Countess Va,cska."
Now that we all understand and realize
that Julia Marlowe has ceased TO be "the
coming emotional actress" and has
reached her goal. even I'm gay but hy-
pocritical Gotham, there is the added
pleasure in welcoming her that one in
rariably feels in either showing or say
ing Il told you So" Not that Washing
ton ever felt any reai doubt as TO Miss
Marlowe's ability. but II is comforting TO
know that other and more prominent
though the production of such a play as
that which she presented last night at
the Lafayette Square Opera House does
count more than the Endorsement of any
single place.
This is said not so much with a view
10 praising the piece as the player. ''The
Countess Naleska" has many virtues.
among them power and force almost une-
qualed in modern drama, but a play pre-
scented by Miss Marlowe must suffer the
irrevocable punishment of being seconda-
~ TO her personality and her work The
latest production is a tri-3daption from
the German of Rudolph Strait, though
the three translators through whose
hands il passed. succeeded in sitting il
Of national characteristics pretty thor
oUshly Despite the period of history in
which II takes place IL is neither involved
iH the slightest nor is il artificial. on
the contrary one may say of its tenden- +
oy TO be like the average drama of its
kind that the little IL scontains in the
nature of a costume play" is that por-
ton which has always been praised. Its /.
strength and beauty belong respectively 1
to the modern respectable melodrama
and the ancient one.
The faults Of the piece are mainly in
that its interest is divided and its SYM
pathy OF a doubtful character. When one
feels for the Countess he must despise
her lover and. should one admire the pa
triotism OF the lover he must lose interest /
in the Countess Some of the incidents 4
are strained and Illogical hut. in the main, /
THE Countess Taleska'' is a well-put- 4
together and powerfully conceived pro-
duct Of clever If not always consistent
plot
Julia Marlowe does some of the best
work she has ever found opportunity 20
give here in the title role. Her Valeska
IS essentially real-frst, last and always
q living. breathing woman. throbbing
with emotion and doubtful, not of her
strength TO DO right, but TO find il. As
a careful and intelligent portrayal. full
u fire aud Intensity, il has been rarely
-gualed and never surpassed in this city
Il was a trial and is triumph all Miss
Narlowe's own. The supporting company
are nearly all clever. chief credit being
lue TO ]. II. Colville. her heading man;
Z. A LanEdon, Alfred kendrick Donald
Edwin Howard, Maude Mon
zoe and the ever-clever Mrs. Sol Smith
he production was sumptuously and in
ellectuaHy staged. The Countess Wales
"a" all this week. with the exception OF
Saturday night, when Miss Marlowe will
appear as Parthenia in .'Ingomar."