Evening star., 1898-11-01
AMUSEMENTs.

tertalniHS thlngS sa1Q by Mr. lin Murphy
when called before the curtain last night
was the homely truism, you've got to
keep hammerirg away at the public" 1t
is more than probable that his new play,
The Carpetbagger," will demonstrate
that In pursuing this program 1t is not al
ways necessary to WELD a bludgeon. The
methods employed in the construction and
the presentation of the piece exhibit refine
ment and skill, as well as vfgor and it is
one of the best specimens of native stage
literature that recent years have produced.
Mr.. Opie Read, co-author with Mr.. Frank
Plxley, has done his share of hammering.
While never lacking in appreciative admir-
ers since first his pen began to trace quaint
pictures of human nature, he has been ac-
cep'ed as matter of course His freedom
from literary affectation and the familiar
ny OF the themes he employed, while en-
nancing the enjoyment of his work pive
the impression that it is in some sense a
spollaneous p product of nature, for which
10 one Is emitted to particular credit. The
tact tnat "A Carpetbagger" Is by far the
pest OF several plays with which Mr..
Rcads name has been associated is calcu-
Iated 10 establish a high estimate of Mr..
llHley ablhties. There is not a scene nor
fully. o' appeal iorce-
me confidence in the work which Mr..
Murphy displayed by responding to a cur
IAN M can a1ter the first act was amply jus
tlhed, for the first act is the least inter-
estlng of all, serving to do little more than
introduce the characters. But they are
strong, Hfe-like characters whose careers.
as dlmly suggested, could not fail to hold
the interest till the end. The subject is one
which required the utmost discretion The
carpetbasger is not q character about
Whom romance would be expected to con-
genally entwine itself. The welding of the
rugged materials afforded by the topic into
a creation OF sentiment and sincerity would
be task from which any one without the
genius or a Dickens or a Burns might
shrink. Yet the Chicago auctioneer gone
south IN the year 1865 to plunder defeated
foemen, with no creed save ito the victor
belongs the spoils." is made to fade and
change by the gradual shifting of lights
and colors until the picture becomes ideal
The conclusion of the play would, with
less skillful treatment, seem a catastrophe
Yet the defeated governors declaration as
ne receives the tender assurances of the
woman ne loves, that "he has lost a state
but won an empire" satisfies the sentiments
ana avoids the shock which any implied
condonement of very shady career would
cause. For while the governor is lovable
from the outset, 1t is in spite of defects of
character none the less palpable because
they were common. The eXpiation is com
plete enough to content the most rigorous
advocate or poetic justice, and at the same
time his gentleness and goodness find their
nttlne reward Mr.. Murphy is seen to dis
tlnct advantage in tine part. 1t is doubtful
whether any other actor could have gotten
SO much out of it, for in addition to a keen
sense or comedy he has strong apprecia-
Every pose is full of character and every
syllable has weight. The costuming was i
revelation to those who have looked over
old magazines and marveled that such un-
couth modes of dress could once have been
In vogue. Adjusted to graceful and attract
I've Wearers. the old styles assumed A nj
quancy which pleased the eye and fully ex-
piained the Vaccinations to which our elders
yielded. There are some distinctly melo-
dramatic strokes in the play, but they are
made with force and facility which pre-
vents their doing more than spur the inter
ese. James A. Num- as the governors sue
cessfui opponent for office and defeated
rival in love was earnest and capable The
snare OF this character in the heart-inter-
est OF the play might be emphasized with
advantage. The make-ups of the men cor.
tainy suffered from no lack of attention
In TACT, they are so elaborate that there
must be some difficulty in having them al
ways free from undue suggestions of wig
and cosmetic. The ladies of the cast wer7
all in accord with the spirit of the piece
Miss Dorothy Sherrod was the romping
Wlnsome miss without whose displays Of
juvenile affection no modern drama can be
regarded as complete.
Miss Helen Corlette has a ouiet ,,n1em-
onstratiVe part which she did not spoil by
trying to make too much of 1t. The prin-
clpal requisites of good angel are gem
tie, WomaEly demeanOr and an attractive
personality such as Miss Corlette bestowed.
MISS Eleanor Merron succeeded in being
unconventional as well as probable at
tractlve as we'll as iniqutous in the role of
the feminine lobbyist. There were other
good character contributions and the a,1-
dience was not remiss in that essential to
an enjoyable evening at the playhouse-ap-
plauSe.
AS an entertainment The Carpetbag
ger cxerts welcome potency and in al
ditfon 1t conveys timely assurance during
the present stress of campaigning that a
man may be defeated for office and still
live happy ever after.
NATIONAL THEATER.-Encores. single,
double. more than once quadruple, kept the
curtain up on The Serenade' at the Ma
tional until after II o'clock last night AL
though given here before, and then under
slightly more promising conditions. the
warmth of the applause and the hear.iness
of the laughter evoked last night by The
Bostonians would make it appear tha.
there Is pressing need of a new opera
for the singers. Like a good book, which
bears reading and rereading, disclosing
new beauties always, The Serenade" gains
by repetition in the estimation of critics
and music lovers 1t is simon-pure comic
opera. with few flaws perceptible. The
theme. while not especially novel, is
handled by the librettist Harry B. Smith.
in a way to hide the appearance of an
tiquity, and the witty dialogue, genuinely
comic situations and accelerated action
more than compensate for any defects.
Victor Herbert's music has the real ring.
1t is full of substance and each of the
three acts has Its proper share. The songs
are catchy and live in the memory The
finales are well sustained and appropriate.
The development of motive is symmetrical
and pleasing. Altogether the first happy
impressions of this brilliant little compost
tion are confirmed after a seasons absence.
Miss Helen Bertram as Yvonne and VIM.
Broderick as Romero are the newcomers
in the cast, in place of Miss Alice Nelson
and Eugene Cowles. While there has been
no gain, to the credit of Miss Bertram 1t
must be confessed that the feeling of loss
only comes when Mr.. Broderick is COM
pared to Mr.. Cowles. The new singers
voice has not the range necessary for the
low notes of Romero's part. 1t is a dra-
matte basso cantante, forceful in the upper
register, but, lowering to the notes charac-
teristc of the brigand, lacks in breadth and
power. Still he's handsome fellow, with
flashing eyes and Virile movement, pleas
ing to the eye.
Miss Bertram grows upon you. She has
not perhaps all the natural charms of Miss
Nelson, but when the last curtain falls
and you sum up your Impressions the dark
haired. 1.-the little singer of the present fills
out the ideal of the part. She is a very
ran Stron md