Evening star., 1898-04-07
AMUsEMENTs.

the feature of Richard Mansfelds brilliant
engagement at the Columbia Theater last
night Mr.. Mansfel0s achievements in the
lighter and more delicate phases of dra-
matte art are SO complete and satisfying
that his incursions into the traditional
classics are sure to be interesting, If no
! more. Outside of the scene painting the
attractions of his Merchant of Venice"
are confined to his impersonation of the
relentless usurer, whose wrongs and suffer-
ings give his quest of vengeance a certain
majesty, despite its hideousness. Mr..
Mansfield invests the role with all that
technique can do for it, and with more
of emotional force than those who insist
on limiting his scope to the superficialities
OF character would expect There is a
challenge TO the performer to rise far above
the common level in the part of Shylock
but 1t is rugged ascent, especially for
player whose training and success have
been restricted almost exclusively to the
drawing-room drama. Yet Mr.. Mans4ield's
versatility is so great and his artistic sense
so fine that he succeeds in making the
passionate speeches something more than
mere petulance, even when he fails to give
| them grandeur. His choppy habit of enun-
citation lends itself at some times TO the
| character, but not always. Mr.. Mansfields
art Is not robust nor decIamatory: if it
were he would not be the wonderful success
that he is In bestowing with deft touches
a charm upon roles which in other hands
might easily be commonplace. He plays
Shyiock fer too well to justify any wish
that the character might be dropped from
his repertoire. yet not well enough to as
sure him of fitness for immediate ca
reer in the classical masterpieces except
! ing perhaps in Benedick and like parts.
| His Shylock undoubtedly adds to his repu-
tation as sincere performer and an am
bilious student; it is work of fine polish,
but without airy surprising poetic vigor
Without establishing itself : rl
of excellence, his inapersonation is one
which the student of Shakespeare cannot
well afford TO miss. With an actor Of
less splendid previous achievements this
performance of Shylock would undoubtedly
| have commended itself as a triumphant
| occasion, and perhaps it still deserves to
| be SO recorded. for it is far better than
most that the current stage can offer. The
audience was warm in enthusiasm and cali
| ed the star before the curtain many times
after the trial scene. Tonight Mr.. Mans
| field will present THE Devils Disciple.
THE LILlPUTIANs.-No doubt great
audience will greet the LilipUtians at the
Columbia next week. when they will pre-
Fair in Midgettow wn." The play which is
mounted most lavishly, is in four acts and
| eleven tableaux. The plot is briefly as fol-
| lows; A New York millionaire has a
| daughter, who is twenty ye3rs old. but still
| a little child in size. At her request he
| takes her to Midgettown, a little place in
PENNSYLVANIA, where only little people
dwell, and their adventures there are por-
| trayed in the four acts. The young woman
| is delighted with her visit and falls in love
| with wee barkeeper in the person of
| Franz Ebert. Among the other inhabitants
of this interesting village are the Scullion,
| Annie (Miss Goerncr), and the barber Soap
| (Mr. Zink), the principal characters of the
| play. Their fascinating adventures and
love episodes form the principal part of the
plot, the scenes of which are laid in New
| York, i'll fairyland, in Japan and in the
little village Midgettown, and each scene
| is gay with colcEs and harmonious stage
pictures. The three ballets dazzle the eye
| by their splerdors. They are called The
Senses" 'Newspaperdom'' and ''Victori-
Gus Armies of the World and are the
most original ever seen on any stage. In
| the first the dancers appear as taste. touch,
sight, smell and hearing, led by dream
| sylphs. The second shows all the para
| phernalia of q modern newspaper. The
Liiputiahs participate in the first ballet as
Spanish toreadors, singing and dancing
| with true Spanish abandon ana grace; in
| the second as newsboys playing the typical
| Rewsboys' game with astonishing rapidity.
| In the last ballet the little people march up
| in file as George Washington, Napoleon 1.
Gar Nicolaus II, Queen Victoria, General
Grant, Bismarck Moltke and Emperor Will
| liam 1. THE Fair in Midsettown" is a
| play which all. young and old, should see.
! Matinees will be given on Thursday and
| Saturday, and the engagement is for one
| week The performances are now given in
| English, which is mastered by the Lii-
putianS with the same ease as they spoke
| German heretofore.
''THE COUNTESS vALESCA." - Julia
| Marlowe's production this season, 1.-The
| Countess Valeska," which will be presented
| at the Lafayette Square Opera House next
Monday night, has made greater success
| than anything she has before offered. The
| new play is an adapted translation from
the German original by Rudolph Strait. 1t
| is comprised in four acts; it contains twen-
\ fv- n1or NJ facra hor Will aray
auXiliaries; its scene is laid in Poland, in
| 1907; its action is supposed to pass on the
| eve of the famous battle of Friedland. made
immortal by MeissoQiers great painting.
| and presents an episode in the experience
! of a noble lady who acts under the con-
| ficting influences of patriotic ardor and love
for an enemy of her country. Miss Mariowe
! has the greatest opportunities of her career
| in this play, and the New York and Boston
critics have agreed that she accepts every
one with distinguished triumph. AS the
countess she is beautiful to see and displays
| remarkable emotional force and power.
| 1.-The Countess Valeska" will be the offsring
| all the week except Saturday night, when
| Miss Marlowe will appear as Parthenia in
| 'Ingomar.'' There will be no matinee We'd
| nesday. Seats will go on sale tomorrow
morning.
PRINCESS AND THE BUTTERFLY"
Those who love deeply never grow DID,"
| is the theme Of Pinero's latest comedy.
| The Princess and the Butterfly" which
Dallel rOHIidH SO SuCCtSS2uliy pTOuuCeu
at the Lyceum Theater, New York, and
which was described "the play Of the
season." Daniel Frohman's entire Lyceum
| Theater Stock Company win be seen In this
| play at the New National Theater for one
week only, commencing next Monday night,
April IL. 1.-The Princess and the Butter
| fly" is a modern study of society, such as
Arthur w. Pinero alone Is capable of writ
ing, a human and trenchant analysis OF
! middle aged love. 1t affords the keenest
| treat to real lovers of the best in the
drama 1t Is an earnest artistic effort
prompted by intellectual purpose enriched
with knowledge of character and life and
vitalized by sincere feeling and it shows
| at their best inventive talent and construct
| i've skin. and the farcical colloquial man
ner OF its brilliant author. The studies of
individual character are delightful, the
dialogue is fun of wit and humor, of satir-
icai sallfes against social follfes and anus
ing co1nment. with just the right dash of
cynical favor. while the situations are In
gentous. freeh and interesting.
THOS. e. SHEA.-Thomas E. Shea win
be seen Ia two great plays next week AT
the Grand Opera House. Whenever HIS
The Man.o-WaFs- Man" fs produced it q
one OF the greatest successes Of the sea-
1 SON. II will be seen in this city af tha