Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-01

Miss Louise Closer.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
Richard Mansfield comes to the Lafayette
Square Opera House next week with his
new play. THE Devils Disciple which is
thought by many to afford him the best
role he ever yet had. Mr.. Mansfeds pub
lie does not allow him to retire old plays,
however fascinating and powerful the new
ones may be. and he will. therefore, give
The DEVILS Disciple Monday, Tuesday
and Wednesday evenings and at the Satur-
day matinee. Thursday evening his first
success "A Partisan Romance" will be
presented; Friday evening, Beau Brum-
NELL" and Saturday evening, DIR. Jekyll
and Mr.. HYDE
Mr.. Bernard Shaw has long been known
as the brilliant Irshman on the staff Of the
London Saturday Review, and he has
written two plays which were more or less
successfully played by Mr.. Mansfeld's
company-"Castle Sombras'' and Arms
and the Man. The partial success which
these achieved, however, has been COM
pletely cast in the shade by the glory of
his third production. In the character of
Dick Dudgeon,' the DEVILS Disciple. he
has made role interesting in itself and in
complete harmony with the genius of Rich
ard Mansfield. Dick is young man of
keen intellect and rugged force Of charac-
ter, brought up in the grim atmosphere of
New England Puritan village. This eli
mate does not agree with him. He does not
like his mother, and according to the por
trayal of her in the play nobody else could
like her. He therefore becomes what black
sheep in other New England villages have
become-a scoffer and a skeptic and his
really strong and fine characteristics are
for the time in allegiance. The situations
Of the play are full of opportunities for
strong emotional acting.
The story Of the play is throughout a
simple, human, intense drama without
anything improbable in either characters
or plot. The cast is a good one and the
production is staged with Mr.. Mansfield's
usual care and artistic skill.
COLUMBIA THEATER-"My Friend
From India in which the Smyth and Rice
Comedy Company is announced to appear
at the Columbia Theater next week, de-
serves to rank among the masterpieces of
genuine comedy, according to all the excel
lent reports that have been received. 1t is
filled with an effervescing combination of
wit, wholesome humor and sparkling dia-
logue, n positive cure for ennui, any
other member of the family of blues-and
it is from the pen of II. A. Du Souchet.
The play is founded on theosophy, and all
the fun revolves around the various anus
ing situations and humorous phases aris-
ing from the efforts of millionaire Kansas
City pork packer to break into New York
society. To accomplish this he seiZes upon
an unfortunate barber who gets into the
house through Scrapegrace son and boomS
him as a member of the learned order of
the yellow robe of India. The complica-
tions involve the whole family and every
DOQy else ana a1OrQ occasion Tor upr0ari-
Gus and unbroken laughter from start to
finish. The Smyth and Rice Comedy Com
pany include number of people of high
histrionic ability. Notable among these is
May Vokes, a very clever little actress.
who made such a decided hit as Tilly the
German maid, in tho piece last season.
Miss Vokes has talent and plenty of it, and
great things are expected of her in the
future. Frederic Bond is another actor
who is always welcome in this city. AS
Underholt, the Kansas City pork packer
he gives performance that is easy, natu-
raj and full of originality. One Of the clev-
crest eccentric condolences in America is
Helen Reimer, who plays the part of a fas-
cinating widow called Mrs. Beekman-
Streete Among the other members are
Nita Allen, who will play Marion Hayste,
a society girl; John F. Ward, who plays
the theosophical barber; Meta Maynard
Clare Hathaway, John b. Maher, Louis b.
Hall, Frank G. Parry, John Finn and Jo-
seph Adelman. An elaborate and hand
some production is promised on Monday
night The scenery was painted by William
Voeghlin, the celebrated scenic artist, and
the costumes are all new, and the latest
importations from Paris. Miss Allen will
wear some very startling and novel gowns.
ACADEMY OF MUsIc.-The Academy OF
Music will next week offer an attrac tion
the four pictures of New York life which
Denman Thompson and George w. Ryer
have drawn and labeled The Sunshine of
Paradise Alley" Although it is largely tho
shaded side of life that is presented, tho
more revolving portions of it are kept liz
the background and revealed by suggestion
only, while drunkenness, cruelty and deg.
radiation are used only as contrasting col.
ors to bring out more vividly the bright
Etss and light that is irradiated by the
sunshine shed into the darkest corners an,
rocks III a slum by the sweet and sympa-
thetic personality Of the principal figure.
Nellie McNally, the seventeen-year-old
daughter of an Irish widow. The authors
have given the scenic artist opportunity in
lCt ating their scenes on a river dock, with
Brooklyn bridge in the distance. in the
humble apartments Of Widow McNally. in
Paradise alley itself and in the Bronx Park
IN an.; autumn IN =, Mr.; Homer F. Emens, scenic
New York. has fully utilized the possibili-
ties, and the first and last scenes hear
ample testimony to his artistic skill. Much
pleasing and lively dancing is introduced
and all is excellent in execution. A male
quartet and the Verdi Ladies' Quartet sing
exquisitely. "The Sunshine of Paradise
alley VIII assuredly have profitable
a large company of some twenty-four ac-
tors, prominent among whom are John D.
Griffin, John Walsh, Ben. D. Ryer, H. e.
Chase, Albert Brown, Donald Harold. Mrs
Chas. Peters. May Thompson, Phiia MAJ
ELLEN Mortimer, Jessie Macdonald, Lizzie
Farrell. Marie Blanchard and Master Les
G Ter Gnrne * Then there are Thomas E.
Bradley. the tenor; w. H. Frilimon. the re-.
markable basso. and the famous Verdi La
dies Quartet, who will have a budget of
new classic and popular selections.
GRAND OPERA HOUSEHOLDS. f Ria.
ney's big extravaganza. "A Boy Wanted
which will come to the Grand Opera House
for one week beginning Monday night.
with usual matinees is said to be one of
the strongest farce comedies on the road
today, the company numbering forty peo-
pie, half of whom are clever vaudeville per
formers. who introduce their specialties at
different times during the comedy. The
comedy stars engaged for the production
are Miss Nellie O'Neil, Sisters Gehrue, Miss
Frances Hartley. Raymond Finlay, Knox
G. Wilson, Frank Young. Claude Gilling-
water and Eddie Heron, who plays the part
of 1.-The boy" The comedy is divided into
three acts, first showing the interior of the
Evening Keg," a one-night stand newspa-
per office. In this act there are q number
Of clever specialtics introduced by Mr.. Ed
die Heron, Knox G. Wilson, Raymond Fin
lay. Frank Young ard others. The second
act presents the exterior of the Star View
Hotel. In this act a number Of clever me-
chanical effects are introduced. and among
the specialties are the Sisters Gehrue's
personation Of the Ideal GIrls::' Raymond