The times., 1898-05-27
THE AMBs' GAMRoL.
A Great Audience Enjoys n Most In
terestIng Performance.

A Great Audience Enjoys Most In
terestIng Performance.
When the particular Mary. who is in
variably identified with the single little
lamb of fieecy white, mixed her lot with
the more fortunate and equally historical
Bo Peep, neither probably ever imagined
that in a future day the greater part OF
the fashion and brains of nation s
Capital would give up war alarms and
other things to congregate for the pur-
pose of watching small flock of those
festive aT4pals gambol on the green.
But many strange things come TO pass
and when the excellence of the perfor-
nance is considered, there is really moth
ing odd in the fact that something over
two thousand people gathered within the
portals of the New National Theater last
night and vigorously applauded every
feature in the first Star Gambol of the
Lambs.
Long before the hour announced for the
entertainment the curb in front of Man
ager Rapley's house was blocked with
people. a large percentage of those as
sembled having come for the purpose OF
having a look at the social circle which
shortly began passing. Carriage after
carriage drove up and discharged its
brilliant load. a steady line of less IA
vored patrons thronged past the box office
and a dense crowd elbowed for space in
the galleries. Nearly everyone who had
any claim whatever to a position in local
society same and saw. By half past
eight every available seat in the theater
had its occupant If every occupant of the
house did not have a seat, while steady
stream of silver, gold and greenbacks
flowed through the ticket window. And
it was by this stream that the flock
played.
AT twenty minutes to nine o'clock the
curtain rose. disclosing a double semi
circle filed with faces that should have
been we'll known, and yet were. for a
long time, thoroughly unrecognizable. In
the center sat De Wolf Hopper. while the
three seats on his extreme right were held
by Stuart Robson, Willie Collier and
Ignacio Martinetti, and those on the left
by Nat Goodwin. jefferson DeAngelis and
Henry Clay Barnabee. Ali the players
were we'll covered with thick coat Of
burnt cork the last named gentleman
alone having relied 50 little on his per
sonality that he had left long CRACKS OF
uncovered skin that he might BE- identi-
fed Back of this half ring and complete
ly filing six tiers of rising platforms sat
Victor Herbert and his band of fifty ma
sicians Jesse Williams, S. l.. Studtey
Victor Harris and J. S. Hitler were pear
and each conducted during some portion
of the entertainment.
The minstrel first part, with modern
ampliiication, which followed. was prob
ably the most enjoyable feature of the
entertainment Not only did every lover
of the theater take a personal delight
in noting how the eccen1ricities of his
pet star could be made to crop out even
through such covering, but each of ths
end men really succeeded in bringing
himself to his new level with admirable
ease and considerable ability. All six
handled their bones and tambourineS like
men Ito the manner born" while ths
way in which the brightest OF original
jests fell from side to side thoroughly as
tonished the many who didn't know that
so many good jokes had been left un-
written. Contrary to expectations, there
was very little professional slang used
and still fewer personal remarks. and
while this may have disappointed the IA
niIiar ten it certainly pleased the re-
mainder of those present. Possibly by
virtue of his experience as the hind legs
of the heifer, Nat Goodwin easily out
ranked his rivals on the end. though
Stuart Robson, Willie Collier. IgnaciC
Martinetzi and Jefferson De Angel:
pressed him hard. Mr.. Goodwin, how
| ever, formed a mutual admiration so
| ciety with his nex,-door neighbor. ant
| finally triumphed completely, his dry
humor sweeping all before It.
| M
was undoubtedly the finest ever hear'
| here. More celebrities contributed to tn
| affair than were ever locally seen II
grand opera and an admirable selec
| ton of beautiful old favorites made tn
| solos doubly enjoyable. In their chora
! singing the Lambs showed great and Sc
| rious lack of training but the single mum
| bers have never been eQualed in TIM
| city.
| An opening chorus. In which individua
| selections were sung. by w. II. Mac
| Donald. Stuart Robson. Nat c. Goodwin
| Van Rensselaer, Wheeler and Edmun
| Stanley, eliminated with Eugene Cowles'
magnificent rendering of 'O!d Black Joe,
| and an inspiritIng execution of '"The Sta
| Spangied Banner" which brought the en-
| tire audience to its feet. Amid genera
! hush of expectation Mr.. Goodwin an
| Mr. Robson then exchanged some insult
| ing remarks upon the age OF the latter
] hat, and the dignified star of THE Coined
! of Errors squared accounts by thrust
| ing back his quips and jests through MI
| Hopper. William Philip then contribute
the old but still beautiful with All He
Faults I Love Her Stiii,'' winning a rar
! turous round of apDause for his worl
| After a passage at arms with H.
| Barnabee. in which the comedian of tn
| Bostonians told several excellent witt
| cisms without putting into them eithe