The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-30
THIS WEEK ON OUR STAGE.
re ARE IN HAVE TWO NEW PLAYS
ny AMERICAN lUTU0RN

-.,. W. Presbrey wrote 'sA virntnta Court.
,s,p, for wnilaun N. Craue. and Hnnnis
n,mnr Matthews wrote ''Sonno for Rauuy
p,yepport-Au the Other Theatrical Rris.
wo get two new plays by American authors
,.,s week, and both pieces arc associated with
sonspicuous American actors. "A Virginia
Conrtshlp' is ready to DO offered to its first New
yort audience at tho Knickerbocker tomorrow
,,cht, 1t Is the work OF Eugene w. Prosbrey,
-So had a reputation with the profession as an
EDUCATOR Of actors and director OF stage produc-
,sons long before he introduced himself TO the
nor, general public as co-author OF "A Ward
France" His present work is a comedy, and
:. wrote It for william II. Crane, who keeps up
%p.triotic practice of bringing out one native
-ork per annum. Mr.. Presbroy has avow-
.d,v drawn inspiration from several old
somsaies in making up "A Virginia Court
,hin" and especially in d~ovisinR a charac-
Gar for Mr.. Crane to portray. The title
Indicates the story. Tho place and time
.e the Old Dominion o hundred years ago,
vhsn courtly manners and aristocratic preten-
,,ons were sustained by a Virginia gentry, and
vben English customs and traits gave an air of
.rirtocracy to som virglnians. Mr.. Crane On.
acts A hearty, obdurate Major, with q sons love
.Tair to interfere with. and one OF his own, also,
an he Is a wooor OF a French gentlewoman, who
"a his neighbor. 1t is said that Mr.. Prcsbrey
has preserved felicitously tho flavor Of the old
comedies which have served him as models.
Mr.. Cranes company has been composed by
Joseph Brooks with this piece in Wow. and 1t
includes Walter Hale, Annie Irish, Boyd Put.
nam, Percy Haswell, George F. Devere. Vincent
serrano, William Boag, Percy Brooke, Charles
Gotthold, Kate Lester, Leila Bronson. and
Frances Stevens. The setting is described as
elaborate and artistic.
Fanny Davenport introduces Joan" to us at
tho Fifth Avenue. 1t Is o decentralization by
Fannie Aymar Matthews of the history of Joan
of Arc. The subject Is old to tho ST. sc, and has
been yariously presented thereon. Miss Mat
thovs has differed from most of her prodeces-
oors by providing an entirely fctionallove story
for the warlike heroine. and blending II with
opisodes In her real career. The lover whom the
author assigns to the maid is none other than
the King, whose advances she ropuIses; and she
has a second and humber devotee in a faith
full court jester. The acts OF the drama
arc placed successfully at the woman home,
where she has mystic premonitions Of and
indictments to the heroic exploits which have
made her famous; at a military camp. where
she 10 the soldier in command, and where her
Life Is attempted by an English spy; at a bivouac
before the battle of Orleans. where she is visited
IN 16r tent Dy nor TOyhi AuIUlEtr, WuOIH bne TO-
pels; at the prison, from which she makes a
vain attempt to escape. and at her departure
for death by fire. which is the climax of the
play. Miss Davenport first produced Joan"
under another title in Boston. 1t was slow and
verbose to a degree which damaged 1t for
f psSH 5 and u now " 'i It is said to Be- g" In a
radically improved condition.; The mount,
Ing wa s.e ss5r1 IN BY d EjSs t sna ! lsy in that a nd!
spect. The actress believes in the dramatic
possibilities of her role. and may be depended
ton. Melbourne Mcdowell and members Of the
company already seen with her at the Fifth
Avenue are in the cast. "Joan" has the FIRST
@ Fedora Sa s"s "C GIeeT; raS r and "f Z To S"so'e@ The se
mex. actress engaged for this theatre is Helene
one new work.
In tho interchange of plays this week among
the theatres. Chauncey Olcott brings Sweet In
~niscarra - back to tho Fourteenth Street. which
is his home during two or three months of every
year. The following Of this singer of Irish songs
and actor of Irish roles is very large and loyal.
He now revives Mr.. Pitou's play with now cos.
tunes and scenery. and 1t will be remembered
that the mounting OF the play is notably hand.
some. Several ballads have been added and the
familiar ones retained. The company includes
Paul Gilmore. Rolinda cambridge, Eta Baker
Martin. Daniel Gilfeather. Luke Martin. Lizzie
Washburn, and J. L. Morgan.
The Monday change of bill at the Grand Opera
House returns Cumberland 81" to New York,
where 1t had two months of remarkable pros
perity earlier In the season. The strength of
the cast and the beauty OF the scenery surely
have not been forgotten, and in no respect has
either deteriorated. Instead. several beneficial
alterations have been made in both respects.
The principal players are John Z. Kellerd. Edgar
narAn~~, AHo.tA L~N--1l r.-I.A
". J. Ferguson. Frank Losee. Louise Galloway.
Charles Craig, Lionel Barrymore, and Millio
Sackett. Cumberland 81" contrary to usage
a. the Grand, Is to stay two weeks instead of
one. Tho, spacious lobby becomes q military
camp, with soldiers and war paraphcrnalia in
spectacular array.
The Harlem Opera House offers THE Geisha"
again, and In substantially a duplication Of its
Days. Nancy Mcintosh appears as the fair
and melodions queen Of the geishas. the part In
which she first recommended herself to our
favor. virginia Earle is once more the frisky
and yenturesome tourist. and this actress Is
about the most artistic and pninstaking among
Powers, Neil McCay. and Julius Steiger are also
In the cast. The Geisha" holds its own per-
eSis1tSsntly against much competition in the same
The company which has been travelling this
season with The Sporting, Duchess" Is too
Tres, and it has had a two weeks notice OF dis
oandment In order that a less expensive organ
Aatlon may be made up for what are called the
popular houses. But the cast remains unim-
paired for the week at tho Columbus, and so
mmarlem gets a bargain in j, IL. Stoddard. Cora
Tanner, Ffolliott Paget. Eleanor Moretti, and
others at cut rates.
An Old but not WORKOUT English drama of q
popular type. The Silver King" is offered at
me Star. The story OF this play Is partly Amer
lean, inasmuch MS the hero, believing himself
Gulity OF q murder. though really innocent, es-
enpes 10 TINS country and amasses u fortune in
Siver mining. The present reproduction has
Cari haswin at the head of the company, and is
outhtted with n brand new set of scenery.
Inc weeks continuous vaudeville forces in
ciude fresh recruits from the dramatic stage.
a. Proetor's Theatre is Maurice Barrymore.
who returns to vaudeville, using "The Man of
the World" the one-act play in which no was
formerly seen In the variety shows. Another
snort play that is broadly ~farcical is "A Pillar
oI SAT- In which are Joseph J. Bowling and
Myra Davis. Specialists are Caicedo, Clifford
and huth, the Painter trio, Wesson and Wal
ers' John Gourlay. Sam Collins, the CraiRs,
aosers and Book. Kittie Wolfe. Fish and Quigg.
tomorrow brings some new living pictures.
Ioday's vaudeville concert is but two hours
'norter than week day performances.
heiths gets, for one of its seceders from tho
6Kltlmntn " t.rarn Thnnno l. 1911