Washington sentinel., 1898-03-26
THEATRICAL.

Beginning Monday evening next, tor
one week, with matinee on Saturday
only, the New National Theatre will
have an exceedingly strong attraction
in the well known author actor, Mr..
William Gillette, directed as always, bE
Mr.. Charles Frohman. Mr.. Gillette
made deep impression on the play
goers OF Washington and vicinity ear
lier IN the season IN his masterpiece Of
forceful and intense dramatic writing,
Secret Service" During the forth
coming engagement he will have the
principal part IN a play of an entirely
different sort, the comedy success from
his own pen, TOO Much Johnson"
Coming all in one season these two
plays, so widely contrasted. will demon
strate Mr.. Gillette's versatility as a
play maker, and at the same time show
the rance OF his powers as an actor.
There will be another source
Of interest for Washingtonians in
this engagement, in that this
city will be the only one in
the United States to see this special
revival OF this funniest Eof comedians.
Mr., Gillette will play in 'Secret Service"
until Saturday night OF this week, then
he will come to Washington to take the
part of Augustus Billings in TOO Much
Johnson" for a week, and on the fol-
lowing Wednesday he sails for London,
where, on the 10Th of April next he will
present the latter play at the Garrick
Theatre for an indefinite run. To
Jump" from Washington to London is
such an unusual proceeding tor a theat.
rical company that ii is bound to attract
interest, while to revive a great play for
Washington alone Of all the other cities
of the country will have in il an element
of decided novelty as well as being
somewhat Of a compliment to playgoers
hereabouts. Mr.. Gillette Will bring
with him a splendid company of come
dians and an altogether new scenic outfit
both company and equipment being
the very same that will delight LONDON
ers within few weeks.
"At Piney Ridge" David Higgins
romantic melodrama of the South, which
returns to the Academy next week, and
attracted great deal of attention as a
work OF a young American. Heretofore
almost totally unknown 70 the dramatic
world. The play, after New York run
OF two months in Lent, and al the tag
end OF most dull season, in itself a
notable accomplishment, went on the
road, and while other and more widely
known and loudly heralded attractions
have seen it advisable to close, il has gone
on from one success to another, and
comes to us on its return tour from the
West and South, loaded with the good
opinions that it has brought from all sorts
ofcritics and other folks. The story OF
the play is best told by the performance
and that it involves the lives and romance
OF three persons, namely, young and
rich mountaineer who IS accused of
beiug a negro by his rival on the eve Of
his engagement to gentlewoman ofthe
South; the rival and the young lady for
whom they are both striving. One ofthe
two men is a negro, and the story is
built on the incidents that place the
burden where it belongs. The play,
while exciting IN the extreme, does not
for a single moment resort to the melo- |
dramatic in treatment OF representation, |
as is repeatedly stated by those who
have seen 1t, and il would seem that this
play OF the South has opened new field
for the melodrama, something more
truthful than has heretofore Deen
thought practicable, in the treatment Of
this sort Of plaYmakinR material. The