The times., 1898-04-17
SOusa's Latest PleaseS The Me-
tropoiis.
MRS. FISKE'S NEW PLAY
Herbert KeIcey and Efie Shannon
Present 1.-THE Moth end the Flame.
-Enrame merstein's Olympia Reopcn-
eG-LOuis James at the Old star
Notes and Items.

Elect, John Philip Snusa's comic opera,
was given its first nearing in this city
The piece had been credited with sue
cess in Boston and Philadelphia, and its
production here could scarcely be called
an experiment. SouGsss typical marches
are the main features and one, entitled
"Unchain the Dogs of War which is
sung at the finale of the second act
made a hit and had to be repeated sew
eral times The story of the opera tells
of princess who is bride-elect, but de-
cides not to marry the king to whom she
is betrothed. The scenes are laid on an
island in the Mediterranean 'long years
ago" There is a plentitude of amusing
incidents, picturesque costumes and at
tractive scenery. and the absence of tom
foolery so much in vogue IN this style of
entertainment The east includes eight
or ten clever people. among them Nella
Bergen, Chrystie Mcdonald. Mabelle Ba-
ker, Harry Luckstone. Albert Hart and
Charles II. Drew. The production is
made by Klaw and ErIanger and Benja-
min Stevens; and they have reason to
be much pleased with the reception given
the new opera. There was a large and
enthusiastic audience present and all the
evidences of a genuine success.
An interesting event at the Lyceum this
week was the return of Herbert Kelley,
Effie Shannon and w. j. Lemoyne to the
scene of their many triunphs. These
popular artists were seen in a Clyde
Fitch play. entitled THE Moth and the
Flame" Some wears ago this piece,
which was then in one act, was produced
by the Theater of Arts and Letters, and
al that time it made a wonderfully strong
impression because of It's sensational
depletion of wedding interrupted at the
altar by woman who had been seduced
by the bridegroom, and should have been
the bride herself. AS now presented,
the piece Is in three acts, and the origi-
nal play constitutes one or them Mr..
kelcey. who several years ago was i'm
ported from London by the late Lester
Wallack, because of his impersonation
of society villains. has one of his old-time
parts in THE Moth and the Flame
Miss Shannon is again seen in one or
those roles in which she shines to partic-
ular advantage. Th1 marriage scene
in a church is presented with much i'm
pressiveness Tha others in the cast
who do good work are w. J. Lemoyne,
Sarah CoweIl-Lemoyn- Bruce McRae
Eleanor Meretti. Isabel Waldron and
Ethel Kingston. The entire perform
ance IS most ENJOYABLE one, and I think
that Mr.. Keicev and Miss Shannon's en-
gagement will be exceedingly profitable.
At the Fifth Avenue Minnie Madern-
Fiske is appearing in two new plays this
week. One of them, entitled "A bit of
| Old Chelsea, is an English drama in
| one act. 1t is a clever bit and shows
scenes in a famous quarter IN London.
| Mrs. Fiske impersonates the part of a
! flower girl, who in misfortune finds
| friend in an artist. The other play is
| German translation into English by Mar
garet Merrington. 1t is called Love
Finds the Way" This piece affords Mrs
! Fiske an opportunity to display some of
her best emotional abilities. Those two
| plays are likely to please the general pub
| lie. Mrs. Fiske's engagement closes on
! April g. and on April % Alexander Com
stock will present a new comic opera en-
| titled THE Koreans"
The Olympia Music Hall reopened this
| week under the management of Oscar
| Hammerstein. who has secured the Prim-
| rose and West Minstrel Company for his
| initial attraction It is several years
| since this style of entertainment has been
seen on Broadway. There are seventy
| five people in the company, and In the
| olios Ezra Kendall, Carroll Johnson and
| other clever people are SEEN The pro-
| gram also includes a patriotic spectacle
called Maine Heroes" In this scene the
| company appears dressed as sailors ana
| executes a naval drill while the band
plays patriotic airs. In the first part
Oscar Hammerstein's new war march.
| "On to Spain,' is played. Thus far the
| audiences have been large and the per-
formance appears to please.
| The popular Bostonians are at Wal
| lacks, where they are appearing in a
revival Of robin Hood" and TO judge
| from the crowded state of the hou,e at
fay,1
ton continues its strong hold on theater-
goers Jessie Bartlett-Davis, II. C. Bar
| nabee and Eugene CowIes are heard TO
| excellent advantage in De Koven and
! Smiths opera.
Louis James. to my nlind one of the
| best tragedans in the country, is this
week exploiting Shakespeare at the Star
| Theater, where he is appearing in Ham
| let" Julius Caesar" and Romeo and
| Juliet" 1t was on this same stage that
| Mr.. James made his first pronounced hit
| as the jester in Francesca di Rimini''
| Louis Is a good actor and l would like
to see him again in that part.
"The Old Coat" appears to be on for
a successful run at the Bijcu. Since the
first performance Smyth and Rice have
| eliminated the features which were OBJ
| jected TO by some of our critics. They
| have quickened the action and added 10
fhe comic effect of the situation and
! climaXes Frederick Bond as a young
| naval officer and May Yokes as a scrub
| woman have made individual hits. This
| particular Goat" is All unquestionable
fit and creates almost unbounded laugh
ter from the first scene until the final
| curtain.
Next Monday night at the Fourteenth
| Street Theater Dgby Bell. who has long
| been popular here as comic-opera CO.
median, will make his first appearance
before a New York audience as a dra-
| matte star. He will be seen in a play by
| Augustus Thomas called ''The Hoosier
| Doctor" which is said TO have made Il
success elsewhere Yours truly and a
lot of other "fellers'' VII. be on hand to
welcome Digby. Thomas e. Shea, a
clever actor, follows in 1.-THE Man-o'-
| War r's-Man."
Charmion has left Roster and Bial's
for a week but her disro1ing act is fully
replaced by Adele Ritchie. who in her
| costume OF sea-weed and flesh-colo, Cd
| tights continues to be the sensational at
traction at this house.
| Frank Losee, who plays the villain IN
Cumberland '61,'' disappeared last week.
| and for several days and nights could
| not be found. Finally friend discovered
him in room of one OF the Broadway
| hotels indulging in a spiritual seance''
| Frank recovered sufficiently to appear
with the company in Newark this week.
Amelia Summerville of the same company
obtained a divorce from her husband last
Saturday, and was married to Max Eu-