Evening star., 1898-10-25
AMUSEMENTS,

THAT gleeful gentleman with the resilient
anatomy, Mr.. JEFF. De Angels, inaugurated
! mis- present starring season at the Lafayette
| Square Opera House last night. 1t Is not
| so much the way Mr.. De Angels sings his
| songs that fastens the listeners admira-
| ton as the way he dances them. If his
| vocal range is somewhat limited and the
| quality of his tones Slightly impresstonistic
| at times these facts are compensated for
! py the amount of space he can cover with
| unerring accuracy in pas de seul. He has
| the true humorous spirit in recitng his
| lines, and has in many ways proved his
| abilities to entertain that the large audi
| ence last night received him at his first ap-
| pearance on the stage with an oVerWhelm-
ing vote of confidence. There are number
OF points which mark THE Jolly Mus
| keteer' as a comic opera in distinction
| from other varieties. Instead of first and
] second tenor, its cast presents a first and
| second comedian as the rare birds of the
occasion, and the leading soprano is COM
| PEELED to divide the honors of the stage
| with the frolicsome soubrette. Mr.. Stanis-
| Iaus STANCE, to when the public is indebted
| Tor many good things in the way of litera-
| ture .or the lyric stage, probably had these
conditions in mind when he wrote The Jol-
ly Musketeer.'' He may have defended
upon them to prevent his story from be-
coming more melodramatic than comic He
| approaches his libretto with deep respect
| not to say awe. and at the close of the first
act leaves the comedian in predicament,
which. although it gives opportunity for
stirrinS finale, is SD serious that there is
danger of forgetting his professional char
acter and genuinely sympathizing with him.
The second act develops more comedy
Some matrimonial and suicidal compIica-
| tons are introduced which call up not at
all unpleasantly, the shades of the late
Nanki Poo and the Lord High Executioner
The Versification presents excellent oppor-
| tunities for Mr. Julian Edwards and he has
| interviewer briSk fol
| with composition of substantial merit.
The quintet. "Oh, HAPPY Day" was es-
peclally appreciated, being redemanded sew
eral times. Miss Bertha WaltZinger made.
| the most of the chance which a very pretty
! waltz song in the second act afforded. Miss
| Maud Hoilins was agreeably in evidence as
| the young woman about whose affections
| the plot largely turns. Harry McDonough
| ably seconded the efforts of Mr. De Angels
| as funnaker. He held his own in the
| third act in a highly amusing dance duet
| with musical embellishments-embelli
! nents which, by the way. are not to be un-
| derestimated even though they were slight
| ly subordinated for after the audience filed
| out the tune to Woman, Woman Source
| OF all Our Bliss might be heard here and
| there from many whisters. Mr.. Van Rens-
| selaer Wheeler was the romantic hero of
| the piece. In spite of the fact that he was
| plainly not at his best last night his ner-
| formance won him liberal and deserved ap-
| plause. The topical songs were called for
| until there could be no suspicion that every
verse in the repertory had not been ex-
| hausted. The stage direction was efficient
| as is always the case with productions wi h
| which Mr.. Richard Barker associates him
| self. and the scenery and costuming COM
| bined gorgeousness and good taste in the
| manner characteristic of the MANAGEMENT
| of Mr. B. d. Stevens. Comic opera is large
| ly matter of taste, but there is a varied
assortment of jest and melody in The Jol-
| ly Musketeer' which can hardly fail to
strike responsive chord of hilarty The
| plot has the somewhat rare merit of con-
sistency, and the music has solid excelences
| which cannot fail to attract liberal and
| appreciative attention.
| THE NATIONAL THEATER.-Dainty
! Della Fox entertained a host of friends in
! her usual charming manner at the Ma
| tional theater last evening. The vehicle
| Tor the display of her well-kEown talents
\ was musical comical melange entitled
| THE Little Host 1t is described on tho
| Ellis operate comedy, and as there
| was plenty of singing, dancing and merry
| making the description may be allowed to
| stand. 1t was the joint work of Mess.s
| Edgar Smith and Louis DeLange VINO
have written several creditable laughter
| provoking plays. 1t was written especially
| for Miss Della Fox, and Is admirably suit
| ed to ner charming persOnalHy. That the
| people of this city have Il warm SPOT IN
| their hearts for her was clearly demon
| strated by the spontancity and cordality
| of their greeting last evening. A double
| encore and a magnificent bouquet of chrys-
| anthemums rewarded her opening solo, and
| at the close of the first act she was twice
| recalled before the curtain. She isn't much
| of a singer, it is true. but she realizes her
| limited vocal powers and makes no effort
| to exceed them. The play hinges on the
| exposure of duplicity on the part of n
| father and a son who pose as models of
| rropriety, but who take every opportunity
| of satisfying their taste for the question
| able pleasures OF the "Tenderlon." Miss
Della Fox takes the part of Margary Daz-
ze. an actress who has made a hit rs
| Willie Everdrop, and she masqueradeS
| through the play in that character Mas
| culine costumes suit her style Of beauty
| and she Is exceedingly chic and cute as
| young swell, both IN evening Cress and IN
| a golf suit. She has good support in Hugh
| Chilvers, who impersonatcs her lover, and
| In Miss Alice Johnson, an oDeratic asso-
| ciate, who do the principal singing parts;
in Mr.. r. +. Graham, the hypocritical
| father; Mr.. Eugene ORourke as the hon
| est, joyial boOkmaker, and In Mr. John c.
! Slavin, as the blundering. excitable COM
| poser. who maintain the fun of the piece
and In Miss Mabel Bouton. the ingenue
| who knows it all' and who does a graceful
bit of dancing. There is an excellent
chorus OF really young and beautiful maid
| ems, who add grace and animation to the
! performance. Their costumes are rich and
| tasteful and are calculated to display their
physical charms TO the best advantage
| There Is just enough plot in the play to
| enable the principals to exhibit their spe-
| claitleS ana SufI1clent beauty, wit and mel
ody to dissipate the blues" Summing It
| up, The Little Host serves wholesome
| infectious fun in its pIeasantest phase with
out the least suggestion Of ndehcacy
| COLUMBIA THEATER-It looked as if
| everybody was Going to the Races last
| night. Long before the Columbia Theater
| opened line of gallery gods extended
| from the 18th street door up to and around
| into F street. When the curtain rose the
| orchestra was filled, the balcony packed
| and the gallery jammed Everybody was
| in jolly humor and ready to respond TO
| the comedians as racers to the starter 8
gong The fun started early. and through
| the first act the audience fairly screeched.
| The climax, where the fat boy Jumped
| from the burning building, and where the
| antediluvian fire engine and horses came to
| the rescue. absolutely convulsed every body
| and the big men sitting in front were
| nearer apoplexy than ever before in their
lives. There were plenty of youngsters in
all parts OF the house. and their shrill
| shrieks of laughter were almost as comical
as the action of the play. To say that the
audience was pleased puts it mildly.
Going to the Races admirably serves
the purpose of the Brothers Byrne in intro
| ducing their semi-pantomimic comedy work
| 1t Is in three acts and numerous scenes