Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-03
ADJUSTMENTS.

NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-"one
Summers Day is the second theatric ex-
pertinent in which Mr.. John Drew has been
ventured within recent months. 1t sur
passes "a Marriage of Convenience only
In demerit. Mr.. Drew's performances are
always clean, capable and attractive None
but an actor Of exceptional artistic stature
could have kept his head above such del
| uges of twaddle. The character he assumes
this week, that of an easy-going man of
| the world, stands out as an agreeable and
| natural If not profoundly impressive crea-
| ton. The humor of the piece consists
| mainly in the fact that obliging farmer,
| not mentioned In the program, has built
| two haystacks in the middle of forest, to
| be used by various members of a pcnick-
ing party as props while they talk or sleep.
1t is noteworthy that the characters, after
| talking with one another for a while, be-
come more or less drowsy. The first and
second acts are devoted mainly to a drama
| tization of the various classic picnic jests,
| with notifications.
1t is the butter that is sat on instead of
| the pie, and instead of an ant in the sugar
| a caterpillar is found on the salad. But
| these strokes of originality are not numer-
| ous The custom of having a plot asserts
| itself when the play is about half over,
| and the hero's affection for boy whom he
| has undertaken to care for causes him to
| fall under the horrible suspicion of being a
married man. The childs mother, a gypsy,
| well impersonated by Miss Bijou Fernan-
| DEE, has the gift Of bursting into oracular
| rhyme Her poetic masterpiece, which may
be quoted as an index to the literary quail
| ity of the play, is as follows:
| His eyes are blue;
| His heart is true;
Does he love you?
| Or who?"
| The prose in the play has an advantage
i fHav
| member. Miss Isabel Irving is the lady
who loves the hero, and who is somewhat
embarrassed by his determination to oblige
\ a friend and give her up. The fun of the
piece is provided by Mr.. James o. Bar
rows. Many time have Washington the
ater-goers seen incident which threat
ened to be commonplace redeemed to laugh
ability by some prank by Mr.. Barrows.
His methods are radical, but his talents
are genuine. He is surely entitled to med
ais as Scene-saver.
The purpose Of lone Summers Day. is
plain. But instead of being the airy, indo-
lent trifle that the title suggests, the piece
| Is monotonous. The need of a touch of
clever conversation here and there has OBJ
vfously been recognized, but the epigrams
are trite and the philosophy is callow. To
the mind grown weary of dramatic pun
gencies Zone Summers Day. may be a
| welcome relief. The charming stage pic
| lures are well worth looking at, and if the
characters are not especially thrilling in
conversation, they good, wholesome
people, such it would be a delight to
! know in real life. 1t is repose rather than
diversion which "One Summers Day. Of
fers the play-goer
WILTON LACKAYE TONIGHT. The
engagement of Mr.. Wilton Lackaye and
mis- excellent company in Charles OMal-
ley, the Irish Dragon" will begin tonight
| at the Lafayette Square Opera House. The
play is a strong one, written by Theodore
Burt Sayre, from Charles Levers interest
inc wal fff 1aar oil
aye, having part in it " ell adapted to his
| talents and Abilities should make a SPLEEN
did impression as the dashing soldier de-
picted in the story and no less dramatical-
iy portrayed in the play. Mr.. Lackaye will
be supported by an excellent company,
among whom may be mentioned Joseph
Wheelock, Henry Jewett, Joseph Wheelock
Jr., Palmer Collins, John Stepping. Arthur
Maitland, Edward Lamb, Henry Brewster,
Harry Rich, Ralph Wilson, Edith Crane
Nanette Comstock, Alice Evans and Louise
Carlton. The scale of prices has been re-
duced, and as an extra attraction there
will be during this engagement bargain
| matinees Wednesday and Saturday after
| Moons. Mr.. Lackaye's friends will in all
probability turn out IN force to give him
a hearty reception upon his return to his
nome city in new character.
ACADEMY OF MUsIC.-Agnes Wallace
Villa opened a weeks engagement at the
Academy of. Music last night in Frank
Harvey's melodrama, The World Against
Wronged woman, was up to the stand
ard heretofore set by her. The story Is of
misguided woman, her sufferings and
| final vindication, which occurs as usual in
the last act. The play is full of strong sit
| uations, most CT which are acted by the
company in creditable manner. Miss
| Villa was ably supported by Frank Kilday
| as James Carlton. foreman of the foundry.
Others in the cast were Albert Livingston
Maurice Hedge, Harry Pleon, Ada Har-
court and little Vashti. The play was in
terspersed with a number of interesting
specialties. The audience was not large
as it might have been, but it was thor
oughly appreciative. Matnees will be CIV
en- Wednesday and Saturday.
THE CIRCUS.-The audience which at
tended the matinee performance of the
Ringing Brothers circus yesterday after
I con was large one, but the attendance
at the evening performance broke all rec
ords Every seat in the huge tent
occupied and many unable to find seats
were satisfied with points of vantage
around tent poles and on the ground d.
rectly in front of the seats. There are
some special features in connection with
the performances of the Ringing Broth
els circus that deserve the highest praise.
Among these must be mentioned the per-
Torrance of Miss Minnie Fisher, the iron
jawed woman. who is hauled to the top of
the tent holding to a rope with her teeth