Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-02
AMUSEME NTS.


Company, and the large attendance at each
performance has been high tribute to the
excellent work of Mr.. Barrows and his az.
sooiates, He himself has hardly been seen
to better advantage than IN ths Kindly old
man who finally rebels from the dictation
OF his ambitious wife and makes two loving
hearts happy. Next week Mr.. Barrows will
| show his versatility by appearing in roll
licking farce comedy, and Innocent a. q
Lamb" will give all the members Of the
company opportunity for doing good work.
Glen Echo has been right In 1t this week,
the hot weather driving people out of town
OF an evening, and after they enjoyed the
car ride they naturally sought amusement
| at the amphitheater, where they heard a
good performance Of Fra Diavolo" by the
Parry Opera Company This organization
| mas become very popular, and It's popular
| ity is increasing with each additional week
OF It's engagement Mr.. Parry has had long
experience in the management of opera
| companies, and his resources and ability are
| SHOWN with each production. Next week
the evar-popular "Erminie" will be given
win competent cast and appropriate
| stage settings.
Frank Deshon has one critic G.. whom he
| Is really afraid. He has not much cause
| Ior terror at his treatment at the hands
OIL the newspaper people public, for all
come an established Washington favorite
But even while he is enjoying the applause
| ~hlcn greets some especially clever bit of
comedy or intensely dramatic scene, such
as his death In Fra Diavolo," some close
observers may have noticed him glancing
| apprehensively toward the wings as If
! seeking Tie approval of some one behind the
scenes. And 1t is not the stage manager
Parry himself, but there Is one who
watches his work nightly from the first
entrance, and whose verdict Deshon fears
more than all the critics combined and that
| She has been his faithful monitor during
the best part of his professional career,
| and he relies on her judgement implicitly.
why, she knows more about the bust
ness than 1 do, said Deshon the other
day, and 1 believe she could stage any
OF these standard operas we'll the
best stage manager. Some of these parts
have not played in years, but when
forget some bit OF business she joys my
memory, or suggests some Improvement on
the old gags. She Is constantly getting
up new verses for my topical songs, while
l don't know how I'd arrange my costumes
without her Best of all she is my truest
critic, although not always the gentlest.
Sometimes when l am not quite up to the
mark, for 1t is awfully hard to be real
funny Wnen you are not feeling well. say
Sis how's the old man doing tonight?' and
1t rather Jars me to have her answer,
Worst 1 ever saw-why you played that
part better ten years ago-must be getting
old, aren you?
Still. like bitter medicine which is the
only cure for sickness. such criticism is
valuable when 1t comes from a friendly
source. The doctor only doses you for your
own good, and so the old girl gives it to me
not occasionally when l need it. 1t serves
to keep me from becoming careless and
makes me work to maintain my record, for
my wife knows that and I'm sure to catch
it If l am not up to concert pitch. On the
other hand, when l, do a really good piece
OF work, no one is quicker to recognize 1t
than she, and word of praise from her
is worth all the rest. for she knows just
what she Is talking about
William lngersolI played a mean trick
on the audience at the Columbia Monday
night 1t was one of those Turkish bath"
evenings, just before the storm which cool
ed the weather off a little, and no company
less popular than the Columbia stock could
nave Drawn an audience to the theater
such a hot night. However, there was a
large house, and the perspiring spectators
forgot their physical discomfort in the men
tai enjoyment of the excellent production
of that delightful play. "Esmeralda." That
Is. until the third act, when Mr.. Ingersoll
and Maud Haslam, as Estabrook and Nora
desmond, have their amusing little love
scene. AS will be remembered by all who
have seen the play-and those who have
not should embrace the last opportunity
ball at the Rogers house in Paris. During
the process of getting rid of her obtuse
brother. Miss Haslam dispatched Ingersoll
FOR some ices. He returned with a couple
of cool-looking dishes that fairly made the
mouths of the spectators water. Then, to
Cap the climax, Mr.. Ingersoll, after tasting
MS ice, smacked his lips and remarked in
an aeSraVating aside: It's the real thing
too. Every one present envied him, but
they were so interested in the play that
they dared not leave. There was a boom in
Ice cream after the performance, however.
Eleanore Browning, the pleasing young
woman who SO completely realizes the role
of Esmeralda at the Columbia and wins
1ayorap Die comparison even with the orig
inator OF the role. Annie Russell, has a pc
culiar method of entering into the spirit of
the parts she plays, which perhaps accounts
for their realism. She is always one of lie
first TO arrive at the theater, and is All
dressed and made up for her part before
the rest of the players are fairly started
But usually before the curtain rises the
stage manager has to hunt for her and oc-
casionally he finds her UP in the fly gallery
over the stage or some equally out-of- the
way place. This week he discovered that
though calls for Miss Browning" ELECTED
no response, the name of "Esmeralda" al
ways brought the little actress out of her
hiding place. Miss Browning explained
herself by saying:
''Wnen 1 play part try to enter into
the spirit of the character, and live rather
than act 1t. For that purpose first dress
the part and then go off by myself some
where and try to imagine that 1 am the
very person. / do not study lines at such
times: they are all firmly implanted in nv
memory and will come when l want them
but wnat / try to realize Is just how the
character j am fmpersonating would have
felt under the circumstances. This was
very difficult in such part as l played in
The Mighty Dollar, for Blanche Moss
tnorne was such vague, inconsistent and
unconvincing sort of person that felt fool
ism in trying to make her real flesh and
brood. The French adventures in Won at
Last was rather foreign to my experience,
but as l repeated the part l began to an
preciate the possibilities of such a charac-
ter But Esmeralda is such gentle genu-
Inc character that the minute l don her
sunbonnet and calico gown 1 begin to feel
like her. Before the curtain rises If l am
not interrupted, 1 am in love with Dave,
AFRAID of Mother and fond of poor old Dad;
and the rest of the play is almost reality to
ne. 1t is trying on the nerves, but It is
necessary for my work"
COLUMBIA THEATER.-"Jlmmy''B Bar
rows of the Columbia stock company does
not intend that Washington shall forget
that he can be recklessly, uproariously fun
NY rs well as pathetic and even powerful at
times. To this end he will next week make
lightning change from the quantity COM
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