The times., 1898-03-08

moved altogether the proportion of the
city's population that witnessed the first
local production OF her new piece THE
Swell Miss FitzwelI,' last night at the
National Theatet could hardly have been
larger and would probably have seemed
far less enthusiastic. AS it was those
present had come for the worth of their
money and if they did not get it the
fault was neither with the toughness of
their palms nor the joyiaI stars gener-
osity with her cncores.
Whatever else may be said of the play
and its faults are not few-it is certain
Is funny. from the arrangement of the
program to the Il st line spoken before
the final curtain. True, this humOr is
not always devoid OF certain coarse
ness that has never before attacked Miss
Irwin's preSentations-not a really dis
agreeable element, but, nevertheless suf-
hcient in quantity to take from the
otherwise savory dish the delicate flavor
of chicken and replace it with the rich
er if ruugker paatability of duck. Were
it not for the effect of Miss IrWin's own
presence and the delightful rag time"
served on the side this would be evil
dent in a larger degree but, as it is it
hardly initiates against the fgurative
dish. At all events no one was found
last night who skipped that course in the
lengthy bill of fare
The plot of the comedy is not an un-
conventional nor an overburdening one,
being just about large enough to give
room for the matrimonial difficulties,
without which Miss Irwin and the best
farce written could hardly harmonize.
But even this subject does not prove az
I. III IL.
lines or in situations. and the author, II.
A. DuSouchet has been forced TO go to
the louder and looser elements of far
cical writing to obtain laughter enough
to so around. That he has been able
TO do this and have a large amount left
for taking home after the performance
is greatly to his credit and even more
to that of his interpreter in chief.
May Irwin is just as stout and just
as confidential as of yore She chats and
gossips with her audiences in her old
time way, provoking them to laugh with
her more than at her. Her smile is d
disease, her wink a far-reaching germ
and her laugh an epidemic About her
| there is a natural and yet an artificial
| charm that pervades everyone with
| whom she comes in contact and fills that
| person. for the time being, with her
| magnetism. Miss Irwin has a half dozen
| pleasing coon" songs this year. per-
| haps the most clinging of which is her
| Frog Song" a unique bit of literature
| set to music quite as odd. ION the
Dummy Line" ''The Pickaninny s
| Lullaby" and "Syncopated Sandy are
| also clever, while pretty moonlight
| melody proves that May Irwin can still
| be sentimental
The company is large and well chosen.
| Icnacio Martinetti is as funny as cir
| cumstances will permit. and does his
shaving scene from The Nancy Hanks
! in his accustomed way. William Bur
| ress is a good Marquis and Joseph NJ
| Sparks has a brogue that could not be
! cut with a knife. and a store of fun that
! seems endless. Charles Jackson's pro-
| fessOnal witness is different from the
usual run and should therefore. not be
| criticised too severely for its stiffness
! while Edward Mack is a fair pocket edi-
| tion of Henry Bergman and Ned Way
| burns butler may be excused because of
! his accompaniment TO Miss Irwin :
| songs. Roland Carter is good as the
| Oklahoma lawyer. OF the ladies Marion
| GirouX. who has not been seen hera
| since THE Marquis Of Michigan. is chic
| and breezy as ever Jane Burby is
| praiseworthily natural. and Alice John
| son is all that could be required. An
| even dozen pretty girls supply two yards
| and half of the best variety of play
| padding.