The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-31
AT THE THEATRES.



and the result is ~ Dog in the Manager"
which was given a first production on any
stage last night at the Lafayette Square
Opera House Evidently the author is
really earnest in his desire to be seriously
comic again, for not only has his new Of
feIDg unusual weight and clumsnesS. bat
is Sponsor has shown his readiness to have
one forget his Gimsier works by naming
himself in the programme as the compiler
of "A Texas Steer ~ Contented
Woman and ALSO OF some musical
farces." So laudabIc an effort to live down
the errors Of youth certainly deserves en-
cOuragement.
And yet. as it is, there is nothing at all
cCmEendable about "A Dog in the Man
ger" Had any other man than Mr.. Hoyt
written the piece one might say without
reserve that it was a complete failure. but
! this greatest of native satirists only begins
On his presentations when they are first
produced, and so something may still be
expected of the entertainment. But if the
builder wants even foundation on which
TO ground his future labors ne must first
determine just exactly what sort of play
he intends TO make. If one may use an old
phrase, "A Dog in the Manager" is simply
case of being neither flesh fish. nor fowl
and very bad case at that
That this can be fully understood it is
necessary TO detail the efforts plot. In
| the course of events the spectator is in
formed that some time before the raising
OF the curtain young lady named Rose
valentine has yielded TO parental coercion
and married for the sake of his money Il
man whom she does not love Just before
dying this old fellow makes will in which
1 ne bequeaths his property to the bride
ana provides that she shall retain il lust
so long as she remains single. Instead of
pelhS selfish act, this testament has
come from the husbands desire that Rose
snail not be wOOed for mercenary reasons
He is so anxious about her welfare, in
deed, that he coniides the possibly forfeited
fortune to his partner with the under
standing that when Rose has found a
man whom she cares enough to wed in
spite OF all and who dOlizes her sufficient
ly to espouse her without other considera-
lions entering the question the money
shaii be returned to its rightfuI possessor
Aiter thinking herself desperately smitten
with an English nobeman and agreeing
TO elope with him while under the impres
sion that he has saved her life the widow
hnds that this fellow has really only court
ed her Tor financial gain and looks for
soiace IN the aforesaid partner, who has
really been her preseryer from trining
danger.
There are times in the play when Mr..
Hoyt has taken TO satirizing things in his
advantage The two spscialties brought
into the second act are also introduced
with artistic consistency-for in this sort
OF LABOR the author is also at home But
when he attempts to be serious and melo-
dramatic-as he does most of the time in
Dog in the Manger"-the writer mere
iy becomes maudlin and sickening George
Broadhurst and William Gillette are both
able to turn in an instant from the light
comedy n ba
out Mr.. Hoyt cannot do this with anv de-
gree of success. His love scenes in "A
Midnight Bell were passabIe because they
were facetious, but his sensational rescue
MS passionate courtships, his burdensome
conference. and his attempted force are
only ridiculous as shown in the present
Vehlcie. Nor are his efforts at friyolity
mnch better. The lines Of the piece lack
wit and the situations all belong unre-
servedly to negro minstreIsy or variety
after-parts.
Had Mr.. Hoyt taken the main theme of
his work and given it to Frank Harvey he
might have evolved a very creditabIr blood
and-thunder drama; had he devoted all his
attention TO irony he might have developed
another Milk White Flag" had he made
all his weak lines serve TO bring ont
pretty women in short skirts he could
have presented an excellent variety show
and had he cut away all his trials at
humor he might have saved audiences a
great deal of pain, but as il Is he has only
succeeded in bringing out an Offering that
Is a credit to no one and which-unless
changed in every way-cannot last more
than few weeks on the road There are
two or three ideas in the piece that might
be broadened until they gave basis for
better work but these are at present in
dormant state, and consequently "A Dog in
the Manager" is only a poor mixture of
stupid, wearisome, impossible matter
The company engaged is not a good one
Joseph II. Coyne assumes the role of the
partner and gets very little out of il. C.
J. Burbridge has nothing to do and does it
without distinction. George A. Beane, jr
Is only fair as the father of Rose. and
George Leslie's nobleman-who. for some
hidden reason. is supposed to be Little Lord
Fauntleroy grown Improves to be conyen-
tional and stilted. William Deyere the de-
lightfully funny editor of a Black Sheep
has wretched part with which he labors
earnestly but without effect Thomas
Quinn delivers few lines and delivers them
partially well. The women Mr. Hoyt en-
p!oys are never capable and the present
ones are no exception TO the rule. Roselle
Knott has the leading feminine role and is
really praiseworthy in it, but Annie Wood
Florence Relda Meta Maynard Frances
Wilson, and Edith Terry are all weak and
commonplace. The characters these people
assume are so indefinite that the author
may be blamed for the mistakes of his en-
ployes quite as much as they themselves
And the Hoytian wit that used TO be nota-
BILE in the selection of names is lacking
altogether. "A Dog in the Manger" is a
sad example of the fact that the best of
men may enter the ring once too often"
Coiumbim-iIyde's .'Comcdinns."