Evening star., 1899-02-07
AMI SIC MENTS.

| NEW NATIONAL LTHEATER-"Ihe Lit
| tie Minister held a large attendance inter-
| ested and gratified till the close of the dis
| coursings at the New National Theater last
night. The play is not new in Washington
| 1t had first production which was bad: d
second which was probably better, and at
last, under discerning and Industrious su-
| perintendence fIoated in upon the tide of
| popular demand for something other than
! lingerie and songs, one OF the most buoyont
| successes of the period. 1t is a sweet
| wholesome, Barrie-like piece. qualified to
! please the great majority and calculated
| to offend no one. Some of the burden of
| Scotch dialect has been lifted from it. and
| that which fingers is so cleverly bestowed
| as to prozke a correct atmosphere and yet
| take up IL valuable room and hinder a
| comprel )n of the gentle authors pur-
poses. T report that the good people of
| Thrums have formally resented these pic
| lures of themselves as gross caricatures
does not detract from the pleasure which
attaches to an observation Of their drOll-
| cries and d study of their naturally quick
| wits. made perhaps the sharper by con-
| stant unequal combat with prejudice
There is a ring of truth about these de-
which cannot be silenced by any protest of
! its subjects. Although not of the soil they
are people with whom we can laugh and
| athize-When we can understand what
| they are saying-and when we cannot we
may listen in serene confidence that it is
! all right and proper. just as many people
| take their Wagnerian opera Accepting the
| production of The Little Minister as a
| sincere presentation Of the play for the
| plays own sake. the first character to COM
! mand consideration would be the little min
| lister himself. But he is a somewhat diff
fident unherolike parsonage, interesting
| as d study. but often at fault in his appeals
| to discriminating sympathy.
| Mr. Robert Edeson is a fortunate gentle
| man far his relationship to this en-
| terprise is concerned. He plays conscien-
| tiously and intelligently, but never assert
| lively. He invites no apprehenSionS that
| popular adulation may find occasion to di-
| vide itself, and Lady Maude Adams-that is
| to say. Lady Rabbie although the charac-
| ter itself does not make so much difference
| after all-winsome and unaffected as she
| is, would possibly make the public jeal-
| Gus on her behalf as she or her manager
| could possibly be should a suspicion of RI
| yary arise. She is Il personality ana an
| influence, rather than a creation of train
| ing and skill: an April mood, delightful,
| whether sunshny or Showery, and always
| human and womanly- The performance is
| enriched by some splendid bits of character
| work, and the play has a consistency of
+ motive which, though not commanding in
| it's pretensions. is harmonious and agree
! able. The experiment of raising prices for
| the orchestra chairs was evidently success
| full frOIa a business point of view, notWith-
| standing the natural and rightful objection
| sions where the production necessarily in
| wolves extraordinary expense, which with
| due respect to very competent support
| ing cast. is manifestly not the case with
| The Little Minister" The attraction is
| one of the most notable of a notable series
| 1t was the play which more than anything
| else demonstrated the revival of a demand
| for something of genuine intellectual quail
\ ity. and the effort TO meet this demand has
| produced several dramatic creations of rare
| excellence The dignity of pioneership. as
| well as the charm of tasteful composition
| attaches 10 The Little Minister" and moi
to see it is to miss not only a satisfying
| entertainment, but to exclude very preva.
lent theme from ones list Of conversational
topics.
| COLUMBIA THEATER.-In the field OF
! broad French farceS 1.-The Turtle" gives an
| illustration of its tabled race with the hare
| 1t is the fastest in the lot and outstrips all
| rivals. finishing a warm match before the
| others have fairly left the post. The Tur-
| tie had three-act spin at the Columbia
| Theater last night, and its career was wit
messed by an immense audience The bliZ-
zard of the evening had no terrors for the
adventure seekers who f1ocked to the little