The times., 1899-05-09
AT THE THEATRES.
NutionaI-"ChnrIes O,MnIIey

This is sultry weather for enthusiasm,
consequently applause in warm theatre
may be construed to mean something. and
hence 1t can be said with every point of
truth that the Theodore Burt Sayre adap
tation of Charles o'Malley," given last
night at the National by Wilton Lackaye,
was successfully presented. very fair
sized audience, which included a company
of impromptu Irish Dragons in the shape
of the National Fencbles. was present,
and it greeted the star in manner we'll
calculated TO disprove that adage which
relates that "a prophet is never without
honor save in his own country" The
piece, which upon its first production here
year ago went begging for patronage.
was heartily received when it returned
Charles O'Malley'' is entertaining evil
dence of the fact that backwardness is a
trait more praised than admired by wo-
men. AS VIII be remembered, 1t tells tie
story OF bowld sojer boy who won a
wager and lost his heart in kissing the girl
of his fancy: of how she first half-hatel
and then wholly loved him for his timer
ity; of the difficulties he was Obliged to
overcome in winning her and of his final
success at the pleasing task. The stage
version has been taken from Charles Le-
yer's novel with more liberaine5s than
literalness, and SO makes a really excel
lent and rather powerful play-powerful
since the two strong incidents of the lit
erary effort have been increased to an
even half dozen. Many of these are stir
ring-yiriie, and yet SO smooth that they
seem more mellow than meio-wkile a
pair of them battle description for their
dynamic force. These episodes ere greatly
enhanced and set forth by the bril.iance
OF dialogue that, for its scintllant qua j.
ties, remind one OF Samuel Lover Some
OF TINS wit has been apparently dragged
into the Offering, but the dragging is made
easy by reason of its lghtness
But few changes have been made since
last Charles o'Malley" was seen in
Washington and these are hardly notice
able. the chief one being the well-advised
advancement of some explanatory remarks
in the third act. The funny but still
rather incongruous, scene in. which Mr.
Lackaye appears in the makeup of an
eccentric Irish spinster remains, as do one
or two maudlin speeches. some ancient
asides and few bits of bad English for
winch the actors must be responsible The
construction has not been wholly modern
ized. either. But these are details in a
presentation that can be given only for
It's novelty, its power and its freedom
from dullness
Mr.. Lackaye is seen to adyantage-and
to excellent dvantage-throwing a suf-
ticient amount of heToics and bTogue into
his portrayal to please the matinee girls
without attracting the scatter Drained ad-
nlirers of John Drew and E. H. Sothern or
the twurshipers OF Chauncey Oh
colt and Andrew Mack Mr. Lackaye is a
clever actor who has many good things
and no bad ones to his credit and his
portrayal of Charles O'Malley is all that
could possibly be required. Agnes Rose
Lane, who has replaced Edith Crane as
his leading lady, is one of the several
handsome women in the supporting COM
pany and her impersonation of Lucy Dash
wood, if hardly adequate in the stronger
scenes. is delightful in the lighter ones.
Miss Lane does exceedingly WELL
For the rest. Joseph Kilgour is even
better Captain Hammersley than was Hen
ry Jewett, showing more reason in his
work than one is accustomed to seeing in
heavy men. Neither Joseph Whiting nor
Olive May. who take the roles left vacant
by Joseph Wheelock and Nanette Com
stock equal their predecessors. but Miss
Nay is intelligent and Mr.. Whiting is not
Objectionable. J. Palmer Collins is a dig
Hihed and interesting Colonel Dashwood
Menifee Johnstone is i'll at ease in the
part of Captain Power, Arthur Maitland is
an amusing Lieutenant Sparks, and Joseph
keefe and Claude Gillingwater do well in
character bits. Alice Evans and several
others are passable. The intermissions
last night were so long that even the ex-
cellent orchestral rendering of sundry
Irish airs did not make them tolerable.