Evening star., 1899-02-07

buy seats and gain admission. The Stand
ing Room Only" sign was hung out early
in the game, but still the line failed to
show any signs of diminishment. All who
could be accommodated inside were admit
ted. The capacity was taxed, however and
hundreds were turned away.
Overlooking with racy, spicy and witty
lines, capable of all sorts of interpretations
and yet not devoid of action which might
be termed vulgar La Tortue," as it is
called in French, is full of risque impress
sions and suggestions that in many in
stances overstep the limit. To Miss Osborne
are given number of lines bordering
on the indecent and sometimes slipping
over. No one could read them with more
meaning than she. In fact the whole tone
and atmosphere of the play is broader and
more suggestive than has ever been seen
mere III hrst-class theater. There is moth
ing in the farce, and all interest in an
alleged plot is lost in the expectations
aroused in the audience. Everything leads
up to the scene de resistance the bed room
scene, where Sadie Martinot prepares for
retirement. and does delicate bit of stage
work, - broad, but appealing more to the
imagination The complications of the bed
chamber, the disrobing act of which is real
~ neatly DONE furnish meat for the broad
lines that follow, and which are spoken
with a boldness fairly startling. After these
ilnes nave had their effect of naughtiness
they are rarried and turned aside In
many cases the parry comes too late. The
people in the play constitute about the best
cast for farce comedy that could be got
together Ferguson is inimitabIe. Martnot
is exceptionally good, Agnes Ffndlay is too
Weil known here to need commendatory
comment, Merri Osborne is pretty and
Vivacious, Morrison is discreet in inter-
pretlnS bad part, while NJ A. Kennedy
is JoVlal and excellent and is really the
pest III the cast, and Henry Bergman does
fine character bit
LAFAYETTE SQUARE THEATER.-
olI ne Last Chapter" at the Lafayette
square last night turned out as pleasing a.
'he iaSt chapter of good book. In it love
aWakens, battles and triumphs and all ends
happily as ii always should in fiction or
drama Life is usually so stern and unhap-
py IN It's realities that the drama and fic-
tion, 1t would seem, should in their last
chapters give pleasure, not pain. At any
rate' the Joyous consummation of every
thlng hoped for sent fashionable audi
ehce away from the theater with eyes still
bright and hearts still throbbng from the
sweet and sympathetic touches they had
lelt Everybody was satisfied and cordial
expressions of approval We're heard.
In this his latest Offering the author
George ii. Broadhurst, has given convinc-
ing proof that he is one of the most prom
islng of the young American dramatists.
His ambition to rise above the farce COM
edy level upon which he started and so
successfully pursued in a number of well
known plays. is the proof of it. And the
quality and character of his serious work
evidences fine dramatic power and clear
comprehension of human nature
The plot develops the love affair of the
young manager of a mine office and a
Winsome school teacher. Converging upon
this are a mothers love for her stalwart
son. a daughters tender regard for a way
ward father, scoundrels effort to sully a
pure woman, backbitcr's calumnies asd
young peoples SeriO-cOmic spOOning. Moth
ing new-but tod charmingly, sketched
50 strongly and colored so naturally that
every scene affords deep and lasting pleas
ure. There are, indeed. faults: but the au-
III mot l,.aT
cannot help seeing that they will be over
come N time by this observant and intelli-
gent play builder
Miss Grace Filllins 1.-the. attractive wo-
man. often seen here. but best remembered
for her support of Mr.. Herne in Shore
Acres is the heroine Katherine Bake
She acts the lady with naturalness that
is instructive and not apparently assumed
as too often this effort of actresses ap-
pears. Her voice is mcOdiOus and she
reads her lines without artifciality or
strain: She is distinctly agreeable. Miss
Ellie Wilton is charming and gracious, as
she always is. in the part of the fond
mother. Miss Laura Case was pretty and
plquant as the sister Estelle. Miss Clara
Emory, a Washington girl, was effective
ana graceful in small part. Edgar l..
davenport was convincing as Richard Stan
ley. who wins Miss Blakes love. Thomas
a. Wise gave humorous portraiture of
a western man of ups and downs that is
the best Of the kind seen here. Horace
Lewis was somewhat theatric in makeup
as DR.. Fairchld. but he pleased. Clement
ST. Martin was intelligent as the. father.
Master McArdle was Jim. the boy, to the
life and plainly likes every line of his part
Others who were competent were Edwin
Holt, Harrison Armstrong and Newton
Lindo.
The scenery is very natural and beauti-
full. The perfumed artificial roses that
climb over the cottage in the first act are
a pleasing novelty, even if somewhat over
poWeflng IN their fragrance. Every detail
of the production is carefully watched by
Mr. BrOadhurst in person.
GRAND OPERA HOUsE.-The claim of
the management that the entertainment Of
tcred this week at the Grand Opera House
IS superior TO that of any other vaudeville
theater in the country may readily be ac-
ceRtcd as a fact. Nine numbers are pre-
sented and each holds closely the attention
of the audience from start to conclusion
Every entertainer who appears on the stage
is thoroughly capable in his or her respect
I've line, and the show is deserving Of
liberal patronage. The vaudeville theaters
of New York and other large cities as a rule
are always crowded and, judging from the
merits of the entertainment provided this
week at the Grand Opera House, no plaus-
ible reason exists why every seat should
not be occupied at every performance. The
first to face the audience last evening was
Gilbert Girard who is really phenomenal
animal imitatCr He reproduces the utter
anccs of chickens cats and dogs in man
ner that would deceive the fowls and ami
mails themselves. Mr. Girard reproduces
a conversation between a bulldog and a
burglar in the rear yard of a residence a
fistc, or rather paving and clawing. con-
test between two cats and the meeting of
a dog and a bOoJack. He also proves him
self a perfect phonograph Mile. Kenwfcls
sang number of negro songs and earned
repeated enCores. Her dancing was some
thing out of the ordinary and was anpre-
ciated. An Irish sketch and rnonologue by
Mark Murphy was an acceptable diversion
Next 20 claim and hold attention was Prof
WormWood's dog and monkey circus The
exhibition of intelligence displayed by these
animals was superior in many instances to
anything of a similar character ever seen
in this country. Mr.. Robert Downing the
well-known tragetlian, and company gave a
condensed version of The Gladiator" with
proper scenic Sccompanments. His effort
was thoroughly artistic. even in the most
minute details. Nj Downing Thursdav
Friday and Saturday evenings will give the
flower scene from the second act of lingo
mar Just charming and as dainty as
any one seen lately in vaudeville is Miss
Eleanor Falk. This li-tle lady possesses
not only a cultivated and decidedly sweet
voice. but dances gracefully and has a man
ner that is captivating as well. With one
bound she jumped to the top notch of pop
ularty last evening. The entertainment
concludes with a nonsenscai sketch, ''The