Evening star., 1899-12-02

prosperity. Arizona was the one offer
ing of substantial quality, and it brought
the Lafayette one Of the best weeks it has
had in some time. The play is an assur-
ance that Mr.. Augustus Thomas has lost
none of the delicate skill which enabled
him to produce an Alabama" The beauty
of the play is in its diction, well in its
plot, Mr.. Thomas being one of the few au
thors who combine literary finish with plot
ingenuity Doubt has been expressed
whether New York will have an opportuni-
ty to see Arizona" failure to produce
it there would be distinct loss to the big
city. Dear Old Charley aroused some af-
fectionate interest at the Columbia Thea
| ter, but did not make the impression which
ordinarily goes with a show under the di
rection of that indefatigable farce pro-
moter, J. J. RoSenthal. The Cuckoo" de-
| lighted a number of people despite its very
risky theme, although 1t is not of a quality
! to be universally appreciated. 1t has
| library atmosphere about 1t, despite its roll
licking moods. The Academy of Music pre-
sented an attraction appropriate to the
ii1.-us1y SEASON All - r1anIon panLUmiIner ana
| the vaudeville theaters held up their
SpectlVe records The flight of the Cuckoo
takes the last of the series of queer farceS
| of the list of bookings for Washington for
| some time to come. 1t is not to be sup
posed that managers produce plays of this
description through a sheer peryerse amb-
| tion to demoralze the public. This style of
entertainment seems to be demanded. Man
ayers have their artistic ambitions. Posi-
| bly, they have conspired to give play patrons
enough Of the salacious all at once to sat
| late them and make room for some good,
| honest drama
| The event of the week in New York was
| the presentation of Ben Hur." The dram
atizaton of the famous novel was a work
| of much general interest, and the result
seems to have been entirely satisfactory
| from a popular point of view. The chariot
| race is described one Of the greatest
| things of its kind ever seen outside
| circus.
The next weeks attractions include Soth
| ern. at the National, in his latest play,
| The Song of the Sword: Ward and Vokes
| at the Columbia, "A Chinese Romance at
| the Lafayette, the Rays at the Academy,
| polite vaudeville at the Grand and the
usual variety at the Lyceum and Bijou.
| Another free privilege has been added by
| the management of the New Grand to the
| list of those already promoting the COM
| fort and convenience of his patrons. 1t is
| that of furnishing umbrellas free to those
| of the audience that may be unprovded
| or caught without one on rainy or snowy
nights. Mr.. Chase has ordered 100 hand
some silk umbrellas. and they Will be de-
| livered within week. When it rains or
| SHOWS one of these may be borrowed by
| depositing ST. which will be refunded when
the umbrella is returned. There Will be
| no cnarge whatever for the use of the UNI
brella, and only reasonable care will be
| expected Of the borrowers No other
| theater in the country goes 50 far toward
| promoting the absolute comfort of its
| patrons. The pleasure and convenience to
| be derived from this free umbrella privilege
| will be atteSted by all who have ever been
| caught by showers or SHOWS on nights they
| have gone unprOVided to a theater. Inc
| free checking of hats, wraps and parcels,
| and the free mineral water for thirsty
| auditors have done much to make the New
| Grand popular.
II have in my time played many parts, .
| said Mr. Ward of the Ward and Nokes firm.
| but it was reserved for me to become Il
! Sta hafo I in a Stahla IT in
a one-night stand in the progressive state
| of Illinois at that. l went to the theater
early that night, for, you know, there IS
not much in small towns to interest one
after dark. The house was in total dark
ness excepting one guide light on the stage,
| and the dressing rooms were below. care
fully felt my way down the stairs, and ar
irving at the bottom struck match.
saw several doors that L thought indi-
Gated dressing rooms, but by that time my
match had burned out, and L knew L had
only one more. l went In the direction of
| one of the doors I had seen and groped
| cautiously in. l felt about for a moment.
when l felt something that gave a
| creepy sensation. l went for my love
match without waiting for a more partcu-
lar one, struck light and saw standing
| there old raw-boned horse complacently
chewing hay. 1 felt my way up stairs, and
| some of the stage hands who had just ar
| rived told me the house belonged to a bill
poster, who was also manager of ths thea
ter and proprietor of the town transfer
company. He wanted to economiZe on sta
| BILE hire, and so he used that dressing
| room for his horse"
| A chaery voice invited me to come in
to the Sanctum which serves the actor as
| study, reception room and library, rolled
| into one. 1t rests one the hall does,
| with it's soft, rather somber colors (sage
green predominates), it's harmonious chairs
| and tables (modern Chippendale. or some
thing on that order. [ believe) and It's rich
simplicity. There are books, real books,
! and there are pictures in MIR. Sothern 5
sanctum. The pictures are well chosen,
| and the books are of the kind thought
| full actor, with sensible taste for litera-
ture might be expected to have in his Ii
| brary.
I'm a domesticated sort of chap" said
! Mr.. Sothern. | made a remark about
| his environment.
Il often wish 1 could settle down quietly
for choice, near London-like some of
those men who are writing plays for us.
| But L suppose L shan't."
you have been suspected of writing plays
| yourself" said l.
"Oh. l have dropped that" said the ac-
| tor with the boyish smile and manner the
women admire in him. II come to the
conclusion long ago that 1 was wasting
| time. It's much better, after all, to let the
other fellows write for u.s.
| Much better-for the other fellows any
| how
II don't mean that, exactly"
What has been your experience with
authors?"
well. that's a large kind of question.
| Every week two or three plays-mostly,
am sorry to say, very bad ones-are sent
me to read. Nearly all are romantic
plays"
You seem welded to them now?'
''They are the fashion, for the moment
But don't know many that deserve to be
You see, the average author seems to think
that play is romantic if 1t allows us to
use costume and indulge in fighting. Now
and then 1 wish l could do something else
something more ambitious"
Mr. Sothern crossed his legs and went on
earnestly.
Earnestness. by the bye, is not the least
of his virtues. There is much resolution in
his face-an amiable face, lighted by kind
true-blue eyes, surmounted by particularly
well-markcd eyebrows. Nor is there any
sign of weakness in his sensitive and hui
morouS mouth.
His dharm is in his voice, which has q
pathetic sweetness, and in his manner
J which is graceful. Together, these advan-
tages have made him the best lover on the
stage.
Becky Sharp" Mrs. Fiske's marvelously
successful play, which is still running al
the Fifth Avenue Theater, New York-it is
| now in it's fourth month a the pa