Evening star., 1899-03-14

the model for one Of the greatest modern
emotional work is crndely done. The latter
fault Is due to her inexperience. Mabel
amber y handsoms' as the granddaughter
Rosa, and acts Win hea hccustcUed, ease
and naturainess. Theodore Roberts Is en-
tirely satisfactory as Col. Sapt. Arthur
Hoops, in the namet part makes a gallant
viliain and admiralty serves as a foil for
Mr.. Hackett. The other parts are not
prominent, but are carefully performed.
The costumes are bright and appropriate,
and the scenery all that could be desired.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
No more enjoyable comic opera has visit
ed washington this~season than De koven
seen here for the FIRST time last night at
the Lafayette Square Opera House. The
audience was only fair, but that fact must
De attributed to the excitement over Mr.
Mansfieid's first appearance in "Cyrano de
Bergerac,'' and that the general public did
not know what good thing the Three
Dragons was. Every one who heard the
opera last night will advertise Its excel
hence, and the house should be filed for
the remainder of the week. In the music
Mr.. DE koven has made no pretensions to
elaborate writing, although all his work
Is musc1anly and melodious His songs are
tuneful and his concerted numbers are at
tractive, and in the finale of the second act
ne mas gwen an evidence Of what he can
90 IN the way of ensemble work when he
modestly that their chief aim has been to
provide pleasant evenings entertainment
and In this they have certainly succeeded
Mr.. Smiths book is very funny. His char
acters are well drawn and he has furnished
them with some very witty lines. Occa-
sionaily there is joke of ancient vintage,
but then 1t is generally so old that 1T is
good. Generally the dialogue is bright,
snappy, and, as has been said, in many in
stances, witty.
The locale of the opera gives opportunity
for some excellent scenic effects and gor-
geous costumes, and this is fully taken ad-
vantage OF In the production, which is as
sumptuous and complete could be de-
sired. Although the plot hinges upon the
and Dona 1nez de Lara Miss Marguerite
lIemon), and incidentally those of Sheri-
dams two companions. Bob Leslie Wm h.
Clark and Archie Cameron Robt. s. Pig
gotD, who are the other dragons, the real
star of the piece is Jerome Sykes, who as
Don Bamboula Bambolio, chief cook of the
King of Portugal, has a part in which ms
unctuous comedy finds full scope.
1t is as complete characterization as
his Foxy Quiller in THE Highwayman,'
and it catches the audience fully as we'll.
In the funnaking Sykes is splendidly sup
ported by Richard f. Carroll whose abfli-
ties as a comedian are well known here
and find full scope in the part of an Irish
servant patterned upon Levers Mickey
Free. Carroll has two assistants, Charles
Hildesly and Edwin Carroll, both of whom
are at times excruciatingly funny. Linda
da Costa as Rosita, a waitress; Leonora
Quito as Marcela, gypsy girl, and Fan
ME Brisco as Don Bamboula's valet were
all deserving of praise, and the chorus
was large in numbers, comely as to its
feminine contingent, and all had good
voices. Mr.. OMara's rich tenor was heard
IN several solos, and always with pleasure.
His every effort was encored, as was the
trio between himself and Messrs. Clark
and Piggott Miss Lemon has a soprano
OF much power and is a good actress. The
audience was thoroughly enthusiastic, and
encores were the rule rather than the ex-
ception. The most notable numbers were
Our Brave Boys" THE Cooks Ambi-
ton Say That You Cannot Forget"
The Postillion's Song,'' The Boo Dra-
goon," The Little. French Clock" The
King Can Do No Wrong and The Ballad
of the Nations.
With tuneful music, witty dialogue. ex-
cellent singing principals and chorus, and
such comedians as Sykes and Carroll, and
with such splendid production, the sue
cess of the Three Dragons in New York
Is easily understood, and 1t is believed that
its career upon the road will be equally
successful
ACADEMY OF MUSIC.-"McFadde
Row of Flats attracted an, audience to the
Academy of Music last night that caused
the 5. r. o. sign to be hung out long before
the conclusion of the tfnst act. This con-
glomeration of fun melody and pretty seem
cry, together with capable people to carry
out the action, has been seen here before
put the piece seems to improve on acquaint-
ance and was just zaS acceptable I'm every
way last night as At was on it's first pre-
sentation in this city The cast is a long
one the principals being Joe J. Sullivan a.
Tim McFadden and Harry Crandall as ia
cob Baumgartner, who are rivels for the
hand of the queen Of the flats" Mrs Muir
phy, the latter part being filled very ac-
ceptably by Miss Sadie Connolly Celtic
and Dutch wit flowed in abundance some
OF the lines being eXcapffona1tv h,io
whenever the two comedians came together
and in the funmaking they were ably sec
ended by Miss Estelle Wellington as the
daughter of Mrs. Murphy, c. A. Morgan as
Terence McSwatt, the poet of the flats:
Miss Carrie Webber, one of the young la
dies of the fat, who does neat turn with
sullivan in the second act; Harry Watson,
who does a tramp bicycle riding act that is
above the average: Chas. r. Newton, who
1mpersonates a policeman with a great
deal I, q of fidelity, and Misses May Moss,
Minnie Fayette, Eittie Gordon Lottie Moss
and Kittie Lamp as the daughters of Baum
gartner and McFadden. In addition to the
speclalties enumerated above, the Moss fam
lily won immediate favor in a musical turn
in which some really good music was play
ed in fine style. The most notable thing
about this act was saxaphone quintet that
played part of the William Tell' overture
In manner to suit the most captious critic.
Charley Saunders and his realistic dummy
In fake tumbling act was enjoyable, as
was MISS w ellington and Mr.. Morgan in
dancing speciality. Harry CrandaII also
found favor in his specially. while Sadie
Connolly was obliged 10 respond to a double
encore in her Irish songs. The costumes
and scenery added not little to the at
tractiveness of the production, the eight
young ladies who impersonated the daugh-
ters of the rivals for Mrs. Murphy's hand
appearing as Alpine mountain girls letter
carriers. flower girls and policemen in pret-
ty dresses and catchy songs. The hit of
the evening, however, was, in all probabil-
ity, the boxing act Of the speck Brothers,
two diminutives, who are familiar to
Washington theater-goers. They tmperson
ated the famous Alex and George of 'the
Flats and managed to instill some nm
roarious fun into the proceedings. They
were recalled and forced to give another
round in their novel boxing turn.
GRAND OPERA HOUSE-The high-class
vaudeville bill at the Grand this week is
full of head liners" the name given the
leading lights of the variety stage. There
Is. Lizzie Evans of "Fogg's Ferry fame as
sisted by Harry Mills, Isabelle Urquhart,
the beautiful, the Sa-Vans and Raw IT,
Royce. Any one of these ought to s1ffice
If given the support they receive This weei,