The times., 1899-02-09
THINGS THEATRICAL.

If it be true that he who laughs las
laughs best" those who go to the Co
iumbia Theatre next week for tn
purpose of seeing Ward and vokes il
The Governors will have grea
advantage over those VINO do not
For, according TO report. the vehic
these twin stars are just now exploit
ing is calculated 10 promote merr,msn
from the lifting of the first curtain to tn,
fall of the final one. THE Governors" i.
| an unpretentious farce Of uncertain origir
but its mirth- provoking qualities are un-
doubted and irresistible. The organization
| engaged IN presenting the piece this yeal
| is said to be wholly a capable one Firs'
| it includes Johnny Page. whose comedy is
| so spontaneous and acrobatic and peryad-
| ing that he can truthfully lay claim tc
| having suggested more smiles than any
man in his fine of business. Mr.. Page con-
| tinues to impersonate the bell boy and that
most creditably. Then there is Lucy DAILY
magnetic little body. whose persona ity
cannot fail to disperse any amount OF
gloom. and there are Margaret DAILY vokes
and John Keefe, as the country cousins Mr.
| keefe will be remembered not only for
| his effort in this part last year, bat for his
clever monologue in Cay New York
Cheridah Simpson, Charles W. Young,
James Cherry Sadie Whitcomb, Louise
kerlin. and the Boston Quartette' are
to be seen and heard. OF course, the
company includes a number of pretty girls
adept in the wearing of dainty lingerie
| and the latest creations of the moiiste's
art. The plays three acts are mentioned
as showing some fine scenery. and alto
gether the entertainment should prove to
be most attractive one.
A New York success of considerable
magnitude is The Liars" which has Just
finished its long run at the Empire Theatre
and Will be seen next Monday night at the
Lafayette Square Opera House The play
Is said to be an exceedingly good one, pos
sessing a coherent story well and dra-
matically told. 1t has been staged lavish
ly-if the New York critics are to be be-
iieved-and so will prove as attractive TO
the eye as to the ear. The presenting COM
pany enlists the services of some of the
best known people in the country. Charm
ing Isabelle Irving, whose daintiness has
become almost proverbial, is the leading
woman of the combination and she is as
sociated with many other clever people.
John Drew is the star Seats go on sale
this morning and the outlook is for most
prosperous engagement.
The impression which Julia Arthur left
here last season through her admirable
impersonation of Clorinda Wildairs in "A
Lady of Quality" was most pleasing and
lasting one. The artistic manner in which
she portrayed this dashing, impetuous
heroine, together with her own beauty
and acting skill. created for her a follow
ing that made her as popular as any other
star on the road. Perhaps foremost of
all the strong pieces of acting which Miss
Arthur does in the course OF the play
Is introduced into the trying scene in
which, goaded to madness by the taunts OF
Sir John OXon. she strikes him dead at
her feet. In this the star seems to ideally
realize the authors words Her riding
whip lay upon the table. She caught and
whlrled ii in the air. She was blind with
the surging of her blood and saw not how
she held it or what she did
only that she struck and that the blow
fell on his temple. Even as it landed
he gasped, cast up his hands. and there
upon fell and lay stretched at her feet"
Miss Arthur's engagement next week at
the National Theatre will be of unusual
interest as in it she will appear in three
widely different characterizations outside
OF that named above Prominent among
these will be her impersonation of Rosa
lind in "As You Like It" Monday, Tues
day. Thursday. and Friday nights and at
the Saturday matinee "A Lady of Quality"
VIII be done; Wednesday LAS You Like
IL Is the bill, and on Saturday night
she will appear in "Pygmalion and Gala
tea and Thomas Bailey Aldrich's "Mer-
cedes."
what is described as being diverse and
interesting entertainment is being ire
pared by Managers. Burke and Chase for
their next week at the Grand Opera
House. long bill is announced on which
occur many names well known to lovers of
amusement throughout the country. First
and foremost OF these is that of Kittie
Mitchell, the charming comedienne who
was first introduced TO Washington when
"Grau's Celebrities" was seen here some
years ago. Miss Mitchell is one of the most
delightful little personages in the country.
and her work has given her place at
the head Of her profession. Since last
billed in this city she has achieved COM
piete success in Boston. where she was
seen for several months in a much praised
review, and where she was employed to
open the magnificent music hall recently
built in the Hub. Prince O'Kabbe and
his troupe of Japanese acrobats are adyer-
tised to appear. while Raymon Moore. the
sweet-vOiced tenor, who wrote Sweet
Marie is also down on the bill Other
acts are 10 be furnished by the Valdares
expert trick cyclists; Howard and Bland
musical comedians; William Rowe, whose
ability as clog dancer is unquestioned;
Mile. Titenia. a clever exponent of Terp-
sichore, and the Willet and Thorne Comedy
Company. which will be seen in the ex-
funny farclet AN Uptown
Flat" The bill will be continued through
out the week with the usual daily mat
nees.
"ln Old Kentucky" which is unquestion-
ably the most successful American play
produced in many years, and one that has
been received with favor everywhere, will |
Je seen next week at the Acad- |
amy of Music. As is pretty well
known, the piece deals with an
phase of Kentucky life and is a |
and we'll -proportioned struct- |
ire characterized by poetic fervor and for |
'ibie phraseology. It's main strength lies |
n its simplicity and picturesqueness. The |
irama would not be true to its name If it |
lid not represent a horse race in some
orm. This feature is recalled as a very
'ealistic and effective scene and shows the |
Lexington race track at the finish of a
very spirited race between several thor
'ughbrcds, which, urged on by their Jock
'ys. make wild dash under the wire in
ull view OF the audience
The author is credited with having given
| vivid picture of social life in Kentucky
ND with the romance has woven enough
hrilling incidents into the story TO win
he applause of those who crave for the
pirited action OF melodrama. He also in
reduces novel feature in the shape of a
genuine band of pickaninnies, who, to use
common expression, lend local color 10
he scene. The heroine is said to be
'retty young mountain maid sweet, in.
and lovely to look upon. Hers is
new type-for she wears neither short
air nor short dresses-far removed from
he traditional soubrette. yet with a com