The evening times., 1899-11-16
THINGS THEATRICAL.

Not at the request of any person connect
ed with the attraction, but as a matter Of
critical afterthought, The Times wishes to
mitigate its Tuesday review of My Son
Ben," the play now being done at the La
fayette Square Opera House. A later sum-
| mary of the presentation and of the pre-
senting company conyinces that, while
neither may be extraordinary or without
fault, both are quite adequate when exist
ing conditions are considered. MY Son
Ben is a wholesome and not displeasing
Observation-Disclosures to anyone who may
witness its performance and not displeas-
ing to the most captious. At the rate Of
admission charged, the production is all
that could be asked.
Aubrey Boucicault, Marie Wainwright
Jeanette Lowry, Thomas H Burns, Dore
Davidson, e. Lovat Frazer, Charlotte Nor
timer, and Alice Judson, charming local
girl. compose the company which is to be
seen next week at the Columbia in Mile.
Fif,' a farce taken from tie French of
NM. Dumanior and Care by Joseph Girls
mer. The piece is said to be rather risque
and yet to afford a pleasing diversion from
most Of its predecessors in that the plot
treats neither of marital infidelities nor of
questionable intrigues. Its principal char
acter are husband and wife who are as
deeply in love with one another as they
are in debt to everyone. Mile Fif'' was
well liked in New York and, il Judgment
may be based on the advance sale of seats,
will be well patronized here.
"The Girl From Maxims," next weeks
farce at the National, is based on rather a
hum0rO,iS tanpia of rnyp pyico}iopc ar;s
ing from an unfortunate accident by which
an old gentleman brings home with him
more or less frivolous cafe chanteuse This
guest, per force, is palmed of on certain
French proyincials as a most respectable
parsonage. As a result, her capers are TAX
en- for the latest fads and are diligently
initiated by the sober and rather prudish
residents Of the rural districts Josephine
Hall and W. ]. Ferguson head the present.
ing cast, which further includes Alfred
Klein, Lewis Baker, Joseph Allen, Robert
Hickman, Paul McAllister, Gertrude Whit
ty, Mamie Forbes, Florence Gerard, Mayms
Realty, and Caroline Starbuck.
Between the extensively feminine imper-
sonations of Richard Harlowe, while
Of 1882" and the often-equally extensively
masculine impersonations OF George Mon
roe, now Of Mrs. B. O'Shaughnessy,"
come the genuinely humorous portrayals
OF country women contributed to the stage
by Neil Burgess. well-known through his
connection with "The County Fair" Mr.
Burgess heads what promises to be an in
teresting bill next week at the Grand-a
bill that includes. besides himself, Gerald
Griffin. who is presenting sketch, entitled
Silence is Golden" Billy Link, comedian;
Jack Marshall's "Newsboys' Quintette,"
vocalists; Adele Purvis Onri, globewalker
and dancer; Maddox and Wayne, dualog-
lists; Doherty's White Poodles, and the
American Biograph. Seats are selling.
In these days. clever novels are more
frequently dramatized than not; songs are
made the subjects of plays. and even
paintings suggest theatrtc offerings. In
only one instance, however. is there
well-grounded account of series Of news
paper articles furnishing material Tor
farce. This instance is "McFadden's Row
Of Flats" which first came into promi-
nence in a well-known New York journal.
Manager Gus Hill forsaw the histrionic
value of the idea and lost no time in having
a comedy made Of it. The result is the
''McFadden's Row of Flats" to be seen next
week at the Academy and which has made
any amount Of money for Its owners. The
present version Of the piece is said to be
an up-to-date one, more than admirably
presented.
Arthur Forrest, p. Augustus Anderson.
Florence Kahn, Ina Hammer, and J. Bran
don lyman are among the people who will
be introduced in support Of John Blair at
the National Theatre tomorrow, when that
talented leading man will be seen in the
first of series Of realistic plays. "El Gran
Galeoto," which created considerable talk
in New York when offered under similar
circumstances at Hoyt's, has been select
ed as the aforesaid first of these, its
strength and theme giving the actors
boundless opportunities in it. Only one
performance will be shown, the succeeding
renderings OF other works in the repertoire
being reserved for later occasions. It is
promised that the Interpretation of "El