Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-14

There has been nothing very startling in
theatrical circles here this week. The
Village Postmaster" which made quite a
success in New York failed to attract the
popular taste but Primrose and Dock
stader's NInstrels caught on in great shape.
The Herrmanns have done a good business
at the Columbia Nine. Hermann beng
particularly charming in her dances anu
having developed skill IN leSerdehlalh
that is rare in woman, while Leon Herr
mann in the dizziness of his magic Is prov
ing worthy successor to his uncle, VINO
viii always be remembered as Hermann
the great. Clara Morris has given tneater
goers an opportunity of seeing her in one
of her greatest emotional parts, MISS Null
ton" in which she developed the strength
that placed her at the head of actresses OF
her class. The Albaugh Stock Company.
from the Lyceum pheater, Baltimore. has
given n series Of performances at the Grand
Opera House that have been well attended.
Next week a new play Will be presented
for the first time on any stag at the La
fayctte Square Opera House 1t is a
dranatizatiun of Helen Gardeners novel
IAN Unofficial Patriot" and will be seen
under the title of THE Rev. Griffith Daven-
port" The decentralization has been made
by Mr.. James A Herne. who will play the
leading role. and who will lee supported by
a large and efficient company Mr. Herne :
former work as Il playwright ana ACTOR
juStifies the belief that the ohe:ln& VIII ne
n worthy one Anna Held and The French
Maid will be seen at the Columbia. and
new Hoyt play. A Day and Night IN
New York" at the National The Devifs
Auction viii be the attraction at the Acad-
envy, and the new management at the
Grand Opera House will present its first
program Of high-clasS vaudeville. to which
a man can take his wife or sister or sweet
heart without feeling that anything will be
said or done to shock their feelings. ker-
mans and the Rijou will offer their usual
attractive programs of vaudeville.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOIrsE.
James a Herne. the eminent actor and
drarlatist. begins a weeks engagement at
the Lafayette Square Opera House on next
Monday evening. appearing for the first
time On any stage as the circuit preacher
in his new play. The Rev. Griffith Daven-
port The title role in this work.
il is said. will afford Mr.. Herue further
opportunities for the display of his abil-
tiles character actor. The part is
wholly unlike Nathaniel Berry in Shore
Acres" and may be said to be unlike any
other character known to the drama.
Griffith Davenport is the only son of a
wealthy planter living a Stony Mead, in
the SEenand Jah valley As he grows to
manhood he falls under the influence of
the religious evangelism then spreading
in various forms through the regions of
Virginia. and he becomes a convert to
MethodiSm and in time preacher. Re
Hgion has taken a strong hold upon Crit
fifth DavenportS conscience. and he be-
gins 10 see more and more clearly that
for him. a preacher of the gospel. slave
holding Is immoral While riding through
the Shenandoah valley the clergyman
meets. falls in love with and marries kath-
crime lie Roy. the only daughter of a noted
Presbyterian squire. His wife brings to
his home a large TetinUe Of slaves. and
through the death Of his father Major
Davenport. the clergy man also inherits a
great many slaves. and thus. against his
own wish and will. he finds himself the
pcssess0r of nearly half hundred human
ChattelS. For many years the thought of
being slave owner causes the preacher
untold suffering. and at last he decides to
break away from his old associations, free
his slaves and begin life anew in some
other place. His act causes cOnSterna ton,
not only among his neighbOrs but the
slaves themselves, none of whom cared to
be fire. nisgers. After the step had been
taken there was no turning back, and
with his wife and part of his family,
he moves to Washington. \ church in the
suburbs Of the capital city gladly welcom-
ed the Rev. Griffith Davenport, and, be
tween his work, d clear conscience and a
happy home. the world never looked so
bright and peaceful to him. Then came
the civil war. He becomes a guide for the
Union army and his experiences are of the
most interesting and dramatic character.
There are several love stories and
MIR Htrnc has endeavored TO portray Vir-
ginia home life as accurately and truth
fully As he has depicted New England life
in shore Acres. Although he has fol-
lowed the main points Of Helen H. Garden
ers novel. An Unofficial Patriot" he has
also introduced many new scenes and in
Cidents. and he firmly believes the result
will prove deeply interesting to all lovers
OF refined stage art. more especially those
who can enjoy good and pure home play.
NATIONAL Observation-Disclosures Hoyt
is a playwright who always has a reason,
and a good one, for whatever he does. For
instance in his new comedy. "A Day and
a Night in New York, which comes to the
National Theater Monday next. one act is
supposed to occur during the day while
the other two are at night. Some one in
quired why this division had been made
in favor Of the night. IF | had made two
acts in the day and one at night" he an
swered, 1T would not have been possible
to .ocate the comedy in New York at all
What is dinner time I'm most places is the
hour for early breakfast in New York.
Dinner IS eaten barely in time to reach
the theater as the curtain rises. while the
third meal Is taken leiSUre1y somewhere
toward midnight. In fact. If | rewrote this
comedy / would divide the first act into
two scenes and only have the first one of
these two occur while the sun shines -
The plot in "A Day and Night in New
YORK tells Of an old naval officer who
returning from long cruise on the Asiatic
coast mas the baby whom he has left
grown 70 be man. He is not apparently
the sort the sailor likes or fancies being
gwen To sewing circles. church fairs and
similar amusements. without much knowl-
edge OF the world The young man goes
TO New York to select members for a
church choir and the father goes with
him. secretly intending TO show the son a
little Of the town. The father falls in with
theatrical manager and lets him into the
plot The manager says he will introduce
the son at a private dinner party to a
number OF chorus girls. telling him that
they are concert singers. To this the
father agrees and promises to remain con-
cedled 10 witness the fun. An ex-leading
lady OF the theater puts in an appearance
ana tells the manager the story of her
life after leaving the stage. The smell of
the foOtlights brings back old loncines
and the result is that She. too. is invited
10 The supper party TO renew Old acquaint-
anccs. When all are gathered the ex-iead-
ing lady discovers that the good young
man Is her hance. She is disconnected for
n moment, but finally determines to bluff
II out and disclaims all previous acouaipt-
ance. Informing him that it is a case of
mistaken identity. She interrogates the
young man as TO his sweetheart he left in
New Jersey and learns that he is more a
man of the world than he appears
Finally he throws off the cloak and
emsrSes as one Of the boys and proceeds
10 enjoy himself When the fun is at its
height both the minister and the mother
OF The young man put in an appearance.