The times., 1899-10-08
MORE MISSES Than HITS
Neither Peter Stuyyesanf'' NOr
my Innocent Boy" a Success.
Much disappointment Felt I'm w. III.
Cranes work, which Had Con-
Howard and Brander Matthews
for Something Over Year.

Stuyvesant" I" which " II. Crane presented
on Monday evening at Wallack's, is or is
not disappointment. AS matter of fact,
this discussion is OF itself disappointment,
for, after having learned that Bronson
Howard and Brander Matthews had labored
year over the piece, one was prepared 10
hear only favorable comment upon IT. This
expectation has not been realized. Peter
StUyvesant' is not even a probable sue
eess-it is possible success-so surely but
possible that folk already are beginning to
say that 1T is clean play" ! feel exceed
ingly sorry for Mr.. Crane, and am certain
that his worst enemies share the sentiment.
The comedian is really so capable and has
so diligently, If so unfortunately, struggled
for worthy material that this latest affair
is distinctly regrettable. If l were supersti-
tious / should lay the blame of the entire
business on the managers OF Wallack's
Theatre which has had nothing bat fiascoes
from the opening OF "A Little Ray Of Sun
shine" up TO date.
Peter StuyVesant" is too literary for
the stage-it is full of atmosphere and
talk but has comparatively little action.
Its humor is not startling nor its episodes
Of great strength, while the whole fabric
needs to be knit together. The scenes of
and the story mainly concerns the one
legged governor and his match making
efforts. The hard headed old fellow is
anxious that his niece. Anneke, shall marry
Sir Reginald Farquhar and equally anxious
that Conrad Ten Eyck shall Join his tor-
tunes with those OF Katrina Van Der
Planck, daughter Of the chief councillor
This condition is rendered anything but
desirable by the fact that Anneke and Con-
al love each other while Katrina and Sir
Reginald are quite as unfortunate. Sir
Reginald, who is a spy in the service Of
the British, has close friend in Conrad
until the Dutchman misses some valuable
papers and learns that his comrade has
stolen them. When TO this is added the
knowledge that Sir Reginald intends 10
spike the guns al the fort when the Eng
lish ships arrive, Conrad is exceedingly
wroth and attacks his former chum. he
plotter is arrested, but his aceompiice
giibly swears that the assailant was con-
cerned in the affair Of the cannon Conrad
already suspected. is convicted and about
TO be executed when Sir Reginald con-
fesses. is pardoned and eTeryOns concerned
chooses his partner for that indefinite time
following the end Of the last act:
Mr.. Crane is TO be highly commended
for his assumption Of the title role Nobsy
keeping behind him the opportunity 10
make Peter Stuyvesant low comedy char
acter, he injected into the part such rare
humor and so many fine touches that mis-
impersonation became yeritab.e triumph.
William Cour;leigh and William Ingersoll
shared second honors as the two young
men Of the piece, Percy Hsswell and
Sandol Milliken playing opposite them.
The remainder OF the excellent supporting
cast included George Fawcett, Carl Her
bert, Daniel Fingieton, George l. Stevens,
William Sampson, Frederick Truesdell,
L De-
Griesman, Thad Shine, Ferris Mason, VIII
Dupont Frank Molborn, Leila Bronson,
and Selene johnson, one-while, ! believe,
OF your city The work was well staged
and costumed.
4 comic blotter on my desk reminds me
as / write that Otis Harlan followed Mrs.
Leslie Carter al the Garrick On Monday
evening, and scored an undoabte1 failure
in --Eay Innocent Boy" TIE ia ce. in
which Sydney Drew was once featured in
England, is conventional and terribly thin.
lt deals with the usual escapades OF the
usual liar whom practice mas not made so
perfect that he is not invariably caught
in every one OF his falsehoods. Mr. Har-
Ian is man OF decidedly limited ability,
and his impersonation OF Valentine Smith
the innocent" 1" is not in any sense what
il might be. His support includes several
women as thin as the plot, among them
Florence Lillian Wickes, who is neither
pretty nor clever. There is no one in the
entire cast who viii be known as far away
as Washington.
After noting the bad fortune that has at
tended New York in regard 10 first nights
may expect 10 be eagerly read when
state that We have really had one big OPEN
ing this week. Over on Forty-seoo1d Street.
and Eighth Avenue is the American Thea
tire and the Castle Square Opera Company
which tenants the house, is the most pop
ular OF local organizations The troupe
began its season on Monday in an English
version Of Nagner's '.Die MeisteTsinger' .
The place was crowded ana applause al
most constant The translation of the
opera has never before been sung in this
country. and consequently comes as q sur
prise. IL is the work of h and F. Corder,
and while the libretto has lost some OF its
piQuancy in the way OF idiom. this loss is
quite made up by the new insight given
into the many charms Of the book. Die
Meistersinger' is well staged, and is pre-
Eented by Barron Berthaid, William Mer-
tens. Homer Lind, II. L Butler, Harry
Davies, Edgar Mills, Percy Walling, Harris
Luckstone. George Evans, w C. Wilson
Clarence Van PeIt, Wilbur F. Starr,
Yvonne de TreEille. Marie Mattfeld, and
others.
The Man in the Moon, Jr.' has at last
had its production at the New York
Theatre. il is described as "a composite
sklt" and Is really only a continuation OF
its predecessor. The authors are Louis
Harrison and Stanislaus STANCE, both OF
them actors, and they have put into the
piece all the local slang OF the past dec
ade. There are TWO new people in sthe
presenting company. Fay Tempieton, one
OF them, sings some dainty negro meiodie,
acceptably, and gives q weak imitation
OF Isabel Irving, in THE Tyranny oi
Tears" The other is Marguerite Cline
the Irish prima donna, who won fame in
detailing the advice given TO a pugilift
named McClusky. The Offering, summed
Up, is mildly amusing and may have q
run.
Minnie Maddern Fiske continues "a
crowd the Fifth Avenue Theatre TO suf-
location. In my humble estimation, Mrs
Fiske is the most remarkable woman this
country has ever produced. and her work il
Becky Sharp" certainly entities her tc
all the favor with which she has been re-
cesved. I am told that the stars Local
time has been extended and that she viii
not leave New York for some months yet
Richard Mansfeld's engagement OF cissi,
LOTUS was for advertising purposes only
This particular Lotus is not an actress
only a vaudeville star. The late AugustiT
DAILY tried 10 make something else OF hel
but failed
Each OF the contracts signed at loca
continuous" house contains the following
Cured of Chronic Diarrhoea After
Thirty Years OF Suffering.