The times., 1899-03-05
GOTHAM ACCEPTS
THE MUSKB3EER"
Critics There Think SOthern a
Good D'Artagnan.
Praise for Mrs. Fiske's Production
of ''Magda."
Snm Il. Jack and Dunn,s Music Hall
Continue Their Degrading Shows
to Those Who Like Them.

New York. March 1.-At last E. H
Sothern has reached Broadway, the goal sc
much sought by ambitious stars. The ad-
vent OF this popular young actor as the
advance agent of the good old-fashioned
romantic drama, in which our forefathers
and foremothers took such delight, has
been anxiously awaited by many amuse-
ment lovers. Mr.. Sothern is well liked in
this city and on Monday night his numer-
Gus admirers packed every hole and corner
in the Knickerbocker Theatre to see his
much-talked-of impersonation of D'Artag-
nan in THE Three Guardsmen, now called
THE Kings Musketeer." The last nota-
Bile performance of this play here was
given by Alexander Salvini at what is now
known as Roster Balls Music Hall.
Mr.. Salyini offered splendid portrayal of
Dumas hero and won much praise for his
clever work. Mr.. Sothern is also good ac-
tor. with plenty of magnetism He makes a
dashing and attractive young Gascon, and
in some of the scenes is uncommonly eff
fective. The Kings Musketeer" is YER
sion of The Guardsmen'' used in London
by Beerbohm Tree. II is somewhat milder
than Sidney Grundy's, but calls for just
as elaborate cast and general outfit The
story is divided into five acts and a dozen
tableaux. D'Artagnan gets into fight with
the three musketeers and later joins them.
The plot TO ruin the Queen of France, the
perfldy of Richelieu. and nearly all the
well-known incidents of Dumas novel fig
ure extensively. Manager Daniel Frohman
has given his star all the advantages of n
fine company and handsome scenic environ
ments. Next TO Mr.. Sothern's D'Artagnan
the best acting in the production is done
by Norman Conniers as Porthos. Miladi,
as played by Edith Crane, is commonplace
and not bit effective. This young woman
is evidently of the opinion that she knows
IL all-and she doesn't. AT times her self
consciousness is painful. However, she is
pretty woman with good teeth.
MIS-. Fiske began her third annual en-
gagement at the Fifth Avenue Theatre on
Monday night, appearing for the first time
here in Suderman's powerful. drama,
"Magda, in which Duse has been so sue
cessful. AS was TO be expected, the star
gave unique and distinctive performance
Of the title part, and, of course, made
hit with IT. Her version of the work is an
excellent one-in fact, ii is the most faith
full adaptation of the original yet seen in
this city. The booking promises to be
6 prosperous one. Mrs Fiske is unques-
tionably the best emotional actress speak
ing the English language and deserves all
the good things that can be said of her.
Hammerstein's new Victoria adds an
other TO the long list of local amusement
places. The house is centrally located on
West Forty-second Street, and is expected
to rival Weber & Fields Music Hall-saye
only that the management will cater TO a
better class OF people than that drawn by
the German comedians. The seating ca
pacity is 1.250. There is foyer thirty
feet wide, running around the orchestra
seats. II is 300 feet long Smoking
and drinking will only be permitted in this
promenade, which is to be provided with
chairs, diyans, and tables Back of the
meZzanine boxes of the balcony there will
be another such walk, fitted up luxuriously
with paintings. statuary, lounging places,
and works OF art. The cost of the Vic
foria has been 5000, 0,000 Mr.. Hammerstein
will introduce from time 10 time a num-
her OF novel features, one of which will be
handsome restaurant, in which every
thing from ices 10 an elaborate table hote
dinner Will be served. The first attraction
offered is the Rogers Brothers, in John
McNally's "a Reign OF Error"
From Rev. Griffith Davenport TO farce
comedy is a pretty long jump, but it was
made successfully last night al the Herald
equare Theatre, where Mathews and Bull