Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-31
ADJUSTMENTS.

with martial tread that the audience made
its exit from the New National Theater last
night after the performance of Chris and
the Wonderful Lamp" Mr.. Sousa has
manufactured another march 1t has the
insidious quality characteristic of his
other performances When first heard it
seems one of the most simple and harmless
bits of music imaginable, but in very
short time 1t takes hold of the memory and
haunts the hearer with a pertinacity equal
ed only by that previous classic, Punch,
Brothers, Punch With Care
How the march got into the opera was at
first mystery. Matters appeared to be
progressing amiably and subsequently,
enough when, all of a sudden, a spirit Of
beiligerency overspread the scene. Some
thing was said about the wrath Of the
handsome chaperon. unprecedented by Ma
bella Baker but the wild rush to arms,
with an up and at them boys" could not
be accounted for on this pretext There
was only one way to explain its tunefui IN
trusion. Somebody must have rubbed the
lamp.
The piece does not claim serious consid-
GRAFTON. Any attempt to bestow it would
be an affront to the obvious purposes of
it's compilers. 1t is jolly, irresponsible. eff
fervescent and fatigable. There is not
an instant of monotony in the production.
stageful of young women, iridescently
costumed. keeps an agreeable picture al
ways before the eye, and the facility with
which immense quantities of splendid
scenery are handled would justify cur
tain call for the stage hands after every
act. There Is gleeful air of opulence about
the entire enterprise, which soOtheS and
satisfies. The wit of the lines may not be
precisely Gilbertian nor the music Sulliva-
MAN. but true genius is, after all, only an
accident of birth. And there is no ques-
toning the fact that the creation has
everything that money can buy. Every
thing is vim and action, and In the first act
when matters threaten to flag Bit even
the scenery takes its cue az natural as life
and moves with panoramic effect across the
back of the stage in time to a frolicsome
chorus by a mighty concourse of SOU
brettes.
Jerome Sykes takes up the responsibilities
of principal comedian, and sustains them
with UNMARRIED success. His role Is that of
the genii. The people of the company call
him jee-nigh. His makeup is stroke Of
rare cleverness in its simplicity, and his
performance has JUNCTION and genuine hui
morous quality throughout A rhymed col
lection of inane puns, such as is affected
by variety singers, shows practical value as
a laugh-producer when he sings 1t, but his
best number is a thoroughly original topt-
cal song in the last act, in which the jee-
nigh naively assumes credit for all the
great achievements Of history. The au-
dience would have kept him singing 1t until
the last car started for the suburbs If his
stock of verses held out. Edna Wallace
Hopper looks if she had just been sum-
moned from the pages of a pretty picture
book to play the title role. She does not
sing a great deal. She does not have to.
She is an animated aria. Every toss Of her
head Is q roulade and every twinkle of her
foot is a cadenza. She dresses a boy.
and completely overturns the assertions by
art reformers that masculine garb is neces-
sarily unpicturesque. John Page furnishes
force with which this young man can fall
down is alarming. OF course. there are no
fears that it Is going to hurt Mr. Page, but
Mr.. Rapieys stage is in frequent and Sc
rious peril
Chris and the Wonderful Lamp" like
most extravaganzas, is largely matter of
hypnottsm The auditor must consent to
place himself in the hands of the enter
their lively imaginations may suggest. With
people VINO are not good subjects it may
fail to entertain, but 1t is a good thing of
its kind. fer all that 1t ought not to be
necessary to mention the fact that it con-
tains nothing to which the ordinary sense
of propriety could take exception. But the
liberties which have been taken with the
legitimate stage make 1t a matter of justice
to the management and to the author, Mr..
Glen McDOnouSh, to call attention to the
fact that, while the customary adjuncts
of full-display costumes are.not neglected,
the performance Is one which. with all it's
fun and abandon, does not for a moment
encrOach upon forbidden themes. 1t is not
a work of brilliant originality or of digni-
fed aspirations But 1t is a good show.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
The presence of a large number of per-
sons prominent in official and social circles
of Washington, including Admiral George
Dewey and Rear Admiral W. S. Schey of
the United States navy, gave exceptional
interest to the opening of Mr.. Bert Coote
and company in The Battle-Scarred Hero
last night at the Lafayette Square Opera
House. During the evening there was an
exchange of naval courteses that was fully
appreciated and enjoyed by the big au-
dience. Admiral Dewey occupied a box on
10 left of he 11ii tnri11 u
Lieut. Caldwell of his staff, Adjutant Cen
eral Corbin of the United States army,
Commander CoWleS and Lieutenant Com
mander Emory of the navy. In an adjoin-
ing box were Secretary Long of the navy,
Secretary Hitchcock of the Interior and
Mrs. Hitchcock. Admiral Schley with Mrs
Schley and party of friends, occupied
box directly opposite the in which Ad-
ance. The arrival Of Manila's victor was
the occasion of an enthusiastic outburst of
cheering and applause. Admiral Dewey
graCtOuSly, as usual, bowed his thanks. Ad-
miral Schley also received an ovation. Dur
ing the intermission between the first and
second acts Admiral Schley visited the ad-
mirals box: This incident brought forth
second series of applause and cheering
Admiral Dewey welcomed Admiral Scnley
most cordially, and the two engaged in a
pleasant chat. The second entire act of the
evening was marked by visit of Admiral
Dewey and Secretary Long to Admiral
Schley's box. Again the audience applauded
and cheered. The party was a merry one.
and each one seemed to enjoy immensely
the few minutes of conversation prior to
the third rise of the curtain. Upon leaving
the theater Admiral Dewey was accorded a
final evidence of the esteem of the people
present Senator and Mrs. Foraker of Ohio
also occupied a box.
The play seemed to please a majority of
the audience, and its career was one of
fun In fact the laughter INDUCED in by
many of those in the house was of the con-
tinuous performance variety. THE Battle
Scared Hero is a tumble of tomfoolery
utter nonsense and impossibilities galore
1t seems that the author has endeavored TO
incorporate in single play enough fool
ishness to supply a season of weekly
change performances. The audience did
not wonder that some of the characters
imagined themselves in a lunatic ASYLUM.
Mr.. Coote worked hard to please DESPITE
his blank face totally lacking In exDres-
sion, his lines and antics secured lots Of
laughs. Miss Julia Kingsley does as well
as possible with the part given her Miss
Elizabeth WoOdson is very pretty as Dor
othy Dare and displayed some talent. Mr..
George Macomber does bluster part in
good shape, and D. F. Brine is not a had
lover. There were others in the cast but
on the subject of their alleged dramatic
ability mercy demands strict silence. Ev,ry
night this week, with usual matinees.
COLUMBIA THEA TNIEI L<a1I,. ~,