The times., 1899-12-31
THINGS THEATRICAL.

sir Henry Irving in 'sThc Bells" and
ElIen Terry in '''The Amber Heart
When the curtain of the National Theatre
was rung up yesterday afternoon on The
Amber Heart and the first act had pro-
ceeded TO the point Of her entrance. Ellen
Terry faced what undoubtedly was the
smallest audience before which she has
been called upon to play during her pres
ent tour of this country That matter. OF
Itself might have been great surprise.
Tor the engagement just terminated at the
Rapley house did not come up TO the eX-
pectations OF the management at any time,
but the gathering under consideration was
even without precedent as regards size.
No one OF the matinees being given had
drawn fewer people.
Despite the limitations of the assemblage
and the fact that the auditorium was I'M
comfortably cold, those in attendance were
most hearty in their reception of Miss
Terry and of her comedy. The Amber
Heart Is the work of Alfred c. CalmOur
and it has the merit OF being new to Wash
ingtOn The piece tells fairy story as
tender and delicate as any that Hans An
dersen ever wrote a story resembling
Olga Nethersole's "The Termagent' in its
virtues. but lacking the principal faults OF
that Offering Mr.. CalmOur's high tone is
maintained throughout the effort though
frequently as the result of considerable
obvious straining. There is little substance
or effectiveness in the trifie but it affords
the means Of smiling through a very pleas
ant and enjoyable two hours The plot
a plot with a moral-tells merely of a maid
kept from feeling and suffering by
charmed ornament, which in a petulant
desire for comprehending the force Of love.
she throws away A faithiess woOer and
vcngeful cousin bring her grief in place
OF the baubel and the author is threatening
a tragic denOuement when The Amber
Heart is found again and its possessor-
forgets.
lhe play is interesting chiefly in that il
affords Miss Terry considerable opportunity
for that coupling OF giri5h iugcEuO sness
and womanly maturity that make her Por-
ia so delightful. In the role of Elaine
she finds room for the contrasting of these
qualities, together with the ljghtest COM
; edy and the sincerest emotlo-allsm. Yes
terday Miss Terry seemed to experience
great difficulty in recalling her lines while
she showed also a disagreeable tendency
side speeches and untimely mirth IL
might have been deserved by those who
stayed away. but certainly was not by those
/ who came. Shivering cut performance in
a badly-heated theatre is not the most
! pleasant thing in the world. without added
infiction Laurence Irving was seen IN
The Amber Heart as the gTacaless lover,
and his portrayal is less creditable than
/ any he has ever attempted in Washington.
/ The Coranto of Arthur RoystOn, the Sir
Simon Gambler Of Clifford Brown and the
/ Mirabelle OF Cecil Cromwell all are meri-
,orious The production is lavish.
/ Sir Henry Irving resumed his place in
! the bill last night. the principal presenta-
/ tion of the evening being the adaptation of
Erckmaun-Chatraius The Polish Jew
which is known here and in England as
! THE Bells" Sir Henry made the fame of
/ the drama and the drama did much toward
making Sir Henry's fame He was strug-
! Cling player of unrscOgniZed ability when
/ a single performance Of the part Of Matthias
| gained him critical acceptance. The role
has been rendered here so often that it
| calls for slight comment Sir Henry dem
onstTated his usual strength Lass night.
! gradually building from the nervous dread
/ Of the first act TO the mad uureasOniug
terror of the final scene with the dream
! hypnOtist. In bits like this Sir Henry has
no equal. and that fact was re-established.
! The various small parts Of The Bells"
We're well filled.
At the matinee Miss Terry was reintro-
iuced in Charles Reade's charming come
detta, Nance OldfeId, which she Used
| for an afterpiece. Sir Henry brought a.
! Conan Doyles Waterloo" into requstiou
as a curtain raiser in the evening Both
| works are we'll known in Washington
College Boys in Farce.
Glee club and operate entertainments
contributed by college boys are growing
more and more frequent. but the lads OF
| Dartmouth and of the University of Vir-
ginia can claim novelty in their appear
ance here in A. w. Pineros farce, The
| Magistrate" This piece, which was one of
Aueustin Daly's lasting successes. Will be
presented on Tuesday evening al the Ma
| tional Rifles HaIl. The roles will be as
sumed by the men of the North, while the
Virginans are TO contribute musical spe-
cialties between the acts The performance
promises to be pleasing and should be we'll
attended.
A wax miniature Of Blanche Bates sold
! at auction at the Professional WOmans
League fair in New York was bought by
| Aunt" Louisa Eldridge and Mrs. Fernan-
dez. The doll will be sent to lille Mabel
! Taliaferro. who has been playing with
| Children Of the Ghetto" in London.
| Because of quarrels among its managers.
The run of The Belle of New York" is
about to terminate in London Edna May
and the remainder of the company VIII re-
| turn to the United States Immediately
| THE Belle" has had 200 performances in
1 the British metroDolis.