Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-25

AzJ1El
Mr. E. II. sothern has done the best bus
mess this week. his "A Kings Musketeer
having won decided favor at the Lafay-
cite. Miss Annie Russells charming i'm
persOnaciOn of Catherine has pleased
large number. but, judging from the size
OF the audiences. the Duff Comic Opera
Company in The Geisha'' and The Circus
Girl has done a larger amount of bust
ness The Hoyt comedy. "A Texas Steer,
has had a remarkable career at the Acad-
envy. showing how thoroughly the satire
Is appreciated in this city. The Grand has
been given over to the D. A R., but the
Lyceum and Bijou have both prospered.
Next week the offerings are on the order
Of amusement and entertainment and none
Of the bills will call for deep study. At the
Lafayette Days great success, "A Runa-
way Girl will be seen, interpreted by the
original company, and at the National May
Irwin will bring her latest play, Kate
Kip Buyer" which has had such a sue
cessflu run in New York. At the Column
bia there will be seen a new play by Mrs
Frances HodgsOn Burnett, entitled John
Hurst, Gentleman" It was written Tor
Digby Bell. who is an excellent comedian,
and who has surrounded himself with a
good company. The Academy will offer
ThOs. Shea in The Man-O'-War's Man
and in DIR. JekyI and Mr.. Hyde. The
Grand will offer a splendid vaudeville pro
gram for ladies and gentlemen, in which
Titenia. the dancer, will appear and MISS
Florence Henri King. well-knoWn violin
list of this city, will make her debut. At
Kernan's and the Bijou there will be the
usual programs of vaudeville for men,
E. H SOTHERN.-The first production of
Mr.. Sothern's new play, "A Colonial Girl,
In this city brought to the Lafayette Square
Theater last night an audience which filled
the big house to standing room only. In
the audience were many Daughters of the
American Revolution, who had been at
tracted by the title and the period in which
the incidents of the love story were placed.
1t was distinctively a SOthern audience,
ready to condone anything out of the way
IN their idol and only too willing to indulge
in those outburstS of applause which mark
the stars every exhibit, and. in fact, his
every speech, when that particular speech
happens to be of any substantial duration
The audience was given fewer oppOrtuni-
ties than usual last night to indulge In
these hattertng manifestations OF approval
Advantage had to be taken of the most
trifing bits of work that the hand-clapping
should not be entirely missing. This was
apparent in the last act, where Mr.. Sothern
convinces his faithful old servant he is ca
pable of acting the English fop of an officer
by changing his voice to piping drawl. A
few words uttered in this fashion brought
forth the greatest demonstration of the
evening
"A Colonial Girl is by Grace Livingston
Furniss and Abby Sage Richardson. and.
furthermore, is disappointing to Sothern'S
admirers. whose number is legion. 1t tells
story of pique and love in the days of
the American revolution, the action taking
place in and about the house of young
American in New York. 1t has a number
OF novel and interesting complications the
plot being laid beautifully for two acts
The authors seem to have failed to main
tain their high standard during the two
scenes OF the final act, which degenerate
materially, developing finally in a scene
bordering upon the verge of ordinary melo-
drama Where a suggestion of Yankee
Doodle in the distance would give the in
telhgent audience an assurance of the
safety Of the hero, the authors have seen
MT to Introduce SLOW and far from en-
thuSlaStlc entrance of SupernumerarieS car
rying torches and blunderbusses de-
layed curtain last night added to the nom
effectiveness Of this scene.
There are any number of cleverly con-
structed situations. however, but, like many
OF the latter-day plays, there is a tendency
to talkiness- Mr. SOthern has a role which
ne carries through with artistic perception
and impersonation. a rather bluff young
american He has very few chances to dis
play his true ability. nevertheless and this
Is where the disappointment comes to the
SOthern army OF play-gCers. Mr.. Sothern
has but one really intense scene one with
the girl wife he believes has betrayed him
10 the British. but who had been the I'M
whiting tool of a designing woman. Miss
Katherine Florence has the part of Soth-
ems wife Miss Florence has made a Won
derful impression IN Washington by her
very able and delightful acting. She was
faithful throughout, and her display of the
character given her deserved more appreci-
alton than IT seemed to receive from Mr.
Sothern's followers. 1t was Sothern alone
they came to admire and applaud and So
none was wasted on the deserving satellites
owen Fawcett's work the devoted sery-
ant was excellent. Miss Eleanor Carr did not
rise 10 the full power of her role as Lady
Judith Miss Rebecca Warren is entertain
iEg, while the others do their work well
The play IS beautifully mounted. the setting
of the colonial mansion being complete and
elaborate "A Colonial Girl will be the bill
this afternoon and tonight.
COLUMBIA THEATER.-Among the
many novelties of decidedly brilliant
theatrical season. one of the most Interest,"
ing Is Digby Bells latest Offering Joe
hurst, Gentleman, which will be presented
at the Columbia Theater next week. The
career of this gifted man since his advent
In the domain of pure comdy has been
source of much interest, and We note with
pleasure the tenacity with which he ad-
heres TO his determination to produce only
the best in dramatic art.
Joe Hurst. Gentleman" is the creation
of Mrs. Frances HOdgson Burnett the men,
ton of whose name recalls fond memories
OF Little Lord Faunteroy" and "A Lady
OF Quality. One expects much of this bril-
liant woman and are assured that the
luster Of her name is in no wise dmmed
by her latest work.
The story is certainly most interesting
and beautiful. and the managerial an
nOuncement that the play is a romantic
comedy drama is Il true index of its char
acter
Joe Hurst. a poor wax-wOrks Snowman
and professional strong man, illiterate I'M
cultured and H-less. is left a widower with
an infant daughter, whom he determines
TO bring up a. a lady because Polly
his wife, a romantic, story-reading crea-
ture. would have wished it. He places the
child in the care of clergyman's widow
thereby insuring refinement of speech, and
later. when a rich uncle in America dies
making him a wealthy man. he sends her
TO boarding school in Paris surrounding
her with every luxury and gratifying her
every desire She grows up beautiful and
good, worshiping her father, whom she
knows only through his letters written nor
by Joe, but by Sir Arthur Bradwariine
whose life Joe had saved and who is known
to him as Mr.. Arthur She is ignorant of
her fathers station and occupation and
hasn't even a photograph to belle the pic
ture of him in her minds eye. What more
natural than that she should think of him