The times., 1899-09-12
Grand-ynudeviIIe.

HAD managers BURKE ana CnaSe been
allowed choice in clouds they would prob
ably have selected for their opening colors
lighter and more in accordance with the
Grand's new entrance than were those of
yester- afternoon. Worse weather for a
theatrical house warming could hardly
have been imagined and the matinee audi
ence was proportionately small. In the
evening, however. both skies and crowd
were improved one of the most favorable
of gatherings occupying seats in the hand
somely decorated auditorium. Applause
| followed every number on the programme
and two or three of the performers were
obliged to respond to triple encores
This weeks bill at the Grand Is a sort
| of three star affair in which the principal
| luminares are Lillian Burkhart, the
Streator' Zouaves, and George Wilson.
! Miss Burlihart won the good opinions of
! Washingtonians long ago, and was well
received last night despite the fact that
| her latest sketch is as poor a vehicle as
! one could conjecture Her Soldier Boy"
| is the title of the bit, and. excepting for
a dozen bright lines, it lacks every ves-
| tige Of merit-even that of providing Miss
Burkhart with opportunities for the dis
play of daintiness and brightness that have
placed her in the front ranks of her pro-
| fession. Incongruity and absence of orig
| inality are the chief faults of Her Soldier
| Boy, which seems to be a compilation
! from all sorts of sources. Miss Burkhart
is rot bad-could not be-but her leading
man would be benefited by careful perusal
of Alfred Ayres' works on acting and
orthoepy. "a Passing Fancy the prede-
cessor of the present playlet, might be
substituted with good effect.
| Whatever disappointment there may have
been in the fourth turn" on the bill was
atoned for in the fifth. The "Streator"
! Zouaves contribute to the entertainment
the most enjoyable act that has ever been
seen in local vaudeville house-one that
! could be watched a dozen times without
| losing its charm. There are seventeen men
| in the organization and the drill they ex-
hibit is literally the poetry of motion. -
| In the quick cadence of the zouave step
perfect line and precision is maintained
while the equally difficult manual is ac
| complished without a flaw. The closing
| feat of the speciality consists of the rapid
| scaling of a twenty-foot wall and the climb
| is finished in a really inspiring manner
The Zouaves are to be congratulated on
the excellence of their maneuvres.
| George Wilson has been funny for many
years. So have most of the jokes he told
Yesterday But Mr.. Wilson is inimitable
| if not progressive and his mono'ogue scored
as of yore. Edna Bassett Marshall hardly
deserves TO be classed as a headliner, but
she sings well and her assistants provide
| a melange of specialties that is varied and
pleasing Mile. Salina, who was seen at
| the Grand last year, would add novelty to
| the agility of her dancing by using a
calcium light to bring out the contrast
of her white setting and black costume.
| Arthur Amsden's musical contributions
are. with the exception of his cornet solos,
| as attractive as ever The cornet solos,
| as Lew Dockstader used to say, "are more
| so" FIatlow and Dunn are adequate
openers" on a bill that has not a single
! poor act and that-when Miss Burkhart
has changed her sketch-will include two
unapproachable ones.
Acndemy-s.Mrs. ID. O'Shaushnessey.''
farce comedy of type rather new was
seen last night at the Academy, and its
/ atmosphere is that of Ireland, the washtub
and the liquor potheen. The piece is called
Mrs. B. Shaughnessey, and its title role.
| is played by George Monroe. This central
| figure is wash lady" of unmistakably
Hibernian birth and tremendous voice.
Folk in the audience of yester- listened
| TO that voice with awe and attention. They
| could not help it. Nobody could. 1t envel-
oped them fold on fold, in waves of sound.
, 1t filled the theatre and overiiowed into the
| street. 1t suggested a possible oratoricaI
!! wonder lost TO humanity when Mr.. Monros
| took to impersonating Bowery personages-
Aside from the voice, Mrs. 0'Shaughnessey
Is characterized by several hundred pounds
| of avoirdupois and marvellous clothes.
| In fact, the clothing OF the company is
! very much in evidence throughout the play.
! Some really beautiful gowns are donned by
| the widows two elder daughters, while the
costume worn by Mrs. O'Shaughnessey when
| she appears as buriesque heavyweight
Juliet is something worth seeing. This bit
| of traYesty is. perhaps. the best feature o.: