The times., 1899-04-09
Two PRODUCTIONS
and A REVIVAL
Three Offerings Fill the Week
in New York.
THE Cuckoo and THE Purple
Lady" Both Successes.
The MacLenn-TyIer-H Tri-
umvirnte Reaches Broadvay
and Begins Work " ith
"Otheilo."

New York, April 5.-Easter week at the
theatres opened with several new plays
At the Herald Square a shakespearian COM
bination. which includes r. d. MacLean.
Odette Tyler. and Charles B. Hantord. was
seen in this city for the first time or
Monday evening in "othello," Mr. MacLean
appearing in the title role, Miss Tyler as
| Desdemona, and Mr.. Hanford as Iago. The
| interest taken in the local advent of this
triumvrate of legitimate stars has been
marked, and q large and decidedly fash
ionable audience greeted it on the opening
night. Mr.. MacLean is a comparative
stranger TO New Workers but Miss TYLER
and Mr. Hanford are well known and well
liked. The first actors OtheIlo is a thought
full and well considered impersonation. and
. while not yet as good as some others I
could mention, is really most creditable
performance. Miss Tyler. as was 10 be ex-
pected makes a lovely Desdemona and
plays the part in an entirely satisfactory
manner. The Iago OF Mr. Hanford is ex-
cellent and sustains the reputation that
gentleman made as n member or the Booth
Barrett combination several years ago
Mr.. Hanford has temperament and a keen
! intelligence, which will help him out in
almost any role which he undertakes The
| three weeks engagement OF this trio has
| started auspiciously and promises 10 be Il
financial as well as an artistic success.
I Next Monday We are promised Romeo
and Juliet" with Mr.. MacLean as Romeo.
Miss Tyler as Juliet, and Mr.. Hanford as
Mercutio.
The Cuckoo" which is on view at Wal
lacks, is risque French farce with a Lon
don endorsement. II IS a play of smart
dialogue and one or two rather daring
scenes; in fact, one of the incidents is cal
culated TO make old FOUNDERS seek the
open air and cooling drinks. The present
ing cast includes Joseph Holland. Thomas
Wise, james L. Short Byron Douglas. Ame-
liza bingham, and Eleanor Moretti To the
last named falls one of the most audacious
bits in the piece, and she acts il to the
very limit.
The Purple Lady" nj the Biiou Thea
tire, IS farcical comedy adapted from the
German by Sydney Rosenfeld. The title
refers TO woman who poses FOR i youns
artist, who, in order TO carry out his
color scheme, takes the artistic license
of painting the models hair which is red
in hue, distinct purple. This brings sud-
den notoriety to the knight OF the brush
and TO his subject, The latter becoming
known as the purple lady" Like some
scarlet ladies, this individual endeavors
TO blackmail the lad on the eve OF his
marriage TO the daughter OF a wealthy
merchant. The scheme does not work.
although it involves the ENHANCEMENT OF
several innocent people. In the last act
all ends as it should and everybody is
happy. The work has some amusing cpl
sodes. and. although the story is not par
ticularly strong. the clever acting Of the
company has made il a 20. The title role
is played by Maude Harrison i'll a breezy
way, and the chap who painted not wisely
but too WELL" is cleverly portrayed by
Sydney Booth Others in the cast desery-
ing of mention are Biiou Fernandez,
Etienne Girardot, Blanche Weaver, and
Charles Plunkett.
Tess of the D'Urbervilles" is the bill
for Mrs Fiske's last week at the Fifth
Avenue. 1t is said that this will be Ter
farewell appearance in the drama, as she
has planned for Il new production next
season. Two or three years ago when
Tess" was first presented here by Mrs.
Fiske she created something Of sensa-
tion by her fine impersonatiOn in the
name part. She drew Hardys heroine
with rare fidelity TO the authors mean
ing and scored one of the greatest sac
cesses this city has ever known.
After this week the rival "Musketeers'
leave us and the cruel war will be at an
end. Mr.. Sothern as DArtagnan scored
first blood at the Knickerbocker. then came