The evening times., 1899-04-11
AT The THEATRES.

Col1nsbia-sThe Charity Ball."
The standing room only sign znarrewiy
escaped being hanged l1st night at the
Columbia. Its suspension having been
suspended by the smallest Of margins.
The arrival Of twenty people more than
were seated in the house when the cur
tain rose on the Frawley Company's per-
formance Of THE Charity Ball. would
have doomed that combination Of board
canvas. and paint beyond redemption. As
conditions were. a thin fringe Of on
lockers witnessed the piece from behind
the last row Of chairs in the orchestra
and. though there were a few places
which these individuals might have lad
for consideration. the sudden tendency
to frivolity on the part of all would un-
doubtedly have brought the ornament
into reQuisition at once.
Tim" Frawley's organization appears
In the old Lyceum Theatre success to
much the same advantage Il showed in
Triiby." The piece is given smoothly
and carefully, while the people seen in
the cast are efficient to remarkable de.
gree. Under such auspices the work has
all Its pristine interest-the delightful
love stories which form the plot are as
charming as ever. the humor is as irre-
D.S~sDAS ohu thC pdtuQb dS. bluCeTe. Al.
though trife talky and somewhat anti
quated In construction The Charity Ball.
Is still a most absorbing play.
Fufiy half OF the performers seen in the
orama are newcomers here and all of tafs
class succeed In making excellent inprs a.
sions. Harry COrson Clark appears az
Judge Peter Gurney Knox and his inter-
probation OF the role is as true and as
consistent as the most carping cou'd wish.
ic fr1a
Iui little woman whose work in the sou
brette part is sure to make her MANY
friends, while the trio of stars is COM
pieted by Mildred Coons, a youngster of
some hve years old who delivers her lines
with promptness, distinction, and even
with meaning. Selene Johnson maintains
an admirable poise In her impersonation
OF Ann Cruger. proving herself possessed
OF intelligence and an artistic tempera-
ment, wniie Ada Levick. the last OF the
arrivals. looked like Anna Boyd and
plays carefully opposite Mr., Clark.
Of the other people employed John KeII.
era undoubtedly leaves the best impress
sion. his portrayal Of John Van Buren,. the
generous brother. being notable for it's
maniiness and naturalness. The scoun-
drelIy brother is very badly done by Myron
Cahce. who won SO many admirers as the
Laird in ''Trilby." Mr. Calice evidently
20 aoo's uhoer the impression that Dick Van
buren has been transplanted from a Frank
Harvey or Scott Marble melodrama. and
ms work gains nothing by this delusion.
Mary Van Buren is not really poor as the
woman in the question, but she is not
good. while Harry Gwynette makes all
sorts OF faces as Franklin Cruger, with
small result. The Mrs. Van Buren OF Mrs.
r. NJ Bates. the Alec Robinson OF Alfred |
Hickman. the Belts Of George CASTOR. and |
the Creighton Of Godfrey Stein are notably |
fine. while the remainder OF the people in !
the cast are adequate
The piece is well costumed and staged. |
though Mr.. Frawley cannot be forgiven for !
trying to prove to his audience that the |
foyer OF the Metropolitan Opera House |
looks like every interior that has been |
used at the Columbia for some time An |
ordinary stock company might be pardoned |
for such lapse. but it is hardly to he
expected after last weeks production of
"Trilby."