Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-17
AMUSEMENTS.

ness to the situation then holding
the stage. The audience caught the allu-
sion to the comedians experiences with the
early version of "Cyrano" and responded
with an outburst of appreciation-one of
numerous outburstS Of appreciation. What
"Cyrano de Begerac" a la Francis Wilson
the piece still suffers from a lack of indie
pendence In title) was when experimentally
offered in New York there is no present
means of ascertaining AS presented last
night 1t claims Consideration as a venture
without previous record, for this entertain
ment would never for a moment have justi-
lied the chi ling experiences which Mr.. Will
son encountered when he essayed to leave
his own personality in his dressing room
and to stride the boards as a true-iover.
Whether or not Mr.. Wilson played the part
carably or not when he undertook to be a
serious star is not a matter of much i'm
portance. 1t is merely question of supply
and demand. Romantic actors the stage
has In abundance, but comedanS-that is
TO say, real comedians, whose fun appeals
to the intelligence at least once or twice an
act-are scarce. Mr. Wilson is one CT these
and he could not be spared
There can be no complaint as to serious
ness about his "Cyraro," as the character
now stands. He is rolicking and ire
presslble an elf as could be wished for in
mic opera. And despite the curr-nt allu-
sions and the somewhat perfunctc~y topical
song which Mr.. Wilson redeems by q cap
ital imitation of Richard Mansfield and by
tInDellSlnentS
ter mas a certain sincere note in it. 1t be-
comes distinct conception of a character
which has now become historic, and it must
De admitted that the probabilities are
slightly on Mr.. Wilson's side. The world
iCealizeS man after he is dead but the
rea Cyrano' was in all likelihood, more
Ike the gay, irresponsible chap whom Mr.
Wilson portrays than the man of chronic
Observation-Disclosures, such as the true stage
nero must be. In all his fooling Mr.. Will
son does not allow the vital sentiment to be
obscured. The comic poets attachment to
RoXane is never for a moment allowed to
lie come the subject of buresque satire.
1nlS TACT, combined with an intelligent re-
gard for constituencies gives the pot a
certain substantial quality. The story is
not left drifting incoherently around the
wings while a speciality is introduced. The
present production may not be the ..opera
comique' to which its projectors aspired
but 1t is honest comic opera" something
which. like the great aux, only much more
important, scientists were beginning to look
upon extinct.
1t may be that the reminder Mr. Will
son received that the public has all the
serious actors it desires at present was a
stroke of rare luck. 1t has given him a
rev impetus in the lines to which his
Qualities best adapt him, and he is more
IKE the Francis Wilson of years agO-the
Francis Wilson who astoniShed the laugh
seeking public as "Caddie'' in "Erminie' -
and who clinched his fame as a premier
:
did not spare himself a moment last night
spontaneous and interchangeable, he asked
10 odds of his audience, but earned every
jot of the lavish applause fairly and square
~. After the first act there were demands
for speech, and after the second he was
Obliged after sharing a curtain recall with
the principal members of his company, to
say something. He thanked the audience
for the manner in which they had received
his efforts to educate" them and explained
that the performance was almost a first
night production, and that, therefore, time
would not permit him to express his aDDre-
citation al length.
Miss Lulu CHASER was an important fig
ure as "Roxane." She played the part de-
murely, yet with spirit. Vocally she was
at a slight disadvantage. Some of the
numbers with which the composer has pro-
Vided her are rather ambitious in quality
and evidently require her to be in the best
of form in order to do herself Justice. AS
a prima donna she left at this performance
some things to be desired but az come
dienne she was. as usual, heartily applaud
ed. Charles II. Bowers sang the tenor
part Christian, Capably, and Miss Josephine
Knapp made the most of the comparative
ly small role of "Lise," the pastry-cook's
wife. The excellence of the chorus was
noteworthy. Mr. Herbert has introduced a
varied assortment of selections; some of
them making unmistakable claims to rec
ognttion for substantial merit and others
being mere frOliCsome jingles, well adapt
ed to the resources of the street arab,
whose musicianly equipment consists only
OF stout pair Of lungs and puckered lips.
one of the gems of the production was a
serenade, newly introduced in the last act
and we'll sung by Robert Broderick as the
Count de GuiChe. The music was fortunate
in having for Its presentation not only all
excellent chorus, but a well-managed or
chestra, under the leadership of Mr.. John
McGhie.
NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-Mue
production arranged by Mr.. Florence Zieg-
field for his favorite star, came to the Ma
tional last night and displayed herself be-
fore an audience that taxed the capacity of
the big play house. Nothing to compare
with the elaborateness of scenery and me-
chanical effects has been seen in Washing
ton or in New York for many years. And
the chorus girls! Such a bevy of beauties
that the front row was transported TO the
very uppermOst realms of ecstasy. There
is no abuse of the word girl in referring to
any member of the thinking cast. There
We're dark-eyed Nivians blonde Gladvses
and Anitas, Valeries, Beulahs and Maries
of all shades of complexion but all Of a
superlative degree of good looks There
was nothing in the setting open to com
plant or objection. "Reminiscences fol-
lowed each other with startling rapfdity as
the performance-it Is a nondeScript affair
proceeded and frequentcrs Of the play re-
cogniZed under bad DISCUSSES a number of
old friends in the characters introduced In
Papa Wife" MIR. DeKoven's music was
utiIS ully catchy at times, but his best
songs We're given to Miss Held whose vocal
ability is confined, every one knows to
French chants. Last night she sang entire
ly i'll English and hence there was no mys-
terry OF SuggeStiVcneSS to give spice on the
one hand or to make excuses for very
bad Interpretation and rendition of lyrics
and music. Miss Held, it was universally
believed has oVerstepped her bounds in at
tempting music even so little approaching
the serious as that provided by the we'll
known composer. In the book and situa-
tons there is much that might well be
eliminated Reference to unprintable things
that might have happened, about divorces
and reparation, are entirely too frequent
and pungent. These things We're unneces-
Sary, too, for the show was best received
when Charles Bigeow, with his good re-
freshfng comedy, held the stage. If this
eccentric fellow were given more to do and
some others In the cast less the perform
ance would be manifestly more ENJOYABLE
and permissible. Bigelow is well remem-
bered in Washington for his clever work as
the waiter in The French Maid" In Pa
pas Wife he has part arranged to suit
his particular style and he makes the most
of 1t. His work called forth the most en-
thusiaStic approval last night, the audience
being perfectly happy when he was behind
the foOtlights. Agnes Findlay was in the
cast, appearing in the first act only as the
a cordial reception by her many steadfast
Washington friends but had too little to do
to satisfy her admirers. Miss Held was
i