The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-06
THINGS AT THE THEATRE.
WILLIAM III. AND BISMARCK As
TYPES OF CHARACTER IN n PLAY.

Folk Bhlli1pplh 'DNt hTuN ~ thN
ebuts of Two German Actors Mr..
FRAMES Peculiar Scotch Entertainment.
Felix Phillips play, "The Inheritance"
which has been one OF the notable Incidents OF
tho theatrical season In Germany. was acted
last night at the Irving Place Theatre for
the first time in this country. Herr Phillip
is known rs tho author OF two works con-
s%picuous for their serious purpose and dra-
matte strength. One OF these was THE
Old Story" and the second The Thorny
PATH Both possessed unusual qualities. but
neither was admirable enough in Its entirety to
win for the author the fame which they prom
ised him certainly in the futrre Tho Inherit
ance" Ia a more finished and better planned
play than either OF It's predecessors. But It must
be said Of its author that his best work has
evidently not yet been done. But the accom-
plishment OF IL cannot be remote II his steady
progress continues.
Tho Inheritance" must have gained
some OF its popularity in Germany through
the allegorical nature OF its story. Two
of the principal characters are sup
posed to personify the Emperor William and
Prince Bismarck. When the story Is told that
relation can readily be understood. young
man succeeds to a great armory works which
had been built up by his father and the man who
| had stood at his side. A question as to the
honesty of the employees arises through the
theft OF important secrets. An investigation
| ends with the suspicion OF guilt resting on q
stranger. who is not only the friend OF the
young proprietor. but the father OF the
woman whom he loves. In his inslstence
on discovering the guilty man.. and In a
measure through his feeling Of pride
and authority. a quarrel arises between the
superintendent Of the works and the youthful
lover. The old man is dismissed. But he is
| ,tt,n, ALL, rnannniIal tn hia an,rlOvar md tha
analogy to Bismarck's difference will the
German Kaiser grows weaker toward the close
OF the play.
Herr Phillip has devoted four acts solely to
the development OF this one incident. His
fidelity to the solitary motive 10 unvarying.
No interest, sentimental or humorous. has
been allowed ito to interfere thnno with Tthb,c the bs pr Sss
built. up splendidiy the character Of the
that his honor is smirched when the integrity
Of one of his men is in question. But that is only
was necessary to draw the youthful proprietor
with some distinctness. But that role. like all
acts. The %aalleEory is made patent enough in
his speech. Nearly every line that the old man
speaks m nigh Eni,d BE- made adj the APPLY Gaym to BisEF mpiTe'
That is an interest that Is, Of course. unim-
portant to American audiences.
piece is nearly always profoundly interesting.
c ids e s ma ii@e Itself iWp'F fe fino Fut these n moments n
are forgotten in the absorbing dramatic tension
the old man St9"bbii bids farewell to his Worklngmer.
and they. wringing his hand, leave him with
tho declaration that they; too: have tH,t worked aS Tor
tan?seS has many powerful scenes in spite
thought necessary to the success OF a play. The
acting was admirable. Eugene sehady., who
earnest, in spite of, n certain vociferous-
ness TNess which may have been Necessary;
musician. acted the proud youth we'll. and
Gustav Won SeyfTertiz suppressed his usual
WiIboImins So T EInete godm fsPinved her d msTnI sd:
mirable talents as a faithful and wholly human
wife.
Olga Nethersole will bring out THE Power
OF Wealth." by Max O'Rell. before the close OF
her Wallack's engagement. Julia Marlowe
may begin her term at the knickerbocker with
a dramatization Of Charles Majors novel.
when Knighthood Was in Flower" Annie
Russell's continuance as a star is now assured
by a contract with Charles Frohman for five
years. and next season he will provide a new
play for her.
A slump has come in the c~ut-rate stock
companies. Disbandments have occurred
within a month in New Orleans. st. Louis. Chi
cago. st. Paul. Milwaukee. MINNEAPOLIS. San
Francisco. Brooklyn and seven smaller cities.
These failures have been caused by OVERRIDING
and badly doing what is under favorable cir
cumstances a good t%hing-the fairly adequate
performance Of wisely chosen old plays at low
prices % admission. A dozen OF these resi-
dent organizations are thriving deservedly.
The woman who calls, herself the Baroness
Blanc and has exploited herself variously on
the stage Is now to head a female burlesque
company in cheap variety theatres.
CisSie LOTUS told a Sun reporter that she
npVAI mn1n anV ATTAIN MT to imltnfA an lntTagg
until she felt that the vocal peculiarities of the
person lay completely within her limits. II
fore / try TO reproduce the peculiarities. |
know that they will come to me after a while;
three or four performances | suddenly feel that
[ have got the trick OF tone and manner. Then
this q realization tic BET before / make a a trial. because /
know il would be useless until that time"
The la ! e SsG Bernard r n d, shan has
and is trying to have it produced. l. is in five
acts, and eight scenes. beginning, with the ar
Caesars departure with Cleopatra after a stay
has been rejected by historians, but Mr.. Shaw
Use I IL; H j HWs ArthHT pJ JGp 9Tbi Sh Hs w1Gts G oThs
ior Beerbohmn Tree. viii supply the next char
Julia Arthur has the American rights to
Than a Queen, She may retire from the stage
InlS SelSOu anu RO 10 dIlS ~ SIuuy III DIO-
duction OF the play there. Jane Hading has
Just returned to Paris from a tour OF Europe
70 appear In 1t. Coquelin has acted CYrdno de
BcrGerac more than 800 times. and in spite of
the diflculty of the role has never missed u
performance for which he was announced.
Aband OF Edinburgh entertainers had its first
New York city audience at Chickering Hall last
night. Their leader was W. II. Frame. who con-
tributed to tho programme four innings OF
comic singing and monologue. His verses
and Jokes were in as involved n Scotch
dialect as ever crept into magazine fc-
ton, but an admirable delivery made
his words Ineligible. and for such of
his expressions as are not current here there
were a-plenty OF listeners who understood.
For one pair of comic ditties he was In High
land rig. again he wore a black suit that. with
its tall hat. was touched up with plaid ribbon.
and at another appearance he was in female
costume that was neat rather than gro
tesque. In all he was comic. musical and
active. Breaking of from singing at
the end of a stanza. he would run