Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-28
ADJUSTMENTS.

The attractions at the Washington thea
ters this week were characterized by all
kinds of greatness. Zaza, as the world con-
cedes, is a great play, the AboTn Opera
Company is a great surprise and ''In Para
disc Is great bit of audaCity. A return
season for Mrs. Leslie Carter brought out
a liberal response from the theater goers in
spite Of a raise in prices. The Aborn COM
pany with II. NJ S. Pinafore one of It's
strong pieces, was regarded with suspicion
as a dereIict which had somehow drifted
into port. But people who went to suffer
remained to applaud, and the week
which will be remembered with pleasure by
all who attended the admirable perform
ances OF It's diversified repertoire. 'Zaza"
has been charged with more or less naugh-
tiness- There is no doubt that the charac-
ter whom Mrs. Carter impersonates would
never secure the Endorsement of society
censors as a perfect lady. Far from 1t.
But compared to I'm Paradise "Zaza'' Is
as a snowwhite dove to Il hamngo The
management Of In Paradise" made no eff
foFt IN the customary announcements of
the week before to conceal the fact that
the piece was thoroughly un-PuritaniC. And
II some sensibllities We're rudely shocked
the auditors were the chief culprits. By
staying away they could have discouraged
the enrOntery of this and similar enter
prises But they didn't stay away. The
Grand Opera House entertained its usual
large quota of amusement seekers The
house has established confidence by enforc-
ing rigid rules against objectionable allu-
slons of all kinds on the stage. A condition
OF affairs may be reached where people OF
prudlSh tendencies may be compelled. in
order to avoid all risks, TO confine their pa
tronage TO the vaudeville. kernans bill
was on customary lines, with good support
IN the auditorium, and the Bijou played its
first week without the stock company, with
an Olio of considerable strength
Next week the offerings include John
Philp S0usa,s new extravaganza, Chris
ana MS Wonderful Lamp; kellar; the ma
glciani Shore Acres. that delightful do
nestle drama; Bert Coote in a new play,
an excellent bill of polite vaudeville and the
usual variety attractions.
CARMEN IN ENGLIsH.-'Carmen'
was very well rendered by the Milton Aborn
opera Company last night at the Lafayette
Square Opera House before the largest au-
dience Of the week. The chorus work was
generaIy good. the ensemble numbers prov
ing satisfactory to the many music lovers
IN the front of the house although further
rehearsals will bring out more accuracy of
tone and effect The hOnors of the evening
IN the cast fell to MIR. Payne Clarke, who
sang Don Jose, and Mr.. j. K Murray
whose rich BARITONE was well suited to the
score of Escamillo The latters toreador
song evoked the greatest enthusiasm, and
was a fine bit Of work Miss Lane hardly
realized the title role in her acting but her
vocal numbers We're good Mr.. John Read
and Miss Eleanor Kent were also in the
cast. Martha" will be the bill this after
noon with 'Pinafore'' and "Cavalleria Rus
ICdNa tonight.
NATIONAL THEATER.-It was happy
thought that lead Mr.. Glen McDonough to
take up Chris and the Wonderful Lamp"
which comes to the National Theater Mon
day night, for a stage story of stimulating
adventure Chris is a red-cheeked young
ster with a consuming appetite for the gave
ties OF life rather than the weakened glOries
OF study. He is started into being at
quiet village in Connecticut and by some
hook or crook of fate lamp comes into his
do ~ \
setting every law of nature turning mud |
into gold, and mixing the customs and |
dress of centuries with the ease of the |
morning light. Chris has an affair of the |
heart with a school girl but is not per- |
mitted to see nor correspond with her. OF |
course, with the aid of this lamp, he does |
not do a thing to the set rules and regula- |
tons Of Madame Prism's Female Seminary.
When the pace gets too hot, perhaps it |
would be better to say too slow, in this ru- |
raj home for mind training. presto! away |
goes Chris and his Genii and all the rose |
buds of Madame Prism's Seminary to the |
Island of Etheria, where Aladdin makes |
the tale of solomon 5 glory faded nosegay |
OF fancy. Edna Wallace will inpersonate |
this Chris and one would have to search |
for long time TO find a liveIier and pref
tier young woman for this character. Jer- |
ONE Sykes, a comedian who is generously |
endowed with that spiritual quality called
junction. appears as the Genii. As the Genii
has supposedly been lying dormant an |
old shelf for something like 500 years on
account of the loss of this lamp, he nat |
urally feels that there IS a whole lot COM |
ing to him. as the saying goes. He puts |
Chris up to turning out tricks and splen- |
doris that are singular, amusing and daZ-
cling AS the production is made by klaW |
&, Erlanger and B. D. Stevens. the costumes |
and scenic display may be relied upon as |
impressively brilliant. 1t is said that this |
musical spectacle is the biggest investment !
that these bold operators have yet made in |
the field OF theatrical enterprise. The music |
Is IN Mr.. John Philip SOusa's brightest and |
fascinating There
march, entitled THE Men Behind the
Guns closing the second act, which the
composer declares 10 be the best he has
ever written. The book is by Glen. Nc
DonOugh, and fairly sparkles and crackles
with wit Chris is also beauty show"
for the women are singularly handsome.
The engagement at the National Is posi-
lively limited to one week The advance
sale for the Monday performance is very
heavy.
COLUMBIA THEATER.-A week of
magic and mystery will be inaugurated at
the Columbia Theater Monday evening Ma
gician kelar, than whom no more popu-
lar attraction ever visits Washington, will
hold forth at that theater for week
Kellars work in past seasons has entitled
him 10 range as the magician of the CEN
tury. His entertainments have always been
more than pleasing, and so expert is he in
the presentation Of large illusions and small
magic. that he rarely If ever leaves clue
upon which anyone might base theory of
explanation. For a number of years he
has made a speciality of exploiting the
most perplexing problems in Hindoo oc-
cUltism, such the projection of astral
bodies, naturalization of men and women
out Of air, etc. and in this work has at
times so nearly approached the supernat-
Ural, apparently. that sometimes the re-
suits have been startling OF course fl is
all trickery. for kellar laughingly avows
that he Is simply a triCkster who has mas
tered the art. Yet there are In every COM
munity men and women who would not let
Kellar come within a mile of them for
worlds. To still further add to his skill as
necromancer, he has so arranged his
work this year in his new illusions that
he seemingly has but TO command natural
laws to step aside and is Obeyed He sr1s-
ponds the law Of gravitatiOn as every one
can plainly see, vet he makes no claim to
accomplish any such result. He presents
the Illusion in which everything he touches
including human beings. lose their weight
ana doat about IN the air. yet declares it is
trlckery. The pretty HindOO theory of the
Ieincarnatton Of souls Is used as a basis
Tor one or the most weird and Incompetent
sible things kellar has ever done He ac-
tually produces from thin, curling wreaths
OF incense. the living, breat hing person of