Evening star., 1899-03-11

AeW ' =
E ssa
The best business of the week has been
done by Secret Service" although
Browns in Town has been n Sood sec
ond 1t would seem that the antcipatory
excitement over the Mansfield engagement
next week had influenced the attendance
u: the thcaters this week. The Columbia
management raised the prices for Mr.
Mansfield claiming that the increased cost
of the production to the theater JusufleS
this action, but notwithstanding the ad-
vanced price. the demand for seats has
been unprecedented in the annals of theat-
real attractions here. Mistakes VIII Hap
pen might be changed to Mistakes Have
Happerei'' in the bookings at the Lafay-
cite Square. but LONDON Life ought to
satisfy the lovers of meIOdrama. The pro-
gram at the Grand is unusually good, while
the bills at kernan's ana the Bijou have
been satisfactory to the men who have at
tended.
The offerings for next week are unusual
" good. the most important being. of course.
Mr., Richard Mansfield in his great produc-
tion, "Cyrano de Bergerac,' at the Colum-
tia. The sale of seats already made lndl-
cate that Mr. Mansfield Will play 10 the
capacity of the house AT the Lafayette
will be De koven and Smiths latest sue
cess. THE Three Dragons which won
an artistic and finaHcia! appreciation in
New Pork. Mr. James X. Hackett will
come To the National with his new play.
Rupert of Hentzau," which is a sequel to
the Prisoner Of Zenda," and has proved
very attractive elsewhere, and at the Acad-
emy will be the farcicaI sketch. ''McFad-
denis Row of Flats" At the Grand will be
fine vaudeville program for ladies and
gentlemen to enjoy. while keTnan's and
the Bijou will offer the usual vaudeville
fer men only.
COLUMBIA THEATER.-Richard Mans
field begins his annual engagement at the
Columbia Monday evening, presenting then
and all week his latest success. ''Cyrano de
Bergerac" Edmond Rostands new inter
nationally famous heroic comedy. The re-
turn of M Mansfield has TINS year pcefl
awaited with uncommon interest. This year
Mr.. Mansfield comes triumphanty back
with a new creation. which rivals his
greatest precedent and 4 production whose
g0rgeousness is said TO be without precc-
dent in standard drama. Indeed, it is said
of his "CyranO de Bergerac'' that ii has
astOnished those familiar with the foreign
stage rather more than the entirely do
nestle critic. Mr. Mansfield has thus
far enjoyed nineteen weeks of un-
D-ecedented success. Only the ad
vanced prices which Irving with the pres
tiSe of coming from afar has been able to
demand has furnished a comparison for
the enormous receipts. Mr.. MANSFIELD 5
-A~-'AHN'
largest dramatic company which has ever
travelled He brings the actors for all the
sixty-fOur roles, the walking ladies and
gentlemen. the HguranteS, several muSi-
clans and all the stage bands necessary to
handle the immense scenes. The curtain
will rise Monday evening at t:45, and the
last curtain will fall at II 0j. This is for
the convenience OF those living remote
from the theater, who might at later
hour become uneasy about missing last
cars and trains. Mr.. Mansfield played in
o NJ.
enthusiastic audiences ever gathered in
that city He comes to Washington to-
morrow morning by special train. bringing
his enormous company and the vast guam
titles Of scenery, properties. furniture, cos
tunes and other parapherna1ia for Cyrano,
even the horses. The personal and stage
baggage OF the company in itself numbers
over 2dO trunks.
NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-James X.
Hackett makes ideal Rudolf Rassen-
dyll in Anthony Hopes companion play to
The Prisoner of Zenda." Rupert of Hent-
Eau" which is to be played at the National
all next week. including Saturday matinee.
Rupert of HentZau" follows closely the
lines of the book. In The Prisoner of
Zenia' the king remained in the story up
to its ending. but in "Hentzau'' the king fig
ures in only the first half of the play. Ras-
sendyl thereafter masGuerading in the
clothes of the king. whom Rupert has kill
ed Mr. HaCkett cOunterfeits Rassendyll AMI
the king so effectively that the two charac-
ters seem scarcely 10 be represented by the
same actor. The greatest scene is that
wherein the duel-a duel this time to the
Deaths fought. Few words are spoken
and there is no noise. Each contestant, for
individual reasons. prefers to avoid an
alarm. When Rassendyll has pinned Ru-
pert to the table and taken the queens let
ter he releases him. and In n flash each
man covers the other with a revolver. But
each fears TO fire shot. and a duel with
swords Is thcreupon arranged The surviv-
orS prize iS to he the love letter written by
Flavia. II is a brisk fiery duel ending
R4SEGDf1v-n f.ar ,frt
who has treacherOusly seized his pistol and
shoots the villain through the heart with
his own weapon. The tabIeau which closes
the performance Is where RaSsendyll re-
EeTei as their sovereign by the people of
Strelsau. lies in state on his bier Mr. Froh-
man comes 10 Washington Monday to take
personal charge of the production. which
goes 10 the Lyceum I'm New York soon for
q run
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
The Three Dragons" is to be given at
the Lafayette Square Theater next week
with precisely the same cast as durine, the
long run at the Broadway Theater in New
York. This applies not only 10 the princi-
pals. but TO each and every member Of the
there is not an attempt to inter
est an audience in romantic story.
There is a love interest but il is dealt with
in a spirit OF light comedy. In fact in his
NhvvttO Mr.. Smith has Strivcn to empha-
size the comedy. and Mr.. Dekoven has col
Cred his music in the same vein. 1t is IN
CrFSt'Nd tAHt Jnc HbrCttIStS : original inten-
ton was to draTnatiZe Charles O'Malley.''
hut finding in Levers novel a superabund-
anCe Of material he invented his own story
retaining only the locale and the suggcs-
ton of TWO characters. Charles and his
famous servant. Mickey Free The plot
concerns the race for an heiresS and a
legacy and in which the three soldiers are
the contestants. There are three scenes in
the opera that OF the first act represents
n poSSda near Lisbon; the second scene is
in the kings palace, where 4 masquerade
bali takes place, and In the third act a
smuggicrs retreat in the mountains IS
shown Mr. De Eoven's music has been
conceived and composed in light vein: it
abounds in catchy. fanciful melodies and
stirring marches The second act takes
place during masquerade bali and affords
consistent opportunity of exhibiting gor-
geous costumes In fact, the production
from spectacular standpoint is proclaimed
10 be one of the most complete and striking
ever shown The interest felt In the rev
Smith-De koven work is evidenced by the
great demand for seats The first night
viii bring out brilliant assemblage and
this Is particularly noteworthy in view of
the presence at another theater of one OF