The times., 1899-09-10
Before london's FootIights
Washington Critic Diseases the Productions
Our Own Than Have Been Any ePrededH

to guard against her marrying whom she
is sent to the family of Lord Bapchild
tMr. Maude) in the hope that she may
capture the head of the household. In
stead, the naughty Jane manages to emug-
gle her lover into the place as an over
seer. to literally lose the spying girl who
has overheard plans for an elopement, and
finally, when Lord Bapchild's attentions
become persistent, to join him with a
scheming friend in the accommodating
bonds of wedlock. This being done, Mr..
Nanele's sanction of the faithful and de-
voted overseer is obtained, and all ends
as it usually does in plays
Some Dramatic Rubbish.
Strangest of all plots, however, is that
of "A Court Scandal, which Brady and
shortly. The piece, a costume comedy,
deals with the love of the young Due de
Richelieu for the woman whose mother
has made her his wife The boy husband,
however, receives no return for his affec-
ton until, by jealousy, he has taught his
spouse to prize him. Neither the Due
de Richelieu nor Seymour Hicks, who at
tempted the role. commanded admiration,
though the first named might have won
sympathy had his betrayal of the honor of
two women been left out of the matter
There is some good material in "A Court
Scandal, but it was not emphasized in the
acting For Love of Prim." which was
put on before the play of the evening, was
the worst written and worst rendered bit
in London. Later in June "a Court Scan
dali gave way to A. Conan Doyle's
Halves" at the Garrick The work was
not all that it might have been, but it
proved a dainty little entertainment, and
deserves a trial in America-which has not
been decided on as yet.
Two offerings wholly without merit are
Il Amour Mouille, which filled in the
best portion of the season at the Lyric.
and "A Little Ray of Sunshine" which
Smyth and Rice have already tried-some-
what disastrously-in New York.
"L'Amour Mouille," which is the product
of more writer's than there is space to
enumerate them, is an opera wholly lack
ing in melody, humor, and charm. Of the
company which presented it only Evie
Greene a fnelooking woman with a good
voice, deserves mention. "a Little Ray of
Sunshine" is by Mark Ambient and Wilton
Heriot. w. S. Penley, the original "Char-
ley's Aunt" was the principal member of
its Royalty Theatre cast. The farce is SO
incongruous and nonssnsical, so wholly
void of situations and bright dialogue, so
generally dull and puerle that descrip-
tion of its chief points is needless.
So, too, may one dismiss In Days OF
Old" which George Alexander, a matinee
girls idol, is giving on the road, having
already terminated his season at the ST.
James. Edward Rose is responsible for
the drama, which seems to have been COM
piled with the sole idea of being made to
include every romantic episode ever used
by any other playwright. Sword combats
forid language, and the rest of the clap
trap SO familiar to admirers of E. H. Soth-
ern are utilized without creating much of
an impression. In Days of Old" was mag
staged, and served to introduce a
very winsome actress in Fay Davis. who
will accompany Mr.. Alexander as his lead
ing woman when in 1900 he visits these
shores.
EngIand,s Artistic Invaders.
Mention of the London season would be
incomplete did not one include brief re-
views of the work accomplished by three
foreign invaders of widely different charac-
ter-Sarah Bernhardt, Nat c. Goodwin, and
DeWolf Hopper. OF Madame Bernhardt's
at the Adelphi, where she
shortly gave way to NJ Coquelin. it is not
necessary to say much, every detail of the
French actress Hamlet having been dis
cussed at this date. The assumption was
not great by long odds, the divine Sarahs
Dane being monotonous, one-keyed, and
ever womanish, if conveyed with the as
sistance of considerable new business and
several elaborate scenes.
Mr.. Goodwin began his term at the Duke
Of Yorks with Clyde Fitch's THE Cowboy
md the Lady" which has been seen in no
American city except Philadelphia, and
which, 1t is to be hoped, never will be.
The Cowboy and the Lady" is bowling
Western melodrama, beside which some of
Davis & Keogh's last years thrillers were
Is nothing. When it is stated that in the
first act of the piece Burr Mcintosh and
several others come in from having lynched
harmless old dotard; that Gertrude Elliott
puts a bullet through the hat of volun-
ary human target, and that Nat Goodwin
xrestles a very tame match with Neil
)'Brien while Maxine Elliott falls over
lift. the reader will discern that Mr.. Fitch
vas not in an idle temper when he began
writing the work. The dialogue with which
hese incidents are set is not so bright as it
s vivid and picturesque. Mr. Goodwin
luckily had the sense to see that the scant
with which he was greeted by the
English critics was not the result of preju-
lice, and removed 1.-The Cowboy and the
LADY, in time to make a very substantial
lit in 'An American Citizen.
Despite his late beginning at the Lyric
md the manner in which "L'Amour Mou-
lie" had dispersed the clientele of the
house, DeWolf Hopper seems to have
degree of success in "El Capt.
an" John Philip Sousa's music, Mr.. Hop
oer's comedy, and Jessie Mackaye's vivac-
ty have all been praised and financially
od
Theatre some months ago
Nance O'Neill made an excellent impress
sion upon a select audience, why Smith
Left Home" ran for some time at the
strand, and 1.-THE Belle of New York" de-
spite cast that would not be tolerated
lere, is nearing its six hundredth perform
lnce in London. All of these to the ever
asting credit of American energy and his
rionic ability.
Thirteen other Bills.
The remainder of the productions shown
'ecently in the great metropolis for the
most part are familiar to the theatre
,oers of Washington. THE Adventure of
.ady Ursula" which Herbert Waring and
lyelyn Millard did at the Duke of Yorks
before Mr. Goodwin's appearance there
las been extensively used in Eastern cities
~ h. ii. SOiNeTHs H. beeGDOnHl Tree >
allure "Carnac Sahib,' relegated himself,
Mrs Tree Mrs. Brown Potter, and Lettice
Fairfax to Maurice Barrymore's Captain
swift" and James ONeills THE Musket-
sers" for the period pending the revival
II King John at Her Majesty's; Zone OF
he Best" which was the offering at the
Theatre, is known here under the ,,
title of ''The Victorian Cross" In June
Norman Forbes and Kate Rorke had just
AIKEN "The Man in the Iron Mask" from
he stage of the Adelphi Great Caesar"
vas running in the face of failure at the |
Comedy THE Cuckoo was astonishing |