Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-14
AMUSEMENTs.

four theaters defied the wind and snow and
snow drifts and kept their lights brightly
burning and their hosptable doors wide
open last night. These were the National,
the Grand the Academy and the Lyceum.
They were warm-lookng beacon lights to
guide wayfarers over the bowling, frozen
landscape, but once inside them it looked
as If there was great waste of heat light
and theatrical gray matter.
There were not enough people gathered in
all of them to pay the light bill of any of
them. Most of those who were present
were actors from the other theaters, which
necessarily wisely kept their electric
signs dark and their doors barred. Only
few of the gent!er sex had the audacfty and
curiosity to attend, and these seemed to get
more enjoyment out OF the thought of their
daring than they received from the efforts
of half-frozen actors across the footlights.
Every house was surrounded by drifts scat
tered as prOmiscuously as prairie dog
houses on a level stretch, and efforts to
reach them were almost full of perils
Greely's expedition into the frozen north.
The Columbia, the Lafayette and the BIZ
Jou were closed for the best of all reasons,
in the first place, which was that the prin-
cfpal performers of each were mon est in
Ventus,' as the deputy marshal reports
when he fails to find any one for whom he
has court process.
In other words, they We're snow bound in
the cities where they played last week and
had to abandon their frantic attempts to
reach the city of magnificent distances of
snow.
Part of the Ward and Vokes company,
which should have appeared at the Column
bia in the Governors" came in from Rich
mond Sunday night, but Happy Jack
Ward, Harry NOkes, Lizzie DAILY, Johnny
Page. Margaret DAILY Vokes and a pet bull
dog elected to stay little longer in the
Virginia three-night stand. When train
time came there was no train for them,
and the tifteen-foot drifts of snow between
here and Richmond do not afford good
walking in zero weather. So in Richmond
they will stay until the drifts are pushed
away.
John Drew's actors got here in good time
to do The Liars at the Lafayette. but
their star delayed his departure from Bal
timOrc until the eleventh hour passed. Then
he fumed and fretted in vain as he thought
of the snug advance sale gone to naught.
The BiiOu variety folks had difficulty in
getting their baggage from the depot, and
finally the manager shut down for the af
ternoOn and night.
Nor is this the full measure of the woes
of the actors Washington gave such
shelter as it could afford yesterday to quite
a number OF Thespians who. somewhat af-
ter the fashion of Mahomet'S coffin, were
suspended here 'twiXt the place they left
on Saturday and their destinations. more or
less distant from here. Manager Dunno,
John Marble and Mary Marble of the MILK
White Flag" company are here, but over
due in Norfolk. Many from the support of
Maude Adams are still chating in the cor
ridOrs of the hotels around town. Four
members of THE WeSterner" are SOjOurn-
ing here and several from The Last Chap
ter are lingering, though willing to part
from US.
Worst of all is the news that dainty little
Maude Adams is hemmed in by snow near
Wilmington; Adelaide Roattino is unds-
COverable on a train somewhere between
here and the monumental city, and Letta
Meredith has not been able to make New
York, although she started Sunday.
NEW NATIONAL THEATER-Although
there large advance sale for "A
Lady of Quality" at the New National last
night but very few of the ticket purchas-
ers ventured out into the drifts. In this
connection Manager Rapley announces that
the unused tickets will be good for general
admission, without seats, to any other per-
Torrance.
Miss Julia Arthur's performance of Clio.
Wildairs is deservedy popular in this city,
where the play has been produced before.
She gives the dramatiZaton of Mrs Bur-
netts novel every alement-genius, beauty.
effective support. gorgeous costumes and
splendid scenery-necessary to success. If
popularity and prosperity We're not the
tributes earned by this union of qualities
the spectacle would he a sad commentary
upon the discrimination and culture of
modern theatergOers.
Miss Arthur's beauty is like that of
great red rose. She is the embodiment of
soul passions, to which her mobile face. her
finely penciled eyebrows, her great deep
eyes, her sensitive mouth and her rich
echOing voice give luminous expression.
All these she employs in delineating the
soul nature of Clio, the heroine, and the result
is performance stamped, cameo-like upon
the memory of all who see it. The restraint
she apparently exercises over herself is ad-
mraby suggestive Of subjective force, and
it gives a quality of intensity to her work
that is not possessed by any other actress
today. The scene where she strikes down
unworthy Jack Oxen to death and then
hides the body under the sofa is splendidly
sustained; indeed, but for the vital and
intelligent forces she employs it would be
wearisome if not improbable in effect
Later her resentment of remOrse is dis
tinguished by flashes of genius in which her
soul battle Is plainly discerned. W. S. Hart
is new here as Sir John Oxen, and barring
his anonymously melOdramatic methods at
times, he is agreeable If not impressive.
Miss Florence ConrOn is most sympathetic
and pleasant In the trying role Of Anne
Her work shows steady growth in natural
ness and effectiveness. Others who are
well known and thoroughly artistic are
Marcus Moriarty, Robert McWade. Her
bert Fortier, Joseph Allen and T. B.
Bridgeland.
GRAND OPERA HOUSE.-A foreshort-
ened. but pleasing, performance was given
at the Grand yesterday afternoon and last
night The great theater was most en-
1Oyable place after 1t was reached. and the
bright electric lights and the warmth Of
the interior soon took the chill out of the
half hundred people who slowed them
selves there away from the elements.
Charming Kitty Mitchell and the japanese
troupe were kept away by snow obstructed
trains, but the other artists made extra
pleasing efforts, and the small but select
character of tie audience tended to pro-
duce a rapport between stage and audience
that was productive of mutual admiration
and applause. Mile. Titenia, the toe dancer
par excellence, as the old-time bills an
nOunced such premeres, proved a mag
netic, graceful performer. Her cake walk
was unapproachable by others in it's gro
tesque, vet graceful, figures. She will be
very much favorite here among those
who desire art and comeliness in union.
Raymon Moore the ballad tenor of min
strel renown, was next in favor. He is an
engaging singer, and his simple methods
are calculated to touch the heart chords.
He sang Fair Virginia. for the first time,
and, giving three encores, wound up with
that good old song, Just Twenty Years
Ago" The Valdares are star trick bicy-
clsts, and the male member all but excels
Robbins, who seems to be the Alpha and
Omega of that phase of the entertainment
business. Nine. Ealdares is a shapely lit
tie woman in black fleshings, and her poses
In nj hnS ha, e CHI