Evening star., 1899-02-08
AMUSEMENTS.

-
sented by Mr.. John Drew-now in his
seventh year as Charles Frohman's star
at the Lafayette Square Opera House for
one week, with matinees Wednesday and
Saturday, beginning Monday evening next.
This is the play by Henry Arthur Jones,
called comedy of Manners which, with
Mr.. Drew in the role of Sir Christopher
Deering. a social meddler and a sort of
mender of broken hearts, kept the Empire
Theater, New York, crowded to the doors
for four months Mr.. Frohman declares
that 1t Is the most successful play Mr.
Drew has yet had. Mr.. Drew's company
has some new faces, but all the old favor
ties are there stili. Isabel Irving, who be-
came his leading lady last season, occupies
that distinguished and responsible position
this year. and she and Mr.. Drew have some
dashing and delightful scenes. The other
members of the company are Jane Eustace
Gertrude Gheen, Ethel Barrymore, Marie
Derlckson. George Mendum, Arthur Byron,
d: H. Harkins, Milton Lipman, James
Lindsay, Frank e. Lamb, Lewis Baker
Darwin Rudd, Gage Bennett and others
The ladies of the company are said to wear
some very rich, beautiful and costly con
fections from London and Paris. The
story of The Liars" runs something like
this: Lady Jessica is married to a middle
aged man, Gilbert Nepean, whose treat
ment of his wife is Indifferent, if not rude.
She is young woman, impetuous, impul-
Edward Falkner. young African explorer
"a social lion-who is very much in love
with her. Her friends are interested in
protecting her from any scandal that might
ensue, and an important factor in this re-
spect is Sir Christopher Deering, the role
played by Mr.. John Drew. Lady Jessca
tells Falkner in an unguarded moment that
she is to visit her aunt in the suburbs of
London, and is likely to lose the road on
her way to the station, as she had fire.
quently, she says, mistaken the path, and
in consequence may find herself at the
Star and Garter" a. Shepperford. in case
she misses the train. 1t is at this hotel
that some of the best scenes in the play
take place. The complications here are
heightened by the inopportune arrival of
several of her friends, who Immediately es-
pOuse the cause of deCorum. But Sir
Christopher, by a series of tactful and dip
lomatc efforts, prevents Lady JesSica from
dining with her admirer, manages to get
her nome and dimes in her place. In the
meantime Lady Jessica's husband is noti
fed by his brother that things are not
quite as they should be, and returns to
town post haste. He gathers enough evil
denCe to realize that she had been to the
Star and Garter Hotel and discovers
that dinner had been ordered for her.
Further complications ensue, but these are
all c'eVerly adjusted in the fourth act
through Sir Christophers ministrations.
JULIA ARTHUR.-Those who saw Julia
Arthur's superb impersonation of Clio Wild
airs. the turbulent heroine of Mrs. Burnett's
play, "A Lady of Quality" undoubtedly re-
member how well Miss Arthur idealized
Mrs. Burnetts description in her novel,
which also serves for the introduction of
ClOrnda in the play: when the men troop
ed into the blackjack wainscoted dining
room on the eVentful night they found
their audactous young hostess awaiting
them in greater and more daring beauty
than they had ever seen before. She wore
knee breeches. a satin coat embroidered
with silver roses, silk stockings and shoes
with buckles of briliants. She met them
standing jaIntily astTide upon the hearth.
and she greeted each one he came with
some pretty impotence. Her hair was tied
back and her black eyes were like lode
stars, drawing all men," The picture which
Miss Arthur made in this character will
not he soon forgotten by those who saw
her Her engagement here last season was
one of the most prosperous of the year, and
her temperance next week at the Ma
tional Theater will undoubtedly attract the
same amount of attention, as Miss Arthur
has found that the demand to see "a Lady
Of Quality" as she impcrSonates the lead
ing role to be even greater this year than
it was last. Besides this play Miss Arthur
will appear here in three characters in
which she has never been seen here before.
These will include her impersonation Of Ros-
alind in her elaborate production of Shakes
pears's comedy, and her performance of
Mercedes in Thomas Bailey Aldrichs play
Of that name. 1t was in this play that Miss
Arthur attracted the greatest amount of
attention to herself in New York previously
to her appearance in "a Lady of Quality"
Miss Arthur's repertoire for next week is
as follows: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
and Friday nights and saturday matinee,
"A Lady of Quality" Wednesday night,
"As You Like IT." Saturday night double
bill. in which Miss Arthur appears in two
different characters, "Pygmalion and Gal
atea'' and Mercedes" Miss Arthur pre-
sents the Saturday matinee only.
WARD AND VOKES.-The offering at
the Columbia Theater for ons week, com
menCing Monday evening, February 13, and
including the usual n3atinees, will be Ward
and NOkes and big troupe of farce come
dy celebrities In The Governors" 1t pre-
sents Ward and NOkes as Percy and Har
old masquerading as the governors of
Oregon and idaho, fulfilling a contract
made by the real governors with the Wo-
mans Emancipation League Of South Da-
kota for a series of speeches. Upon this
slender thread hangs three acts Of the most
deliriouS nonsense imaginable. 1t matters
little to the public at large what vehicle is
used by these unique comedians. it is in the
class Of support and speciality features
wherein lies their strength. For thu pres
ent tour Ward and Nokes are supported by
what is undoubtedly the largest and
strongest company ever toured in farce
comedy. Prominent in the cast will be
found Lucy DAILY, whose quality is well
known in every city which boasts of
thedter. She plays the part of Peach, and
is said to be everything the name implies
Margaret DAILY Nokes is still rusticating
through the three acts OF fun In the drOll-
cry of Eddie OFT, and a better characterize
ton than she made of this when last seen
here has not been shown upon a local
stage. Johnny Page, whose equal in juve-
nile acrobatic roles does not exist, is still
to be seen, tumblng through the evening,
Rubber Neck. the hotel bell boy. Cheri-
dah Simpson, Chas. w. Young, John Keefe
James Cherry Hal. s. Stephens Louise
Kerlin, Margerie Adds, the Boston Quar-
tet, all are cast to the best possible advan-
tage. E. ID. Stair has spared no expense in
presenting this seasons organization, the
three acts are superbly mounted, while the
costuming of the ladies is promised to be
simply ravishng in the novelty shown. An
elaborate program of speciality features has
been provided. Taken as a whole, the pro-
duction Of The Gov rnors' promises to
make good Manager Stairs claim of "the
largest, the best dressed. the most thor
oughly equipped farce comedy organization
in America"
TN OLD KENTUCkY.''-'I Old Ken
tucky," perhaps the most successful play
OF its kind ever given in this country,
comes to the Academy of Music next week,
where it will doubtless be as warmly re-
ceived as ever. II is d stirring, wholesome
drama. The first act discloses Madge
Brierly'S cottage in the Kentuclxy noun