Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-16
GOTHAM THEATRICALS
MANY Productions This Season Have Proven
Failures.
Wilson's "Cyrano de Bergerac" is
Now q Go Tinkering on
Cranes New Play.
From a STAFF Correspondent.

been a bowling success thus far. There
have been more failures than in any preVi-
Gus season and some of these have been
unexpected. In some instances it has been
the fault of the dramatist and in some mis-
judgment of his own abilities on the part
of the actor. In one case victory will be
wrested from defeat Francis Wilson soon
discovered that the public would not take
him seriously and that he could not hope
to rival Mr.. Mansfield in "Cyrano de Ber-
gerac." He is comedian and not
straight actor. and it is his personality
that has made him popular rather than the
vehicle employed to exploit his talents.
Whatever ambition he may have to do
heroic work, he has sufficient business sa-
gacity to know that his audiences expect
him TO be funny, and he has now whipped
"Cyrano' into shape that it is really
comic opera and he himself, is very funny.
Not Mr.. Wilson'S Fault.
1t wasn't entirely Mr. Wilson's fault that
his opera was too serious at first. Mr.. Vic
tor Herbert seems 10 be growing ambitious
and evidently wanted to write some artistic
music of the descriptive style. Mr.. Her
bert's operas have been successful simply
because they We're tuneful. because there
were in them melodies that the people
would hum as they left the theater and
that the boys in the street would whistle.
AS long as he continues in that strain his
work for Wilson and Daniels is all right,
but he can't put any Wagnerian limitations
into comic opera and make it successful.
Mr. Wilson found that the Knicker-
booker Theater audiences came to see him
in funny mood, and he sent for his
musical composer and his Hbretist and told
them there must be more fun in the opera.
They labored with the music. the book and
the lyrics. and have now brought out a
work that will fully satisfy all the admir-
ers of Mr.. Wilson.
Mr.. VIM. H. Cranes new piece, Peter
Stuyvesant.' now running at Wallack's, is
a case of bad Judgment on the part of the
dramatists. One would naturally suppose
that Bronson Howard and Brander Mat
thews, two brilliant writers. and expert
enced piaywrights, could not fail to ft Mr..
Crane with a character that would equal
the many delightful representations that
stand to that excellent comedians credit.
But they have failed in this work. and, al
though alterations are being made daily,
the play will hardly be a success, and l am
told that Mr.. Crane is even now preparing
a new play. / was talking about this play
yesterday with one of the most experienced
managers in the country, and he said that
he believed that one cause of the failure
was that neither Mr.. Howard nor Mr.. Mat
thews were up to date. that they had re-
lied upon literary excellence and did not
realize that the public now demands &C
ton, rather than talk.
Some Successes.
The plays that are successful here are
The Only Way dramatization of Dick
ems Tale of Two Cities" in which Henry
Miller does some excellent work as Sidney
Carton: Miss Hobbs a vehicle for Annie
Russell to display her talents and which
affords her excellent opportunities that are
fully improved; In Paradise" a very
funny farce; The Girl From Maxms' q
farce adapted from the French, which is
not much in itself, but which is splendidly
houses; Becky Sharp" with Mrs. F'iske
in the title role. and 1.-The Tyranny of
Tears" which is filing the Empire Theater
nightly. Many of last years successes still
hold good, such as THE Musketeers," with
Mr.. Sothern as D'Aart gnan; Rupert of
Hentzau,' with ]. K. Hackett as the lead
ing attraction. and why Smith Left
Home" OF the lighter attractions the
Rogers Brothers have made great hit at
the NictOrfai The Man In the Moon. Jr.."
is filling the big New York Theater and
The Founders" could play the season out
at the Casino. but will have to move so as
to let Alice Nielsen present her new opera
on the I'D instant
Harry Allen, who was for so many years
in Washington as treasurer at the Acad-
envy of Music, Is now occupying the same
position a the Murray Hill Theater here,
and the house is doing a good business,
with an excellent stock company.
The s-Kidder-Hanford combination
Is playing at the Grand Opera House this
week. and Mr.. Hanford's work has been
warmly praised
Cheap Opera.
Charlie Shaw, who was so long at the
National Theater, is now treasurer at the
American, where the Castle Square Opera
Company is doing excellent business. I
saw two operas, Die Meistersinger'' and
Ponce and Juliet" and both were cred
itabIy sung. The most artistic work was
done by Homer Lind. Washington boy,
who has not only a superb baritone voice,
which vas carefully cultivated during
long residence in Europe, but is also an
excellent actor. Grace Golden, who is
pleasantly remembered for, her earnest
| work in Washington, made her reappear
anCe Monday night. after a rest of a year
| IN Paris, and the warmth of her reception
attested her great popularity. She sang
Juliet and received an ovation for her waltz
| song in the first act.
| heard part of a rehearsal of John
T Snusa's new opera, Chris, or the Wonder
| full Lamp which Is to be in Washington
| the 3Oth instant. Such of the music as |
heard is bright and decidedly SOusaesque.
| and from what Ben. Stevens, who will
make the production, says, l am inclined to
believe it will be a great money maker.
| Emil Pauer so long the leader of the Bos-
| ton Symphony Orchestra, and who has q
| host Of friends in Washington. is now at
tached TO the force of Maurice Grau, and
| is conducting some excellent Sunday night
concerts at the metropolitan Opera House
| He carries to this work the same energy
broad reading and the authority that comes
| from ripe experience that characterized
| his handling of the Boston organization,
| He will conduct the Wagner performances
| To be given by the opera company this win
| ter
Brief Personal Mention.
| VIM. c. Ingersoll, pleasantly remembered
| as a member of the Columbia stock COM
| pany, is now with Mr. VIM. II. Crane
! During the summer he was in London
| singing in lei Captain" with De Wolf
| Hopper This was quite change from
| the work he did with Nat Goodwin in Ma
| than Hale but it showed that Mr. Inger-
| soil IS quite versatile.
| Chas. Frohman is quite the busiest man
| in the theatrical business. He controls, /
| don't know how many theaters in this city.
! and some in London, and he Is looking after
| new productions all the time He has an
| excellent corps Of assistants, but they all
| have to work like Turks. They do 1t Will
| lingly, however, knowing that Mr.. Froh-
! man, while a hard worker, Is an appre-
| ciative director. Klaw & Erlanger, who do
! all the booking for the syndicate, have been
| quite active in switching attractions into
| the time booked for those that have been
4 failures a prnn Of SIn