Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-24
ADJUSTMENTS.

one Oh the mysteries OF the mOQern inca
Ter, Tor the piece contains inSinuationS so
offensive and illusions so direct that there
can be no excusing or misunderstanding At
erwhat has been published of "In Paradise
the natural expectation was to find the fair
and sensitive sex fiouting the management;
putting 1t Off after the manner of the lass
OF whom Autolycus sings in 1.-The Winters
Tale, with a 'whoop! do me no HARM
good man" But they filed into the theater
without a tremor, removed their hats and
made themselves at home and laughed I'M
restrainedly at the uproarious fun which the
entertainment so plenteously provides. 1t
may be due to the fact that in the rush
of action and the sparkle of repartee, the
phases of life and character which the
scene assumes to portray are completely
obscured. The people who go to the thea
ter simply to see how some leading ladyS
gowns fit merely to get another look
at the gentleman who falls down funny,
may miss a great deal of lofty poetry and
magnificent thought, but they are to be
congratulated on the amount of histriOnic
muck over which their intellectual levity
enables them to trip in comparative safety.
NOBODY seemed to pay much attention to
the old Frenchman who encouraged his
Wlfe's lover in order that he himself might
get more evenings away from home, nor
the woman who receives company in her
bed room and candidly admits the exist
ence of two lovers. Nor was there any
especial note taken of remarks whose
claims to wit depended solely upon their
assumption that with few exceptions, such
as sp1nsters, mothers-in-law and girls in
their teens, this world is populated by por-
nomaniacs. If the play had no features
beside these to commend it, it would not
have been tolerated, for sheer viciousness
grows very stupid. 1t serves to shock the
auditor into a state of semi-imbecile &C
quieScence: but too many shocks brings
lethargy. The audience watched and walt
ed for the three men to be revealed in a
lady's bed room in their pajamas. This is
offered as the limit of audacity, although
1t is, in fact, one of the least salacious por
tons of the entertainment. Think of
II! Ihree men getting up before all those
people in the audience in their night
clothes, Let the male who has so long
been overshadowed by the frolicsome SOU
brette be Of good cheer, for his days of
oppression are over. He and his "lingery"
are going to get their innings at last.
Mr.. Richard Golden labored with I'M
Tagging zeal to prevent anything that
might be unpleasantly suggestive from be-
ing overlooked. There We're times when he
ought to have been taken out and sprin-
killed. with chloride of lime. He is very
funny at times. The auditors found him
especially to their liking when he stiffened
his joints and pranced about the stage like
a mechanical toy. The part he plays, that
of an old idiot who wants to be giddy in
Paris, fits him very well The part of the
young woman of obliging moods and dam
aged character is played by Minnie Selig-
man in thoroughly clever manner. I'm
Paradise" rank it Is in some respects.
lacks all voluptuOus quality. 1t may tend
toward the brutal, but it is never insidious
and alluring. The laughs it gets are for
honest ingenuity in devising ludicrous sit
uattOns, and the moralist might at terri
BILE pinch even point to 1t as solemn
warning to husbands not to get over fes-
tive. From the time when the trouble
starts until the chief characters are lined
up with black eyes and tattered garments
for the reconciliation in the last act, the
farce was greeted with shouts of laughter.
1t IS funny-but nasty.
NATIONAL THEATER.-An audience
overwhelming in numbers paid tribute
to powerful play and great actress at
the New National Theater last night. Mrs.
Leslie Carter as ZaZa was the attraction
which packed the house, notwithstanding
an increase in the price Of admission. Some
one has said before that Washington thea
tergoers will pay big price to see a good
performance, but they don't want q poor
show at any price The frst-nighters upon
this occasion had the pleasure of Witness
ing a popular ovation to Dewey, who oc-
Cupied a box. When the admiral entered
his arrival was noted with applause, which
he gracefully acknowledged by bowling.
The audience which gathered last night
to greet Mrs. Carter's second appearance
in Washington in the role of Zaza I'M
included many who saw her upon
the occasion of her first visit, the re-
mainder comprising those to whose ears
the fame of Zaza had come or who were
unable to attend the performances last
expressions of approval manifested by the
audience during the evening, that its YER
dict was that Zaza is a masterpiece of
dramatic art and Mrs. Carter a superb
actress.
There are those who ask what good end
Is subserved by play Of the nature Of
''Zaza." The answer of the man of the
world would be that the exposition Of char
ton and weakling, serves no purpose, but
that the lesson drawn from their lives by
the authors art, by his sticking close to
nature and the probabilities of the case. is
better than a sermon. Still, 1t is hardly a
play to be recommended to young girls.
The story of Zaza has been told before.
and 1T is unnecessary to repeat it here.
Since last year Mrs. Leslie Carter has
developed subtler Interpretation of the
character. In a play like 'Zaza." with a
one-star cast, the company is sometimes
overshadowed. In this case Mrs Carter
is to be congratulated in having excellent
support.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE
The MiltonAborn Opera Company presented
the ever tuneful, ever new I'll Trovatore" at
the Lafayette Square Opera House last
night before an audience which was certain
ly appreciative to the last degree. And the
appreciation shown rightfully earned
by the members Of the company. "TrOva-
tore" Is to a weeks repertoire Of opera
what bread is to a meal, and it's popu-
larity, of course, adds greatly to the diff
hculties In the way Of its presentation by
o new company The company singing
the opera last night was almost entirely
unknown to Washington theater-goers,
with the exception of Mr.. j. X. Murray,
Mr.. Payne Clarke and Miss Clara Lane.
The first and last named are familiar
through their identification with the old
Carleton Company, which delighted so
many lovers of good music in this city
some years ago. and it may be said that
both have improved during their absence
from the capital. Mr.. Murray sang the
Count Di Luna in a spirited manner, his
solo. THE Tempest of the Heart" earn
ing him enthusiastic plaudits and a most
emphatic encore. His work all the way
through, IN fact, was highly creditable
Miss Lane appeared as Leonora and sur
prised even those who knew her best when
she sang here before by her really ex-
cellent work, both in solo and in her duet
with the count during the tower scene.
Mr.. Murray and Miss Lane both received
curtain calls. In addition to
their good vocal work, they both inter-
preteG their roles we'll in a dramatic way
Miss Amelia Fields scored heavily as Azu-
cena, the gypsy queen, receiving a num-
Der of curtain calls and being obliged to
repeat all Of her principal solos Miss
Fields not only sang her part well, but
pleased her hearers with her good work
in portraying the revengeful gypsy. Mr.. |
Payne Clarke Manrico was disappoint-