The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-25

To theatregoers and theatre managers
last week proved a somewhat serious dis
appointment. neither the artistic nor the
financial standards maintained coming
wholly up 10 expectations. For the frs,
mentioned class of people the sudden ILL
ness of e. II. Sothern and the consequent
closing of the National constituted bid
beginning. OF course, Mr.. Sothern is a
very poor actor, but his productions gen.
orally are worth seeing. and his supporting
company Invariably is excellent. Then,
too. the footlight swashbuckler has large
number of real admirers. and these en-
thusiasts would have mourned his absence
had they been informed in advance that
both The Sunken BelI'' and The King S
Musketeer'' were intolerable. Because of
this fact, the darkness of the house in
question resulted in a considerable mon
etary loss. The Grand and its vaudeville
bill were cut of the field at the same time
and thus the amusement-l loving were
obliged 10 choose between musical comedy
extravaganza. and cheap melodrama for
their entertainment. The Man in the
Moon, jr., promised to be ore Of the most
meritorious attractiors that the season has
brought forth at the Columbia. 1t did not
give general satisfaction. but the receipts
kept at high water mark notwithstanding
Three Little Lambs a rather enjoyable
piece, was well done at the Lafayette and
drew fsir-sized audiences As usual the
Academy suffered. even the temporary sus-
pension of its powerful competitor. the
Grand. not serving TO force diversion seek
ers 10 Devils Island" 2 wretched comb
nation OF rattle-tTap play aad incompetent
players. Miaeo's City Club" kept the
ticket rack at Kernan's in an empty state
end the minor platform and stage perfo m
ahces we're reasonably attended. The aver
age of the week was not discouraging-
merely disappointing.
The privilege of Witnessing presenta-
tions of Three Little Lamts" and of The
Man in the Moon. Jr-," must have con-
WINGED Washingt0aians that the saving in
gredient in such concociions is the cult
nary and theatrical spice known as ginger
score that is bright and catchy a book
that is full OF hurry and hustle, lyrics /
that are jingling and snappy, girls who !
are pretty and vivacious, comedians of |
some ingenuity. and a liberal display of |
starred ana striped bunting viii do more
for such production than might he done |
by all the scholarly composition and high |
c voices in creation. Without the hustle |
and the bunting. the ginger and the girls, |
. Three Little Lambs" would have proved :
serious and The Man in the Moon. Jr,"
a doleful affair.
The X A. Barnet and E. W. Corliss |
piece was a genuinely pleasing compila 4
ton. and yet il could have been written by 4
any reasonably clever penny-a-liner in (
newspaper circles. lis originality was that F..
which might be shown in map making OF |
history-recording. Mr.. Barnet apparently 4
had worked on the idea that wholesale 1
thievery is less despicabie than retail. for !
several OF the lines interpolated already /
had been used 10 advantage by the late !
and very much lamented Joseph Miller. !
The melodies, while charmingly tuneful. /
were equally reminiscent. Only Reginald 4
de koven, who once adapted The Man !
Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo" and I
utilized it as a finale in comic opera, !
could pose as a plagiaristic competitor of I
Mr.. Corliss, whose Little Lola Little
was simrly 'Linger Longer Lucy" with an /
occasional misplaced note. The plot of /
Three Little Lambs" was absolutely I'M :
fathomable. But the offering had dozen 4
remarkably amusing bits-such bits as was I
the delightful buriesque on Becky sharp"
and these. together with the necessities /
described above, rendered it truly inter \
esting.
The worst fault OF THE Man in the I
Moon. Jr.,'' was its magnitude-the mag |
nitude of everything, from the produc- |
ton 10 the press agents presentations |
Folk who went to the Columbia were dis |
appointed They had been led to expect /
magnificent scenery. beautiful effects, |
and-400 players. They saw presenta-
ton adequate, but not unusual. Then. |
too. the numerous excellent triiies in the !
vehicle were positively buried beneath
a mass of wholly yalueless rubbish Had
Louis Harrison and Stanislaus STANCE
taken their theme, couple Of their tray
esties, the first of the Sam Bernard mono
logues. and few ballets they might have
fashioned an extravaganza satisfactory to
the most captious. AS matters were, !
those In attendance were so tired by the
worthless interpretations that they were
never in the mood to appreciate the bet
ter portions.
Both pieces, however. have made money,
and. according TO current doctrines, that
fact disposes Of all reason for criticism
Apropos OF last Sundays interview with
Katherine Grey. who then explained the
basis of her recent legal proceeding
against Richard Mansfield. the atten-
ticn of The Times has been called to
an article by James o'Donnell Ben
nett. recently printed In the Chicago
Journal" Three things prompt the re-
production Of the essay--frst the fact
that present circumstances give the dispute
local interest; second. desire to be
altogether fair, and last but not least I
the extreme cleverness OF Mr. Bennett's
remarks. The publication. which was
headed The Lady and the Lawsuit" fol-