Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-23


| ment of a gambling debt frpm George Os-
borne. who is already deep in her tolls,
| and it Is here that she first meets the old
roue, Lord Steyne. There is bit of pa
| of the officers for the field OF battle and
| the parting of Rawdon Craw.ey with
| Becky. whom he loves sincerely, and whom
he tells what to do in the event that he
Gees not return. Becky sustains her true
n'ercenary character, however in her sale
of her horses to Joseph Sedley and her ut
ter heartlessness in her expression on which
the curtain falls: There they go to die for
their country, while / am dying for my
breakfast"
The third act is the strongest. dramat-
| ically speaking, in the play. and the END
might well come there. 1t shows Rawdon
and Becky living precaTiously in London,
beset with debts Lord Steyne gives her
money to pay the most pressing creditor
and promises more condition that she
accepts his attentions. She mortgages her
self to him. and on the night he is to fore
close the mortgage she receives him at her
own house after her husband has been ar
rested for debt and is supposed to be safe
for five days at least. His return while
Becky and Lord Steyne are at supper. his
jealous rage and attack upon Steyne, whom
he first knocks down and then drives from
the house. his upbraiding of his wife. from
whom he tears the Jewels and money that
Steyne has given her, and HIS abandonment
of her. form the one climax in the whole
play. and it was splendidly worked up by
Mrs. Fiske. Mr. Barrymore and Mr.. Cook.
The last act is weak and frivolous.
Mrs. Ffske plays the part of Becky with
nice discrimination and with thorough ar
tistic effect, her one defect being the rapid
ity of her utterance which causes the audi
euce to lose many of the brilliant lines as
signed her. She may well consider this
the browning triumph of her stage career,
for Becky Sharp is more human and a
stronger character than Tess, in which she
was last seen. Her company Is capable
and furnishes excellent support. Maurice
"a 1~f1,r, to-,
spects the best work ever presented by
this excellent actor. Mr.. Augustus Cooks
Lord Steyne is deserving of high praise,
as =. are also the Pitt Grawley Of chas. Plum
kett, the joseph Sedley Of VIM. F. Owen,
the Amelia Sedley Of Miss Zenaide Will
liams and the Briggs of Mary Madden.
NEW NATIONAL THEATER-"A Rich
Mans Son Is not strong play, even of
its class, but the claim on the program
that it Is comic was fully warranted by
the hilarious manner in which it was re-
ceived by an overflow audience at the Ma
tional last night. Several of the situations
are crude, but evidently 30 for laughing
purposes, and in that they are successful.
The atmosphere of the play is one in which
Mr.. Crane is at home. and to see Mr..
Crane at home is to experience the radi-
ance which always emanateS from his ge-
NAL personality. His work is direct and
tnctsive. 1t is never psychological, and you
do not have to worry your brain for the
Interpretation of symbolisms. "a Rich
Mans Som is adapted from the German:
therefore 1t is not French. Its most shock
ing incident is spoiled egg episode at the
breakfast table. Mr.. Crane is old Peter Dib-
din. the father, whose son Arthur (Mr
William Courtleigh) has been educated in
Paris and returns to his fathers house an
architect of artistic and original ideas. He
longs to befriend the working classes by
teaching them the aesthetics of housekeep-
Ing IN model sanitary homes Of his own
design. He Is determined to mako a name
himself a or
fathers money secures him position and
influence which he wishes to be his by
right of his individual endeavors. To humor
his son and give him the opportunity he
desires the father pretends that he has
suddenly lost his fortune through the de-
cline In African gold mines. ie.sby los
ing also the friends Of his prosperity. AZ
ter an experience with poverty the young
man realizes what an uphill job his un-
trammeled genius has on hand and is at
last willing to exchange the unlovely bur
den for that Of the rich mans son.
Mr.. Crane is his old self trle-hearted
and unselfsh. Two old summer stock COM
pany favorites who are this year with Mr..
Crane, Mr.. William 1ngersoll and Miss Sc
lene Johnson, do excellent wock, the for
mer as the petted son of aristocratic par
ents and the latter as the sympathetic
sweetheart of the rich mans SON Miss
Percy Haswell, Mr. Cranes leading lady,
sustains the role of the rich mans daugh-
ter in natural and charming manner
She is not worried by any of her brothers
scruples. There are many side lines IN the
play that lead to extremely ludic-ous sit
nations For instance the episode in which
tho wife-harried husband. who has suffered
In silence for years at last throws off the
yoke and blackens his nose before MS vife's
very eyes to show his independence; it is
absurdly droll. Mr.. Crane is well support
ed throughout and deserves the success
which is his for the wholesomeness of his
productions and the encouragement which
he has given to native talent by his al
most continuous adoption Of the works of
American playwright. After the second act
Mr. Crane was compelled to deliver one of
his little curtain speeches, which is one of
the many ties that bind him to the affection
OF his audiences. Altogether, "A Rich Mans
Som is complete and satisfying. with a
hearty laugh at every turn.
GRAND OPERA HoUsE.-Th!s weeks
program at the Grand Opera House can be
commended for all-around excellence.
Charming little Minnie Palmer is undoubt-
edly the star attraction, but the other
turns greatly pleased the large audience
yesterday afternoon and night. The OPEN
ing specially was the lara Trio, in a rep
resentation of soldiers and peasants Of all
which called forth much applause
Stephens and Taylor. two clever actors
singers and musicians were seen to good
fIaT Mr IN an interesting playe emit;
Bailey. billed as the originators of the gro
tesque cake walk dance, scored heavily for
all-around good work, both performers be-
ing exceptionally clever dancers Lovers
of acrobatic work were given a treat In the
daring turn of the three Merose brothers
double somersaults and intricate shout
der and foot maneuvers creating enthu-
siastic applause. The three Godens fol-
lowed in singing dancing and comedy
flashes and were well received, the only
flaws in their turn being the impertinent
personalities in connection with the bald
headed man joke. An entertaining sketch
entitled Rose Pompon," served as a We
hfcle for the Introduction Of Minnie Palmer
and this clever little actress, through per.
sonal magnetism alone, won substantial
and hearty applause from everybody in the
house. Time has dealt lightly with my
Sweetheart" Of old. and, after viewing her
performance last night. little wonder is ex-
pressed at the little artists success.
ACADEMY OF MUSIC-There was stand
ing room only. and very little Of that, at
the Academy last night, where Charles H.
Yale's Evil Eye" was the drawing card
The play is advertised on the bill as a
laughter-making surprise. Whether the
author succeeded IN fulfilling expectations
as to the surprise part of his promise is of
little consequence He certainly succeeded
in amusing the audience. There are great
many funny things in the play, and the au-
dience last night fully appreciated them ALL
The Evil Eye" Is an extravaganza con-
-