The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-01
new YORK FIRST nights
Three Plays introduced to Metro
politan Audiences.
4 Gloomy Adaptation From the Ger
mnn-''OId Curiosity shop Re
Twelve Months After" at the
Madison Saunre-Thc DAILY sale.

been enlivonad with at least three first
nights Of Importance this week which is
not so bad for the faE end of the season.
Perhaps enlivenei is not exactly ths right
word in regard to all Of them. but IT is
anything here for a change-eyen a change
for the worse. The Suuken Bell. at
least was sombre and depressing. and
overburdened with dialogue, although not
without power in some of its situations
but what else could be expected of an
adaptation from the German Of Haupt-
mann by another German-at least IN
name-CharIes Henry Metzger? The piece
is not entirely new here, nor was New
York favored with its very first FIRST
night in its English version. Under its
German title, Die Nersunhene Glockc.' it
was produced at the Irving Place Theatre
nearly three years ago by Agnes Sorna.
and Sothern and Virginia Harmed have
given this English version in at least three
ether cities-Boston, Chicago, and Phila-
delphia-befCre trying il on the metr0poli-
tan dog. It is enough to say that in
many respects il resembles "Tanuhasu-
ser" and Ibsen's The Master Builder.
If that is not handicap enough add the
gloomy and impressive Sothern and what
else could come fTCm combination Tut a
play sombre mystical metaphysical and
talky. However, it will. in all probability.
run Throughout the Sothern Harmed en-
gagement. We take our pleasures seri-
ously during Lent"
Turning from grave to CAV. from severe
to lively we have Little Nell and the
MarchOness" at the Herald Square. with
Mary Sanders in the dual title role 1t
is sacriege to change the title of any
Of Dickens stories-and this Of course is
that of the "Old Curiosity Shop"-all the
more as the title which the sdapter.
Harry p Mawson. has given his work is
awkward and cumbersome. although il gets
in all the facts. To be sure Lolita played
another veTson of the same story under
the same title almost a generation ago,
but two wrongs do not make right. even
if one Of them is hoary with age. There
is enough material in Dickens story to
make half a dozen plays. and Mr.. Mawson
has chosen as his main theme the con-
spiracy OF Quilp. Sampson Brass, and Sally
Brass against Kit Nubbles. celebrating
this and weaving in all the characters or
characteristics personifed. made famous
by the novel he has succeeded in pruduc-
ing an interesting series Of tableauA and
character sketches but plot or play
never. Yet to the host Of lovers OF
Dickens who can supply the missing links,
it is pleasing enough. Mary Sanders jus
tities her ambition 10 star it with the best
Of them and the Quilp of T. Augustus
Anderson Quilp would turn in his grave
if he could know that one of that lady
like name had played him-was 80
hideous and ugly that his work was good.
There were no glazing anachronisms in
the costumes and the scenery Was excel
lent but anybody can compass that in
these end Of the nineteenth century days.
Another German adaptation thank
heaven. for Dickens. Thackeray. and even
Mr.. Frances Hodgsou Burnett and their
adaptable stories-had its premiere al the
Madison Square. Monday night when 3es-
sic Tyree Anne Sutherland, Frederic
Bond and Leo Ditrichsteiu struggled
through Give Mcnths Later" a sequel
10 al the White Horse Tavern" II the
audience had been consulted it would have
been twelve years. decades. generations Ct
centuries tpreferably Centuriesl later, hut
il was not The audience never is until il
is too late. Even The cast would have IN
dCuhtedly advised a postponement. but the
management neglected to collet their
views. too, and so the blow has fallen
However they led the fOrlOrn hope nObly
MelodTama rampant - the plaus be
American comedy drama they called it on
the programme which is fiat plagiarism
on McKnley's Porto Riean performance
mad an inning ut the Star. Its other name
was On the Stroke of Twelve" D. you
Notice how they all pun up on the brink
Of the uulucky thirteen In vain. though
IS somebody pushed them both over, OF
possibly they fell Ct their own weight Il
certainly was not momentum or go This
little sounds speaking CT hclls-liI5e The
Midnight Bell" but the resemb ance stops
there II was not half as good. The pub
lie is assured. hcwever, that il was muel
admired in Kalamazoo and Oshkosh. and
elsewhere in the provinces where il has
been running for some time. The cast .
Nobody one KNOWS. and. indeed, the writer
ought TO apologize for wasting valuable
space Oh mention Of H.
What does "Das = Rad" look like A
rebus or a study in Authorization 81 is
neither. % is the title Of the Last proiuc-
tion 81 The Irving Place Theatre, and was
made i'm GERMANY and means TIE
Fifth Wheel" As the writer's working
knowledge OF German is confined TO 1--WE.
beer he is a little hazy as L. what il
was al about. but the guess is haz8ried
that like its predecessors at this house
The Sunkeu Bell" On the Stroke OF
Twelve" and others. it viii be done mo
English next season. and what is as un-
necessary as fifth Wheel This was
some time proyerb
Mention of the first nigh, of f. Kinsoy
Peile's three-act comedy, The Interrupt
ed Honeymoon al Dalys last TUESDAY
was nearly forgotten. Really. il was one
act afIair-the second-bul the writer was
quoting from the play bill when ne said
three above. II is just another case OF
bad judgment in selecting or
remOdeIing plays Tor surely Mary Man
nCriug Hildd SponE. Mrs. Charles Walc0t
John Mas0n-u0J Jack Edward j. Nor
gan. Grant Stewart and the rest of Daniel
Frohman'5 company can carry any comedy
not hopelessly bad.
The only novelties promised for next
week are "A Man and His Wife. ia which
Jessie Millward will again take her place
as leading lady. and one-act curtain
raiser THE Buglc Gail" with which
Charles Frohmau will replace Brother Of
fccrs" at the Empire Just why the popu
lar money maker should be taken OF is not
entirely clear 20 the lay mind. % is TOO
late 10 start it through the provinces. and
il certainly had vitality enough tu run ia
weH into the summer
The Casino Girl" is proving to De mo-e
and more Of a success. one that viii rank
with the best of the Casino prydur ions 4
stage fun of pretty girls gorgeous COS
tunes and scenery were % have been eE-
pected as q matter Of course bur 10 has
besides thc music the snap and 90 thar are
TOO often lacking and to complete and in
tensify the interest the chorus contains
another auburn haired mystery whose in
cognito is rigidly preserved To be sure
this is an infringement on the only origl-
nal Girl with the Auburn Hair" bus thr
people cannot have too much OF good
thing
Tina, is al. except thai the Old stand
state Of Ohio. City of Toledo. Lucas
County-ss: