The times., 1900-03-18

like the Spanish flag. Neither was willing
to o. pleased. though the escorted indi-
siGual lost control CT herself when maid
brought in Miss Hobbs undersarmeniS.
Upon The lifting Of the curtain the couple
half r,cIned in their chairs and began
convorsinE.
swell room.
Drawing room. This after a glance at
thc programme.
''1s she an artist"
"I done know"
Listen 10 them clap the old lady
she aiu't old-thaJs paint
rereiEal Kingsoarl took up the subject
Of BIS roof
Hes @ fool"
The author makes him say that"
"Then the Puthors n fool
Who Is the aulhor?'
81 can't see whether its jerome X Jer-
ONE. annie Russell, or Charles Frohman."
The Hzht- were down.
Henrietta Hobbs was introduced.
What an awful hati"
sch That's what they call the Hobbs
hat"
81 don't care: it's ugly"
"nid ne kiss herr"
No"
"Oh-h-h-h,"
The maid came in.
John look at that lace"
MN"
-Alust have cost lot"
Nm"
Wen. look at it--you haven't Io5ked,'
Then both couples
Did ycu ever hear anything Of the
sort o"
He's working his face"
Isn't she Cute,"
Poor slUl."
What did she say"
IN bet this next scenes funny"
.WcU'"
The curtain was lowered
say" asked he nan in evening dress.
"i- Annie Russell the daughter OF Lillian
RusseH2" Ani the orchestra commenced
on a series Of melodies by Gzibulka.
The production Of QUO Vadis" shown
through the past week at the Columbia
Theatre. and the comment that it occa-
stoned afforded new proof Of the absurdity
Of wasting great sums on the staging Of d
good play. Like a pretty woman. such a
creation needs only the environment nee
tssary TO setting of its own charms. and
moi q vulgar and excessive display. More
g. can be said iruthfully that no cramd
bus PRESENTED ever has lasted longer than
did its scenery, the merits Of the piece
being los. i'm the spectacular fea ur-s Of its
eNI ositiCn. Sarious "E0bespierTe.' for
example though a really marvellous
structure rarely was credited with ANY
considerable worth until its performance
had been witnessed again and as5in, wnie
the same statement applies in a lesser de-
gree 10 The Kings Musketear, Madame
Sans Gene" and even to -Gismonda.' The
brain is most readily impressed through
the eye, and, when both are provided.
panorama attracts attention SURPRISING
that commanded by the off ring itself
Considering the difficulties under which
be labored. Stanislaus STANCE accomplished
a notable work in his adaptation Of the
Sterkievirz novel. That wonderful and
woud rfully vo-umiuous story Of the Rome
of Nero could not have loaned Itself to er-
ranggmeut easily The strength Of the
tale was all but wholly in the clearness
and perfection Of its word paintings. The
stirring incidents and situations were OF
a nature impossible to the theatrical
transcriber Despite this. Ar. STANCE
10 evolve a coherent self-eSplan-
atcry. and entirely interesting drama
stripped OF its superiiuOus canvas and
scantIing it hardly would have been an
other The Sign Of the Cross An abb
zolutely admirable play must have a plot
that could be written en- the page OF an
album. But QUO Nadis' alone
would have proved as remarkable and dis
tinct a success as is the Quo Nadis
winch Fred " hitney has given every en-
viroument that money can buy or imagt-
nation cCnjure And 1t would have lasted
longer