Evening star., 1900-01-20

!. ] !. !: !. J. !
! WbNW an close from view one
I A NUm Il of the most. remark
n nMuA 4 able engagements OF a
4 y HIGAV N\ season which will be
- W >NF remembered as rich
M Wv in serious worth as
well as unparalleled
WA in frivolous audacity.
1t is not unreaSon-
able to assume that
the Nethersole play will be the last TO say
farewell to an audience. Ihe generous
ness shown in ''SaDho' stands as d prom
Use that the management does not plopo9e
to limit spectators as to the lehSth Vi 'iie
l. may 1inger. whether the play be 'Sapho'
or THE Profigate" There is tendency
to over-liberality on this point. Some of
the scenic detail in the first act OF 'Sapho
might easily have been spared. for dazzling
"a it was, it was not essential to the aruS-
tic integrity of the production. There Is
temptation to indulge in much discourse
on the morals of ''Sapho.' But the lady
character is so accurately defined by bau-
det himself that it may be dismissed Win
a word. Neither the gallantry OF the uTa-
matist nor the gentle charity Of the actress
can prevail to relieve its obllquy. All thdt
was adpirabe in the play was the stuus
in human emotion-the scrutiny OF soitei-
ing. The public somehow loves TO Pa!
liberally. too-for a chance to SympathlZe
with one whom it would spurn in real NE
If it had been a consistent picture OF the
type portrayed it might have fallen BACK on
the adage. art knows no morals. but
the halting, vacillating denouement cannot
be accepted as art. AS a production 1t had
great brilliancy-it was the brill1ancy OF the
actress and of the novelist which Shoile pe-
yond the crudities.
At the Columbia THE Sign of the Cross
drew large audiences. 1t seems almost a
sacrilege to hint that there is a note of
\, rtrlN love
In purely secular environment one or two
of its scenes would surely call forth some
such protests as arose in connection with
that constituencies play, The Conquer
ors." But Wilson Barrett is a playwright
of skill and discernment and handled his
material with such prudence that he does
not sacrifice the dignity of his play to its
climaxes. Mr. Barrett has divided honors
with himself and kept the public waiting
for a dangerously long time to decide
whether it shall do him reverence as a
dramatist or as an actor. The Sign of the
Cross shows fine literary quality such as
would suffice to make the enduring reputa-
tion of man who did not persist in being
his own rival.
The Lafayette Square brought back sonh
of the old friends of opera with a good,
democratic spirit which did not hesitate to
put "Cavalleria Rusticana' and .'Pinafore''
on terms of nefghborly intimacy, and call
on the chorus. who had poured forth soul
ful strains in 'Trovatore," to froic in the
Jaranesque mazes of the "Mikado." 1t was
the first chance theater-goers had had for
some time at the standbys of melody which
made up the repertoire, and lively appre-
citation of the opportunity was manifested.
The New Grand held its own a thea
ter of enterprlSing and unique purposes.
The work of convincing the public that vau-
dcville can be made one of the most whole
some well one of the most interest
ing forms of entertainment has many diff
fcult traditions to combat. but the New
Grand may be regarded as having achieved
nni h.lH- H-i,,.,
gained Il clientele which is the more desir-
able because it IL conservative and endur-
ing. Ching Ling Foos patronage Justified
the managerial plunge which paid him 81 900
a week, to such AN extent that ne has been
engaged to reappear at an early date. Ching
Is one of the blandest wizards that ever
pulled n bowl of gold fish out of nowhere
His tricks are few and not altogether out
of the ordinary. But his company intro
dGceS some feats which are in their way
unsurpassed. The young contortionist is
marvel. and the oriental comedian does
some juggling which is both picturesque
and original The LADY is a refutation of
the stories that Chinese women cannot be
graceful because their feet are small. And
Chez Tai, the tiny soubrette. breathes the
perfume OF child sweetness about the stage
like some dainty bloom from an Asiatic
conservatory. She has none Of the trite
mannerisms of precocity. She is as nat
ural as sunshine and as autocratic AS a
prfma donna, for it she who compelled
the management to change the hour for
this company's appearance from 9:3O pm.
to o. in order that she might retire at her
accustomed hour.
The Academy brought that Industrious
manager. James H. Wallck to the front
again. His former play. When London
Sleeps was of the kind which thrves on
ceusure. Everybody who saw it held up his
hands in ptous protest, and everybody else
wanted to see it. that he too, might
hold up his hands. THE King of Rogues''
did not happen to be that kind of a play
mi Won b..,J ,,.i.,,
on the wrong side of the ledger Mr. Wal
lick is still a long way to the good in his
adverse criticism account. The Academy
mas been fortunate in securing attractions
which rank high and it needs an occasional
bad one like THE King of Rogues" TO
hold down the average and demonstrate the
eternal law of compensation. Next week
for instance. il comes to the front practi-
cally free from opposition with an extrav
asanza. under auspices which have never
Yet disappointed admirers of that style of
entertainment.
iternanS had one of the customary road
vaudeville organizations and a coIlertinn
OF gallery audiences that seemed disposed
at uIneS 10 register criticisms with frank
ana immediate emphasis The show has
clements OF strength and secured a liberal
following. The Bijou was well up in tbs,
race with new features in the olio and a
new musical trdvcSty to Introduce the CO.
terle OF comedians and amazon marchers to
%h"m some OF the irrererent allude as THE
bunch.
Next week there should be some rare
Scamperlng among the book worms Again
the literary play! And the literary play in
Its most uncompromising aspect, Thack-
cray, 50 lovable in his personal life and so
cruel IN his cynicism, will be introduced by
Mrs Fisk. whose offerings are invariably
IN keeping with the highest traditions Of
dramatic art Few readers of "Vanity
Fair have hoped with much confidence to
see he character with all its subtleties
c0nvincingly portrayed upon the stage
Mrs Fisk's admirers claim that she has
succeeded in conveying the gentler i'm
presSions which arise in the readers mind
and In showing the higher nature which
was gradually subdued by circumstances
as well as Becky Sharps genius for small
connivance. The story is one which han
dies social problems with keenness which
ibsen, with his bluntness and Norwegian
harshness. does not approach And op-
posed to the asperities of Becky Sharp is
the gentle poet, Oliver Goldsmith Mr.
Augustus Thomas has gone step beyond
the dramatization of a novel and drama
tiZed biography. Breezy brusaue Chica-
go, who does not hesitate to say she does
not like grand opera. and who is equally
candid in praising without precedent. has
fairly reveled in the literary atmosphere
of In d..