Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-17
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Weber and Fields aggregation at the Co.
lunlbia TEeater last night. and there is
corresponding tlnge of melancholy In chron-
icling their departure. Blessings brighten
as they take their fight. Before their ar
rival there were murmurings to the effect
that 81. e and 50 represented too heavy q
scale of prices for burlesque entertain
ment: that the organization was, forsooth.
band of motley shell-game promoters,
and that all good people should keep their
houses lest they be co8ened of their good
coin. Yet the theater was crowded to the
doors and now that the iridescent gayety OF
'Whirligig" and the amiable buffoonery OF
barbara Fldgety" have been made known
the only complaint is that the company
should have limited its engagement to q
single night. What has Washington done
that II should be thus Disseminated
against? Even Baltimore had an engage
ment of two nights. II Weber and Fields
had been familiar with the relative re-
sponsiveness OF the various cities they
surely would not have put this slight upon
US But this Is the stock company's first
experience the road. 1t will know bet
ter next time; If there is any next time.
The cast Of characters was Immediately
convincing. 1t left no more room for DOUBT
a three-ring circus. There were Mr.: Peter
Daley, Mr.. David Warfield. Mr.. Charles
j. Ross, Mr.. Jos. M Weber. Mr.. Lou M
Fields. Mr.. John T. Kelly, and number
Oh OlncTS, eacn WIFI Ills NIL BiuSu " mo
name as tightly as Mr.. Richard Mansf1eld's.
Then there were also Miss Lillian Russell,
Miss Irene Perry and-but why attempt to
particularize? The feminine portion of the
company is q big bouquet. and each COM
ponent bud is worthy of distinct considera-
ton. Bessie Claytons cortortion dancing
is one of the features most likely to be re-
membered. There is a nightmare-ish fascl-
nation about 1t that cannot be efaced.
The proprietors of this enterprise must
surely have access to the fountain of youth.
Lillian Russell was never more satisfying
10 the eye which delights In feminine
beauty; never more girlishly presumptious
in stopping proceedings in order to exchange
personal observations with people on the
stage. Weber and Fields are nimble rs
they ever We're. Lou Fields fall, when
Dave Warfield ordered wine. being conclu-
slve proof that he is in excellent acrobatc
form. Whatever they approach seems vivl-
fed and rejuvenated. There were convul-
sions of laughter when Mr.. Fields 5ovially
kicked Mr.. Weber in the stomach. Other
comedians are kicking one another in the
stomach every week. But somehow they
dc not seem the same. They lack the m
definable something. There must be art.
even in stomach-klcking. Any effort to tell
why a Weber and Fields show Is funny
must fail. The bare assertion must be
taken on the good faith of the represen-
tative citizens who assembled to see the
production. And it was an audience Of
which any star might have been proud.
You are a lobster" says one character
"Oh. shell-fsh creature!" is the bubbling
repartee. of the other But everybody
laughs heartily. why do you sit on the
stair. star!ng?" gets vociferous approval.
The enemy might treat me- but l would
not retreat is the sentiment of the bibu-
loCs colonel's song in Barbara Ffdgety.
Scrutinized in critical meditation, these
things seemed stale. fiat and-no, not I'M
profitable. But in their proper place they
glitter like true gems of thought. They
are adjusted to their surroundings and TO
the temper of the audience with the nicely
of genius itself. The performance could
not have been given with more Difference
to an audience if the company had been
expecting to become local institution. En-
cores were responded to with the best
grace imaginable and there were even Some
attempts in the direction of localisms in TIE
dialogue. Ii was great show.
DAMROSCH SOCIETY CONCERT To-
NIGHT-The concert of the Damrosch So
ciety. assisted by Giuseppe Campanari. Mr..
Anton Kaspar and Mr.. Otto Luebkert. will
be given this evening at the Columbia Thea
ter. 1t is believed that all the friends Of
the society. as well as the musical people
of this city. will attend this concert, as
Campanari is one of the most expensive, as
well as one Of the best. artists before the
public today. The concerts of the DAM
rosch Society have always been artstically
and financially successful. and every effort
IS being made to make the concert tonight
the finest that has been given by this pop
ular organization. The program is partic
ularly good. CampanariS popularity in this
city is so great that he is regarded as the
best drawing card the society has ever had.
The active singing membership of the Dam
rosch Society Is as follows: Tenors, Messrs.
VIM. NJ. Mooney, Melville D. Hensey Jacob
Scharf. Jas. G. Taylor, DR.. d. H. Riggs.
Geo. S. Cooper. b. W. Beebe c. S. Rich
ards Geo. II. Judd. Chas. f. Myers. Geo.
Scharf. w. C. Downey, Geo. p. Tucker, e.
H. Parry, Jas, S. Raymond; BASES, Messrs.
John II. Nolan, Otto Luebkert. Charles F.
Roberts. VIM. a. Domer, Eugene f. Ste
vens, Louis w: Weaver G. Thos. Dunlop,
w. P. Kennedy, w. S. Sheetz, NJ. G.
Kains, f. II. Hoff. VIM. Houchen Andrew
Bradley Seats on sale at Columbia Thea
ter box Office
"A NIGHT OFF."-Unless something UNI
foreseen happens to prevent it, President
Mckinley will occupy a box at one of the
performances of "A Night OFF, to be given
at the Columbia Theater tomorrow and Sat
urday nights. The Carroll Institute Ora
matte Club Is to be the entertainer on this
occasion. and an excellence performance is
promised. The club has been rehearsing
the farce for number of weeks and so far
there has been no hitch in the arrangements
for the presentation at the Columbia.
NoRDICA CLUB CONCERT-The con-
cert Of the Nordica Mandolin and Guitar
Club. which will take place at the Ma
t.onal Rifles Hall tomorrow night prom
ises 10 be an event of considerable interest.
Inc Noruicd octet consists or ii. Brede-
camp, violin; w. T. Holt, Fl. S. Gamble,
w. Moreland, II. Lowe. W. Gilman, mando-
Inns; F. W. Rose, +. V. Dunston guitars
1t will be assisted by Miss Eta H. Aus
tin, soprano: Mr.. Jas. S. Hicks, baritone:
Mr.. Karl Holer. piano, and a mandolin
orchestra of thirty. under the direction of
Walter r. Holt. This concert will be ar
tistic in every respect and of special in
terest to lovers of mandolin and guitar
music.
II. and o. Weekend Country Excur-
sions Tickets sold Saturdays and Sundays,
for return until Monday following. at re-
duced rates from Washington to Charles
town. Frederick, Annapolis junction and in
termediate points.-Advt.
A Carriage Charity.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
Allow space to suggest a form of