The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-25
PLAYS FOR THE P0PULACE.
A VERY DEJIL or 4 PfLLdIN Nv
ann kING or ROGCEs.'

II. Carries u Deadly viper and Gives It to
nm. yic,,m. In tn. Ncck-A Iarcr That
T,cLIes Vaudeville Audiences Dogs Play
TIM. Tint They Don't Like Much.
"Tho King Of Roques' IL n new mclodrama
n, the Star Theatre. Tho authors name is
grhbeld from the programmc. yet he has little
reason 10 bo ashamed Of his work. He has hit
the mark tina, he aimed at. His piece IL tho
right thIng for tho right audiences. IL
shows familiar characters In situations
tina, are in some cases unusual. The story
IA tho common one OF a murderer who
bns stolen diamonds. IL seeking some valuable
manor has a rair Of comic accomplices. IL
sbadowed by wronged woman, and Is foiled
nj every drop OF the curtain. This rogue.
,hough. is not the ordinary article. He has
,jen- Of his own. Thus he does not kill
with tho long knife that glittcrs IN the noon
light nor Is he old-fashioned enough TO
shoot his victims with a pistol. He simply
gives II to them. oddly. In the neck. He carries
I'm his yest pocket, where some men conceal
offensive but not deadly silver toothpicks. a
reptile whose sting causes immediate death.
The villains ingenuity does not end there.
however. At some time in his life he has prob
ably done a turn In q continuous show. for he
makes quick changes. appearing as no less
than six respectable persons and himself.
The DISCUSSES deceive every one except the
wronged woman. vino has q habit OF denounc-
ing him In q very loud voice. The
effect OF these exposures Is heightened by a
calcium light and the applause OF a sympa-
thetic audience. Perhaps the most unconven-
tIonal. not TO say thrilling. scene comes in the
third act. The king Of roeues has been
trained IN IN The hi hi, h'e GEN. } SaSns 81 a T fsnsan%s
III s'y and It walks tH sns 81 iC ais I" ssS a as Il. ~" .ie, iho
more secrets Q, the theatre are 'di.
vplsed. The murderer goes among the police.
all but not the wronsed woman. who. like
Sherlock Holmes. cannot be deceived. She
makes things lively and keeps the plot moving;
OF the play is in the fourth act. The scene Is
q Canvas 6 s;f:: and and. The M baet {. Of I'll. The
This huge umsplecs seems to mark
the hours exceliently. though i has no works.
unless they are pp the front Q I,,d Ho ~ sncb s s,as y !;
the stage. which has to be reached by a adder.
The hero goes up on one and decides 10
spsfy throw, ine R,s dow snI the l SdRfPsa 30 ah %s he fneS csn:
not descend. His dramatic instinct, has prob.
ably told him that the canvas bells mean
something dark and dire; Ths sexton o lortall;
in the fal blaze q the calcium;
I soon happens, The villain and
hlsh place, They wranglss a little and are
soon discovered by the wronged woman She
has had her life threatened so many times and
in such various ways that she seems TO Ike IT.
1t has grown on her. The. wicked trio no
sooner sse her than they begin to talk again
Of killing her. The king OF rogues has changed
reptile. SO he and his pals tie her to a canvas
bell. When the hour strikes the great %clapper
will come down, upon her with deadly force.
After q few heroics. spoken with a snre aim at
the gallery. abe resorts toscreams. This wakens
the hero. who has fallen asleep on the opposite
shelf. With more common sense than origl-
nality he swings across on a convenient rome,
knocks down the villains and rescues the girl
lust as the mighty bell rings forth. Picture!
short farce. new at Keith's. is evidence OF
The reformation OF twos specialists, They have
been familiars for a long time In sketches Of
the old.tims variety show sort. and they
changed Jokes and songs at long intervals.
Now they have an entirely fresh medium that
they hired an expert to write for them. Be-
cause OF this enterprise the former team
name Of Leroy and Clayton is heightened in
the bills by the addition OF their first names.
the title Of the sketch and the assertion that II
is the Legitimate Irish comedy" 1t isn't
that. but 1t is an advance on the ordinary thing.
An indlscreet matron has INVITED an actor TO
call on her after the play. Unknown 10 her no
is lugeed in hel!lessly drunk by an IRISH cab;
driver Who il a passenger is, intoxicated
takes all he's got. He drags the drunken man
to bedroom and drops him or, a bel. Then
provided for her visitor. As he stufs himself
with food aud says Of the champagne that he'd
rather have what comes at 10 cents a pail. she
woos him. Several times he seems about to
surrender to. her Establishments, but each
time she addresses him by the actors
first name. Percy. and the, hackman'. Irish
lice, The hackman drags the drunken actor
e. the front. change. hats ana coats a9t makes
stricken look. as she discovers his identity. les
her chance. to pointa strong mora. Ifshe isn't
a. asite Is s1 .hs s K snf' Is 1 IIssIy to nf hsse m ns ma h9y
iihIs winter Hogan 81 he Hanson is i;
a specialist, adds oncto his considerable string
of like achievements,
A dozen Scotch collies are q novelty at Proc
tors Palace. As they are disclosed. each IL
seated In a chair behind what looks like q
school desk, but turns out to be counterfeit
cabinet organ. Each has but one tone, and
there are enough Of them TO cover Tho Blue
Bells Of Scotland" In the progress OF the
tune It is shown that the musical talent has
Dcen developed uneVtnIy. All inc uOVS tnht
play the higher notes respond promptly. A PAW
Is put forward, the key ia pressed and tho
brute settles back composedly to await the
next need Of him. At the other end
OF the line are two players averse TO keeping
time. One has repeatedly to make his tone twice
in succession. He does II quickly to get the
Job of his hands. or paws, and then winks and
runs his tongue out at the. piano player, who
rests during this inning. The other indepen-
dent musician has tho lowest tone Of all, IL
looks as II he doesn't like it. He make no
preparation as do the other dogs. and after q
long delay touches his Instrument as II h" fears
thar It may explode Even the others appear
10 take more satisfaction out OF standing on
their hind legs than they DO out OF their organ
playing. One Jumps on a tightly
Stretched wire and balances there on
his hind legs. Three Others stand before
heir trainer and take turns in jumping over
the SIX pplng rope he swings. each making two
JnmIs before giving way to q fellow. Four of
them stand erect on their hind paws, facing the
audience. Beside them their master swings
his loop OF rope. and a. II passes near the floor
dogs and man Jump over II. keeping the exer.
else up in okip-rOpo fashion. This is followed
ty a performance OF that standard drama for
dogs ln which q fire engine drawn and man
aged by dogs responds % al. alarm. A ladder Is
raised, q cog runs up a ladder. brings out an
infant, drops on the floor and would appear as
dead but that bis nose itchcs, A woe-beRono
collie In q black gown represents the widow
and mourns over the uneasy dead fireman.