Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-30

wnich relieved her from the necessity OF
which marks THE Singing Girl will COM
mend 1t to the serious mind, while the
comedy. although artificially introduced, is
liberal and effective.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
The Lafayette this week offers a novel and
interesting attraction in the engagement OF
actor, and Sada Yacco, who is presented as
the leading emotional actress of the flow
cry Kingdom, accompanied by dramatic
students from the Kawakami Theater.
Tokyo Probably the greatest portion of
the audience last night was animated with
the spirit of the small boy, who sampled
everything in the pantry to see how it
tasted. The standards of the western world
cannot be applied to the drama Of the
orient. They differ in essentials. A taste
for the Japanese article cannot prop
erly be acquired in an evening. The
offering last night was a triple bill The
first number. curtain-raiser entitled "Zin-
goro, An Earnest Statue Maker" is Jap
anese version of "Pygmalion and Galatea,"
In which the statue maker falls in love
with his figure of a dancing girl. He brings
her to life by placing a mirror in the folds
of her kimono, next her heart, for there Is
an old japanese saying that the mirror ia
the regular orchestra of the theater the
house was darkened and at the sound of
two sticks slapped together the curtain
arose on blackness; another slap of the
StiChS anu lHc lOotilBulS udSleu upon Tic
studio of a model maker. Then the native
orchestra took hand and furnished the in
cidental music To unaccustomed ears it
was not soothing. There seemed to be
lack of harmony among the musicians:
spirit of individual disregard for general
tempo and tune. "Incidental' cannot be
correctly applied to Japanese orchestral mu-
sic, for it continues during the entire per-
fCrmance with vocal accompaniment,
which would be very confusing If one could
understand the actors words and were try
ing to follow his lines.
Madam Yacco sustained the part Of
"Geisha," the statue. She was gowned in
cherry silk, executed a bewitching dance,
and was as dainty as gauze fan. The sec
ond number Of the program. 1.-The Royal
iSt," is a characteristic Japanese historical
play, or rather series Of historic episodes
of the old feudal Daimio days. Mr.. Kawa-
kami as Takanorf, brave and loyal knight,
endeavors to rescue the Mikado, who is be-
ing hurried into exile by his enemies. AT
the last moment Takanori is deserted by
his followers and is set upon by a party Of
revolutionists. Mr.. Kawakami is large for
Japanese, and his sword play. wherein he
engages half a dozen Of his antagonists at
one time, Is the intensity Of action. The
blades are long and keen and are welded
with both hands with such force that the
sparks fly thick and fast. Straight blows
at the head are skillfully parted and re-
turned vigorously. Swords are broken, and
a hand-to-hand encounter takes place be-
tween the knight and his only remaining
Zoe. AltcT d ueSpeTdlt StIuS6ie, III WHICH
Takanori is nearly strangled, he gets
neck hold on his opponent, and in flash
sends him whirling over his shoulder and
lands him on his back several feet away.
A Japanese stage fight is a bit Of realism.
compared with which the up-and-three-
down combat of our theaters is a poor and
soulless thing. The entertainment con-
cluded with a love romance styled 1.-The
Geisha and the Knight" in which de-
serted geisha follows her faithless lover.
who is fleeing with her rival to Buddhist
temple, where she dances for the monks,
demolishes her rival and finally dies in her
lovers arms to slow but discordant music.
The Monaghan ideal Of feminine beauty is
a facial expression of utter vacuity. Madam
Yacco. as the geisha. demonstrated her
artistic skill in this regard for beneath her
doll-like countenance one could trace the
play of hate rage and despair, although
there was scarcely percepuble movement
Of the features.
The fact that the whole world is kin was
shown several times during the evening.
The comedian, with drawn sword, made
heroic entrance and executed comic fall.
Two characters were not aware Of each
others presence until they bumped together
in the middle of the stage, and disrobing
scene was threatened when the geisha girl
discarded her red kimono for blue one be-
meath. To the student the performance Is a
delight. Its novelty should attract the
curious, and the environment of tea houses
and cherry blossoms, geisha girls and noble
men with flashing blades should commend
II 10 the lovers OIL lne TOUldHllC III diiid II
is as genuine and picturesque as the art
of Japan is esthetic and IDEAL
COLUMBIA THEATER-"A man can
explain anything If you only give him time
enough is the caution which the wary
aunt in why Smith Left Home" gives the
young wife when her husband tries to ex-
plain away kissing the maid In that act
he is caught by the aunt, the Wife
and the whole family. But it must not
be thought that this was the, reason why
Smith left home. In fact, the real rea-
son is not disclosed until the last act, when
1t is found to be a creditable one. The au-
ditors are kept guessing from the outset as
to the animating motive for the departure
of Smith from his own freside. In the first
act one thinks that Smith is furnished am
pie ground for flight, when his wife's war
horse of an aunt and her henpecked hus-
band arrive, followed Immediately by her
brother and his new bride, fresh from the
vaudeville This happens to Smith and his
wife after they have spent six months Of
their honeymoon under the roof with a
maiden sister of the groom, who is paying
a prolonged visit. But even this does not
precipitate the departure of Smith. 1t does,
however, set in motion a train Of troubles
and furnishes material for the farcical situ-
atlOns which go to make uD what the au-
thor calls "gleeful plentitude." Although
the humor of the piece is boisterous in
parts, it served to amuse a good-siZed au-
dience last night and brought some hearty
laughs, thanks to the creditable manner in
which some of the people worked up the
material at. their disposal Maclyn Ar
buckle as Mr.. Smith was very much in evil
dence throughout the play His facial ex-
preston and clever manner carried him
over some thin skating in the lines, and
he did not remain long on the stage with
out causing laugh. Mrs. Annie Yeamans,
as Lavinia DAILY, Queen of the Cook lad es'
Union made the hit of the evening She
was irresistibly droll as the quaint Irish
cook who ruled the household, and it is a
pity the author does not bring her in Of
| tener than she appears Miss Anita Bridger
as Julia, the maid who was kissed by mis-
take, Is as demure as daisy and touches
the master for hush money in most ar
tistic fashion. The other members of the
cast perform their work creditably
| ACADEMY OF MUSIC - The musical
farce comedy, "A Wise Guy" is the slang
| fully christened attraction at the Academy
| of Music this week, and If merit is appre-
| ciated large audiences will be in attendance
| throughout the week. AS usual with a
| farce comedy, there is nothing extraordi-
| nary connected with "a Wise Guy" in the
| way of a plot, but the story that runs
| through the three acts is plausible and in
| terestingly interpreted Edward Hayes
| who plays the star part, that of a piano
| mover. is persuaded to take the part of an
| actress father so as to help her win the
| hand of a bogus English lord who is sup
| posed to have plenty Of money in addition
! to his title. The fun comes from the trans
| formation of an IDc0uth horer into CO.