Evening star., 1900-10-09


Guy Standing looked the part Of the man
who deserves nothing but gets everything
handsomely enough, and acted 1T with
ability. Joseph Wheelock, was, as he al
ways is, delightful in one of those roles
where every look and gesture count for so
much Throughout the cast of characters
there is little to complain of and much to
enjoy. Brother Officers as presented
last night, proved to be one of the most de-
Hghtful examples of what the American
stage can produce in the way of refined
drama that has been seen since Lord and
Lady Algy'' made the bill of the week a
season ago.
COLUMBIA THEATER.-A large audi
ence braved the threatening weather last
night to test the program of The Rose of
Persia, which, by any other name, would
smell as sweet. 1t is comic opera, for
Sir Arthur Sullivan wrote the music and r.
D'Oyly Carte produced it originally in Lon
don, whence this company comes. The book
is by Basil Hood, who has followed Gill
bertan traditions in a way almost academic,
but there is in the heart of the auditor a
vague longing for the touch of a vanished
hand. The production is staged in a Law
ish manner. but the Persian dress Is more
imposing than picturesque, and does not
lend itself to light and airy effects. Sew
eral Of the stage pictures, in their mock
solemnity, with characters turban-crowned
and scimtared, suggested ceremony Of
initiation into the Mystic Shrine The la
dies of the chorus were costumed in a man.
ner to delight the soul of Anthony Com
stock: veil swathed and altogether shape
less. They are ethnologcally and morally
correct. To say that THE Rose of Persia"
is reminiscent is both trite and true The
music is in Sir Arthur Sulivan's character
istic vein and some of the numbers are
charming. Il Care Not if the Cup l Hold"
" Meath Ny Lattice" and the finale of the
first act are gems. Joy and Sorrow"
which was heartily encored is full of life
and color. but is almost Identical both in
theme and music. with the Wedding Day"
niadrigal in the .'Mikado" The theme of
the opera is simple and the climax is long
delayed. 1t is approached in the true En-
glish spirit; one sees it in Punch. where a
small chapter of explanation precedes q
few words of joke. 1t has to do with one
Hassan, who has incurred the displeasure
of the sultan, and is threatened with de-
capitation. punishment. by the way,
which during the evening threatens nearly
every member of the cast. He is promised
his life so long as he can tell the sultan
tale that is interesting and has a happy
ending. He then tells the story of his life.
The idea is clever. The possibilities for hu-
morous situations and crisp action nu-
merous. but they are not employed to the
best possible advantage. John lie Hay as
Mad Hassan' is the typical English come
dian. His work is serious and worthy of
study. He found much favor with the au-
dience and displayed a capital singing
voice Sidney Bracey as "Jussuf' a pro-
feSsional story teller, sustains the leading
tenor role, but love-making in the Persian
costume is not fortunate; a young man is
handicapped in the matter of style when he
Is dressed in a long-tailed khaki blouse,
Astrachan cap and green satin surcingle.
Mr.. Bracey has a pleasing voice and sings
with good effect. but he Is rather light at
times. Chas. Angeles Sultan looks like
Buffalo BILL and he acts it about as Col.
Cody might. The resemblance was the
subject OF some comic sallies that were
much enjoyed by the audience Mrs Ruth
"a hn Sr1t 70 tC fn11 icl,
blonde, with the dignity of an Elaine. Amy
Martin as Dancing Sunbeam is lighter in
voice than in person. but is in the main
satisfactory. The choruses are well drilled.
but there is lack of color effects and
general brightness on which a comic opera.
80 much depends. The lack of fleShings is
also a serious omission. 1t is questionable
whether 1t would not be well to sacrifice
chronological accuracy and substitute con-
ventional comic opera toggery for the silk
en- baggy Persian Thought" On the
whole THE Rose of Persia is as like the
familiar Gilbert and Sullivan operas of the
golden past as ready-made suit resembles
a tailored achievement. 1t Is an interesting
production and carefully presented.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
Tony Sullivan in Mrs. b. O'Shapghnessy
(wash LADY," entertained good house last
night. His support was good, and there
was nothing in the farce comedy that sug
gested the vulgar Mrs. O'Shaughnessy
suddenly rose from the ups and downs OF
the wash tub by means of a $50 O{O inheri-
tance and left her alley house for swell 9Th
avenue apartments to please her daughters,
who were shocked at the mother carrying
with her the family washboard that had
been SO long in use. Severe was the dis
appointment to the daughters when they
failed to receive members of the four hun
dred and have invitations sent them to So
ciety events. Their mother. on the other
hand. was delighted and satisfied with in
vitations to the Mattress Makers ball and
the garbage gentlemen's'' excursion.
Thomas ]. Ryan, as Michael Casey wooed
and won Widow O'Shaughnessy in an anus
ing fashion, and al a time when the for
tune of $4,000 was supposed to have been
lost he bobbed up with a winning ticket
for $4,000, and saved the 5th avenue home.
Alice McAvoy as Daffodil Ann OShaugh-
messy and Dick McAvoy as Jimmy Dugan.
the original Hogan alley kids, were largely
in evidence throughout the play. Dick
McAvoy also appeared as Philander, the
colored house servant. Carrie Gebst and
Mabelle Harris. daughters of the wash.
lady performed their parts well. James
E. McDuff gave number OF limitations
which pleased, while several songs were
rendered by Edward NJ Ellis.
CHASE'S NEW GRAND.-Twenty-fi
people, a score Of dogs and q half-doZen
chattering monkeys make up the varied
amusement offered In this weeks bill at
Cbases New Grand. The standard set in
the Grand bookings has been of such
high order this season that the patrons of
the house do not wait to hear the COM
ments of their neighbors upon the charac
ter of the entertainment each week. The
present week there was double assurance
of a good bill from the fact that the book
ing is Fulgoras combinat ton of star vaude-
vilies, an organization we'll known all over
the circuit. While there is nothing start
ling or entirely new in the ten acts offered
all have more or less merit and at least
One-half makes good entertainment. Be
ginning with a pair of unusually clever bi-
cycle riders the program leads through some
clear-cut, sweet-toned whistling by Miss
Edna Collins, a "rip-roaring one-act farce"
as they say on the bill, bit of imported
dancing, a rather remarkable exchange Of
human beings, some comcal black-art mu-
sic, comic sketch with laughable eccen-
tricity in acrobatics, q character study in
one-act playlet an ambitious banjo perform
ance in duet, and concludes with a dog
and monkey circus. the inevitable animal
act. Separating the wheat from the chaff
In this wide-ranged assortment, the work
OF Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur Sidman probably
stands out pre-eminent. Mr.. Sidman is one
OF the best country characters at present
in vaudeville. His sketch for the first three
days of this week is Back Home" The
sketch means nothing and might go by any
other name. 1t is named. however merely
for the purpose of taking Mr.. Sidmans act
from the monologue class and to still give