Evening star., 1900-10-16
AMUsEMENTs. A

tere sting to know the circumstances and
mental processes which evolved the title
ION the Quiet which Augustus Thomas
employs for his new play, in which William
Collier appears at the Columbia Theater
this week. 1t is one Of the worst titles that
have appeared on the program of a local
theater in long time. 1t is redolent of
slang and horse play, and Is altogether op-
ject1onable.
There is a certain morbid satisfaction In
assailing the title, for 1t is about the only
thing In the enterprise which affords leg1It-
mate grounds for complaint. AS bit of
transitory diversion, 1t gives satisfaction
every minute of the time. 1t is one Of the
most unpretentious bits Of work both as to
authorship and stage Interpretation that
could be imagined 1t is an old-faShioned
theme, young love and secret marriage, and
the characters are plain every day people.
There Is no CLINT of satin and clank of
mediaeval armature The only concession
made to the demand for aristocracy is the
introduction of a duke" and he proves
such good chap in the main that there is
no dlfnculty in accepting him one of the
real human beings whom MIR Thomas SO
thoroughly Delights to portray. The con-
Versatlon is suIncientiy varied in tone to
content the most restless mind. 1t ranges
from those terse bits of Emersonian phil
oSophy in which Thomas revels to the
NEST abrupt colloqulallSms; from classic
illusions to suggestions which are almost
too blunt to be pdlliated by the employment
or the adjective ''rlsque." There are mo-
hlentS Wnen 1t Is almost too human. There
Is no impression OF artlriciality In the play.
Some or Mr.. Collier speeches sound as If
he might be making them up as he goes
aiohs. Ihe principal charm of this come
ulan hes In the atmosphere of unStudied
Grollery which pervaGeS mis- work The part
OF Robert Ridgway is not one which calls
Tor any lofty histrionic endeavors. The
matter-of-fact young man is the hero Of
The hour' ana very wholesome and COM
palioAaDie aero. There are some scenes In
the pay which may have had serious pur-
port III the manuscript, but Mr.. Collier doe S
not risk disappointing patrons who have
palo TO iaugh, ny leaning overheard on the
paIhoS.
The scenic arrangements are all that the
plot could possibly suggest. The conServa-
tory In the first act, the bachelors apart
ments in the second, are both as lavlshly
represented as good taste could suggest.
As spectacular effect, the yacht scene
which closes the piece, is worthy of the
Hanlons. Louise Allen Collier acted the
principal feminine part in a way which
made her seem Il lady worth the winning.
Katharine Mulkins plays the part of the
young woman who has Unexpectedly fallen
III love with her husband very prettiy.
Charles b. Poor d comedy rector and
Cranley Douglass as the Duke of Carbon
dale both gave good bits of character work.
There was prolonged and enthusiastic
demand for Mr.. Coliier after the curtain
descended on the second act, to which he
was unable to respond, owing to the neces-
sity OF caring for slight bruise resulting
from chance encounter with piece OF
scenery, when he jumped out of the window
"On the Quiet" is distinctly to be com
mended a very brisk and invigOrating
specimen of high-class farce.
NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-Witha a
sumptuousness fully in accord with their
reputation of former years, Primrose and
Dockstader have again come to Washing
ton with their troupe of American MN
strels. The production at the New Ma
tiOnal Theater last evening entertained
almost to the point of Mysteries audience
that took possession OF the seating capacity
of the playhouse. The names Primrose and
Dockstader, are synonymous with high
class minstrelsy, and the public seems to
appreciate the fact. The show this season
embraces some features that are new, and
several, it must be admitted. that are old
friends. But the old turns are of such ex-
cellent texture and We're received so warm
ly by the audience that it would seem the
management displayed wisdom in retaining
them. The stage pictures are artistic and
most pleasing, the vocaliSts fill every want
in that line the comedians are uproa rious-
ly funny, and, all in ALL the show is q
thorough success. Primrose and Dock
stader say they present modern minstrelsy
as the public demand all in black face
Yellow and purple are the colors employ yed
in the effective first part all on the stage
with the exception of the end men, being
attired in yellow satin After an intro
ductory overture, with the assistance of
Johnny Whalen, the wizard of the baton
those composing the semi-circie begin cper-
ations. Charles Kent officiated as inter-
locutOr with Neil OBrien as bones and
Larry Dooley as tambo. Songs, scntimen-
tai and comic and jokes occupy the time
until the advent of George Primrose and
Lew Dockstader. Primrose made a hit with
'Goo-Goo Eyes, and Dockstader followed
with three new songs. The latter whiled
away the time between the first and the
second part with an amusing recital of his
summer experiences at "a hotel located in
a hollow, but run bluff" Larry
DoOley and Charles Kent, singing come
dians, opened the second part. and then
Dockstader was given the stage to impa--
senate several political personages. The
setting showed the platform Of Pullman
car He first appeared as President Nc
klnley and next as William j. Bryan In
the course of his dissertations, Docks tader
very effectively worked in a large number
of local hits Primrose introduced his dane
ing speciality by showing several beautiful
pictures, depicting the Sunny. Sunny
South and including morning, noon and
night on Mississippi bayou. and morn
ing, noon and night on a Tennessee cotton
field. The minstrel was ably assisted by
two chaps cOnfidentially introduced iy him
as little white boys BACKED up" Bogart
and OBrien, in their well-known musical
act scored heavily. OBrien's rendition of
"Oh, Lucy Lee" earning the limit of ap-
rlause. The Carl Damman troupe billed
az the greatest SSfnnaStS OF the closed
the entertainment to the satisfaction Of all
CHASE'S NEW GRAND Whatever
James Hyde gathers in the world of amuse-
ment and YIELDS into vaudeville ensemble
very rarely fails to be in keeping with his
trade mark of high standard. The current
brand Of Hyde's Comedians is no exception
to the rule as was readily attested yes
terday at the Grand, where two overflow
audiences expressed approval in a way that
must have been highly gratifying to the
artists across the lights. So rapidly do
vaudeville characters shift that Helene
Mora alone-she of the phenomenal voice
remains of the Hyde Comedians appearing
at the Grand a year ago to the day. For
mer clever acts are replaced by others lust
as clever. and several old favorites are seen
amid new environment The notable ad-
dition to the cast, of course Is Rose Cogh-
Ian. who made her initial appearance here
In vaudeville in Between Matinee and
Night" a sketch Of her own creation I'm
like most shooting stars from the legiti-
mate to vaudeville, Miss Coghlan does not
depend on her reputation gained In the
catered to in the latter. Her sketch is un-
doubtedly one of the strongest in vaude-
VILE, and tells a rather pathetic story. Miss
Coghlan's role is a familiar one with her and
she scored heavily. Louis Massen, as the
society man and father. acted fully I'D to
his standard a leading man, and Miss
Elizabeth French did well as the daughter
The reception rendered Helene Mora was