Evening star., 1900-04-19
ANU SEMENTS.

THE HEATHERFIELD."-T conclud
ing performance of the course of modern
plays Tor the present season occurred yes
terday afternoon at the New National The
ater. In Its opportunities for acting THE
Heatherfield" is one of the best of the
series, although its philosophic intent is oh
scure. 1t is physical rather than psychic in
the impression 1t leaves. 1t is a study in
dementia-the gradual progress of the chief
character from mild monomania to abso-
lutte insanity being so far as an observer
VINO mas not been especially enlightened
might guess, the dominant theme Possibly
l's author intended 1t only as simple pic
ture OF home sorrow; the story of an
unhappy man with a great ambition and
fearful disappointment. Its simple can
DOR In portraying the man who hoped to
60 great Things by reclaiming the heather
iltld, ana who persists in the face of
MS friends advice and the protests Of his
pialh' practical wife until he becomes in
sane is a tacit rebuke to the conventional
ldealSm of the theater. There was no
heroine to rush forward when the world
was against him and declare that she would
remain by his side. On the contrary. the
ladies were unanimously of the opinion
that he ought to be locked up in an ASYLUM.
and his wife summoned the doctors for
that purpose There was triumphant
demonstration that the ambitious tolier vas
flsht; no frollcsome comedian to appear
the Gespised schemes to a successful CON
clusion 1t was only story of failure alb
JtctIy comp ete-the phase of life that peo-
pie ordinarily go to the theater to forget
IL onered an appetiZing contrast to the
usual dramatic menu. with It's systematic
courses of pathOs, comedy, intrigue and
rttrIDutlOn. number of people proceed to
live their lives on rigid lines each seeking
with conscientious obstinacy to fashion his
environment according to his own tempera
Hent, and the result is a pitiful crash into
chaos.
The pay was well acted. Mr.. John T
kcllard assumed the role of the man whose
genius is finally absorbed into madness
Miss Caroline Keeler was truthful To do
MeStic probability as the wife who objected
To riskiEg bread and butter for the sake Of
Splendid engineering schemes William
Humphrey made the part OF the loyaI
friend human, earnest and at the same time
wholly unassuming. and Mr.. Brandon Tinan
was excellent in a juvenile role. The entire
spirit of the piece was admirably sustained
IN its grim sincerity.
GEoRGETOWN MUSICAL CLUBS. -
Georgetown University proposes to carrv
out the most ambitious enterprise II has
ever undertaken in sending to Paris next
summer Its team of crack athletes Other
universities in America will send represen-
tatives. SO that the Paris contests will be
national as well as international. To raise
the money needed to send the boys abroad
a committee of alumni has been hard at
the result Of their labors In the entertain
nent given at the National Theater. The
rain prevented what would otherwise have
been great outpouring, yet the attendance
Was large and very friendly in its express
sions of appreciation The entertainers of
the evening We're the Glee, Mandolin and
Banjo clubs of Georgetown University SO
loists Of the university and the Carroll In
siitute Dramatic Association and Orchestra
Ihe program was in three sections the
nrst TWO consisting of musical selections
and the third of the performance of the
dramatic sketch, "1S71.'' by members of the
Carroll Institute Dramatic Club The mu-
seal part of the program comprised Sousa's
Man Behind the Gun" by the Carroll In
stitute Orchestra. followed by the Glee Club
In a medley of 1900. and the Mandolin Club
| with de Thieves "Andalusia." Mr. Philio
Scantling sang The Sweetest Dream OF
| All" and the Glee and Mandolin Clubs rem
| dered "Whistling Rufus" The Mandolins
| played selection from The Rounders'
Mr O'Gor,nan sang The Boy Guessed
| Right" and Mr.. George O'Connor tunefully