Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-23

| His judicial catechising Of the bird, who
makes answers through an understudy be-
hind the scenes is one of the amusing things
OF the production. The money was really
| stolen by one OF a band of strolling play
ers, ''Kimono.' a dminutive japanese Jug
gler. played by Adolph link. who is a KEEP
| tomaniac The gold is finally discovered in
the valise of the redoubtable "Quiller," who
| when the discovery is made, ponderously
| discloses the fact that he knew it all along.
| He then snaps handouts on his own wrists
| and delivers himself into his own custody
| with an injunction to his henchmen to
guard him well and to shoot him If he at
| tempts to escape. 1t is altogether quaint
| and cleverly- handled conceit. Mr.. Smith
| has written some dainty and effective Tyr
| les. and the book throughout is intelligent
| and has decidedly substantial qualities. The
waltz movement in the first act, duet be-
| tween "Royster' and Daphne" is one of
| the gems and the song of the sword in the
last act has much of the vigor of the ar
| morer's song in Robin Hood" both in
| words and music. Sig. De Novellis of the
magic wand handled his musicians in
mastery manner, and throughout the en-
tire production there was not a hitch or
break noticeable.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
To fill a place which eminent critics and
observers claim has long been begging
and offering golden opportunities in this
city. a stock company has been formed
and placed on plane commanding i'm
mediate and admiring attention. This en-
terprise, which promises so much for the
present and future theatrical seasons of
Washington. was inaugurated last evening
at the, Lafayette Square Opera House
when the stock company managed by Fred
| erick G. Berger, with Blanche Bates, gave
truly magnificent production of 1.-The
! Masqueraders,' one of the most powerful
and successful of Henry Arthur Jones' COM
| edy-dramas. The preliminary announce
ments concerning the Lafayette Square
| Stock Company had been modest in tone
| and not a single boisterous method had
been employed. The management depended
| much upon the well-known names of those
announced In the cast to attract the atten-
| ton and interest of the people Thus 1t was
| that while those present last evening ex-
| pected to see much individual work that
| was excellent. it may in truth be stated
| the audience was utterly astonished and
| fairly swept from it's feet by the splendid
character of the performance. Mounted in
| manner extraordinarily lavish the stage
| sets for each of the four acts brought out
waves of applause with the rise of the cur
tain; the costumes were nothing short of
brilliant and the general tone of the pro-
duct1on, 1t is not going too far to state,
was suggestive throughout of the Empire
Iheater Company. regarded everywhere as
the criterion of stock organiZa tons. Mr..
Berger has reached high-hgher than his
| best wishers even had imagined-and the
result Is a company of which the capital
CITY may well pe PROUD ana winch tnefe
seems to have opened a wide avenue of
success the way being paved with rare OPP
portunity. Mr.. Berger's idea, as he stated
last evening, Is to build up permanent in
st1tution second to none of like character
in the country. Il would not fear" he
| said, ito take this production as given to-
night to the best playhouse in New York,
| and at increased rather than regular prices
cast its lot with the best attractions the
metropolis Affords" 1t seemed that well
he might, for if there was anything to be
desired in the performance 1t was not ap-
parent to the lay or trained eye.
The audience last night was pretty pic
ture In itself, the theater being filled with
public both refined and appreciative
No one present. however, could have known
by anything done upon the stage that 1t
was first night, the suspicious beginning
of what appears to be a fixed and enjoyable
feature of Washington theatricals Far
from there being any nervousness, the per-
Torrance was marked by an artistic finish
which called forth unanimous and spontane-
Gus approved 1t was interesting indeed to
watch the work of the players grow upon
the audience as the play went on. At the
close of the thrilling third act the applause
burst forth in unrestraned tumut. 1t was
tribute gladly paid and thoroughly merit
ed Naturally the interest centered in and
about Blanche Bates, Eugene Ormonde and
John 7. Sullivan. who were cast for the
three principal figures. Miss Bates as 'Du.-
Gle Laronde," Mr.. Ormonde as David Re
mon" and Mr. Sullivan as Sir Brice" Miss
Bates has long been a great favorite in
this city. Her work here has always at
tracted admiration, and the more oppor-
tunity that is given her the better pleased
her audience. In "The Masuueraders'' she
has an almost unlimited field and plays right
up to every bit of it. She seemed to live
the part and entered into it's many phases
with enthusiasm and her well known abil-
1ty for naturalness. Mr.. Ormonde is new
to Neutrality-suspicious., but his work at once
drew to him the unstnted praise of all
those present. Mr.. Sullivan is known to
the stage of the country a character
actor of power AS Sir Brice he has
a part which calls for his best efforts and
they We're given by him last evening. There
is long list of others calling for deserved
attention. including an auxiliary force of
well known Washington emi-professionals,
all Of whom were at their best every min
ute, and who contributed no small share to
the uniformity and general brillancy. The
production was a credit to Walter Clarke
Bellows, who is director of the company.
NEW NATIONAL observation-disclosures
Are Trumps." a romantic meodrama of the
English school is at the National this week
Considered with view to elaborate detail.
fine scenery and careful working out of
dramatic effect, it is one of the best plays
of It's kind ever produced in this city. The
play is modelled on sort of duplex dra-
matte plan. There is side play which pre-
sents d performance at a London music
hall, with the drama tbs perSOnae of the real
play for the audience which filled a good
sized auditorium extending to the back of
the stage. There are two villains, those
most important characters in all genuine
melodramas, and plethora of heroes and
heroineS of more or less prominence. The
story IS laid in England, with ramifcations
extending to Italy and Australia. An old
English lords daughter secretly marries a
man her father dislikes. The wicked old
earl separates the devoted pair and bundles
the husband off to Australia, telling the
wife that he had been deported for crime
A child born Of this union IS introduced 10
her society friends by the mother as an
adopted daughter Around this daughter
about whom there is always certain air
of mystery the play revolves. The husband
reaches Australia, where he joins a brother
and dies In wretchedness and poverty in the
bush while the two are searching for gold.
Casual remarks dropped from time to time
by the wronged husband leads the brother
to think the earl's daughter responsible for
the Punishment and consequent death of
the husband. This brother-Michael VAIN
finally makes fortune and returns to Eng
land. full of the purpose to wreak VEN
geance the entire family whom he re-