Evening star., 1901-07-09
ADJUSTMENTS.

-
his amusements In a more or less discr1m-
mating frame Of mind, Uncle Toms Cab
in." as presented by a stock company, Is
likely to be more Of an experience than
diversion. The performance at the La
fayette Square Opera House last night
brought the familiar figures Of the organi-
zation on in roles which represented very
marked departures from the society ladies
and gentlemen they have been accustomed
to portray. Robert Rogers played the part
Of the old oolored man who has been 30
often translated to glory in the last act,
amid such splendors as the scene painters
and calcium light people were able to de-
well to the front as Lawyer Marks, and
Louise Mcintosh as Aunt Ophelia managed
to say How shiftless!' with a variety Of
information which lent genuine humor to the
phrase. Uncle Tom was never intended
for a star play. The persistency with
which it is performed season after season
by hundreds Of unheard-of companies is
due to the fact that one or two people
can play several of the parts. with a little
industry, and that no one, unless it be
"Topsy." can come forward and demand
recognition as the sine qua non of the
show Minnie Radcliff played Eliza and
Edwin Arden was George Harris. The
fierce. unremitting pistol fire which Mr..
Arden poured on Lawyer Marks bullet
proof umbrella formed one Of the most
thrilling climaxes of the piece Louise VAL
entine played "Topsy" with rollicking in
defatigability. 1t was the ''Topsy with
specialties" that every well-regulated Uncle
Tom production is expected to provide Ny
ron LefflnGwell stepped into the amiable
role OF Phineas Fletcher and made an en-
tertaining character Of it, although Mr..
Leffingwells voice Is still several sizes too
man as Legree was picturesque and unre-
deemed villain. But the author has made
his role unduly loquacious. Bijou Fernan-
DEE played Classy" with handsome vim
dictiveness. Baby Lee was the Little
Eva" and she gave a very praiseworthy
performance. The chorus of Four-and-a-
Half street slaves sang with enthusiasm
1 he numerous types of human nature
brought forward by the play, and the in
finite variety of material it presents from
the recitative in which Little Eva begs
father to set Uncle Tom free, to the songs
and dances, gives the piece kaleidoscope
interest, which, however disjointed 1t may
be, cannot fail to hold attention. The
scenery has been the object of much con-
sideration, but there was no uniform effort
to secure the correct atmosphere of the
piece, either in costume or manner of
speech. Clothes Of an aggressively mod
ern style were worn, and dress-suit case
was fourished about the stage without
compunction. The mule and the bloodhound
were both very good.
CHASES THEATER-It was as Hot
Stuff in "A Black Sheep that Otis Harlan
called the attention of the public to the
AoSS SiAoI IhO supply VI SCCCHeii ~ SOiIiCuiibS
had just been Importantly increased. 1t Is
perhaps incorrect to describe Mr.. Harlan
as an eccentric comedian. He Is more a
natural humorist, whose own unfailing ami
NAL spirits keeps the stage from dullness
while he Is present, even though the situa-
tion be slight and the lines vaporous Mr.
Harlan minced, danced, wriggled and sang
songs about dusky sweethearts and board
ing houses to the unbounded delight of yes
terday's liberal patronage at Chase's Thea
ter. 1t was a stroke Of true enterprise to
put on farce comedy with some Of the
original people in the cast, and the manage
ment was fortunate in having this organi-
cation, with its large quota Of speciality
talent, handy and well rehearsed. The
company Is well costumed, with a beauty
contingent whose proportions are worthy Of
with vim and sprightliness. A Hoyt play
is one of the most elastic dramatic forms
ever invented. No one ever rises to COM
plain because an incident has been per-
verted or to protest against the garbling
of lines. This license has been utilized to
the utmost in "A Black Sheep" and the
result Is a wealth Of vaudeville display
quite sufficient to satisfy the ordinary pa
tron Of the polite, even in it's palmy days
of the regular season.
The specialties introduced In the three acts
were very entertaining. although not strik-
ingly new Otis Harlan brought forward
the songs introduced in his monologue
recently at the same house. but they scored
as well as ever. John Jess and the Fan
III
act, and the sisters repeated with good
effect in the last act. Little Chip is one of
the premier laugh-producers Of the COM
pany. He is built the Arthur Dunn
Johnny Page order. and his eccentric dane
Ing and singing captured the house. The
quartet singing was above the average, |
while the trio, Miss Mcneil and Messrs |
Wfseman and Andrada, sang the de !
Prago" most artistically and effectively.
Too much praise cannot be given the chorus
girls for the energy displayed in all they
had to do. Whether a song or a medley |
dance, they entered into their work with |
a spirit and abandon that added very ma
terially to the success Of the piece.
THE PALM GARDEN.-The feature of
the moving picture entertainment at the
Palm Garden this week Is one of the most |
extensive series yet exhibited portraying
a trip by water through the Pan-American
exposition grounds. So far as the eye is
concerned, it presents all the delights of
actual travel, with the advantage of free
dom from heat. dust. crowds and tedious
delays. The trip by picture gives a very
clear idea of the architectural beauties Of
the exposition. A number of other films
are shown, presenting scenes of adventure
and travel, together with the magic and
comic scenes which are always SO popular
with those who visit Cabin John.
EXCURSIONS.