Evening star., 1901-11-23

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''Oh. tell me. pretty maiden are there
any more at home like you?" There are
few. kind sir''-but here the melody be-
comes elusive. The memory wanders into
the realms of the cherished but impalpable,
and the proprietor, chief clerk, salesman,
messenger boy and all the rest of them
who have been whistIng the tune softly
are forced to break off and descant upon
the beauties meIodic and physical. of the
double sextet. Ii is upon this number
which. on a first hearing. the entire charm
of the operetta appears to rest. The story
is not especially bright, but the rhymes are
tricky and beguiiing. The chorus looks as
if the work of organizing 'Florodora" COM
panies had been pursued SO industriously
that the supply of good looks for chorus
purposes became exhausted IT is some
thing over year since 'FIorodora" i'm
pressed itself a musical hit, and this is
Washington's first opportunity to see the
show. This is what one gets for living in
the provinces There was naturally a
great deal of bottled enthusiasm and Man
ayers Luckett and Dwyer. who are nothing
if not obliging. resolved to accommodate
that portion of The theater- going public
that most eniovs an entertainment when it
costs s. per seat. theatrical entertain
ment is essentially a matter of impression.
There are few people who do not regard
the cost of anything as more or less in
dication of its merit. and when the host of
maximum tariff he feels that he has done
his best. and that the only thing remaining
is for him to do his best to get his moneys
worth of enjoyment. When the payment of
81 a seat becomes familiar proposition.
and the prospective auditor longs for new
imaginative stimulus. We may have ticket
SPECTATORS imported from New York so as
TO make us feel thoroughly metropolitan.
''FiOrOdOra's' general merits do not cut
much figure now. The double sextet has
made itself an international institution and
there is no serious objection TO sitting
through the rest of the piece for the sake
Of that particular number. The personnel
of a "Florodora" company does not seem
10 be a consideration of much moment. All
that is necessary is the title and the double
sextet to enable almost any aggregation to
plow its way through the country under
an avalanche of money amid reverbera-
tions of applause.
Measured by the cost of production to the
management, there was even less excuse for
"Beaucaire's'' charge of 81 for best seats
than for 'Florodora's" Mr.. Mansfield is
the sole attraction of the entertainment now
making progress under his administration.
But if Joseph jefferson is entitled to main
tain this scale of prices. there should be no
discrimination against Mr.. Mansfield as
there is very little choice in the quality of
their supporting companies. The troop of
underlings who are proceeding to artistic
ignominy under the "Beaucaire' banner are
entitled to sympathy as well as remon-
STRANGE.
They are not individually culpable; merely
out of place. AS the autocrat of his COM
pany Mr. Mansfield must be held response
BIZ for their selection and for their meth
eds Yet there is in Mansfeld's perform
anCe Of the title role the charm which al
ways attaches to intellectual polish His act
ing is perfect of its kind. though always of
the head rather than of the heart If the
gossip of the stage is to be believed, he re-
serves his emotions for personal and in
formal demonstrations. 1t has often been
noted that the weaknesses of the great are
more interesting TO the public than their
exceilences. And the same rule makes any
lapSes from an ideal standard more notable
in a conspicuous theatrical than a PLAYER
of less lofty repute. No actor has been the
subject of more Incorporate laudation and
more undeserved blame than Mr. Mans
field Any discussion of his artistic quality
Is sure to array factions in controversy.
Plainly. his horoscope IS dominated by
belligerent planet.
NJ Ia 4.
ent to his business associations as to the
artistic assistance he requires on the stage
A NJ Palmer whose reputation as a man
ager is scarcely less than that of Mr.. Mans
field as an actor. does heroic service in
combating any intimations that his star
ever suffers the ordinary vicissitudes of a
career, and lapses from the highest stand
ara OF excellence Henry Irving EMPLOYS
Bran Stoker. a man of recognized literary
attachments, to keep the public duly in
formed Of his enterprises. and Mr. Mansfield
retains Paul Wistach who has made his
impress as magazine contributor and as A
dramatist. in a similar capacity. Mr.. VIII
stach's Capitol Comedy" the material for
which was collected during his residence in
this city, has proved a substantial success
in Tim Murphy's hands. 1t is too much to
hope that Mr.. Mansfield would have the
fortune TO import a "Cyrano de Beryerac,'
Tor every season. The First Violin was n
melancholy contrast to that masterpiece
ana Beaucaire." whatever its beauties NAV
De as comedy of manners, does not in
any sense compare with 1t. Yet the stage
and the public owe far more to Mr.. Mans
HELD Tor producing these new plays than II
would IL ne had been content to resign him
SELF to an unvarying repertoire selected
from his list of distinguished succaS.a.
Mr. Mansfield may do some things rather
badly. But he does things.
The Bellows Stock Company deived into
the past and brought forward .'The Two
Orphans" The performance of an o,,,
melodrama by force of modern actors is
likely to jar the sternly critical sense; but
the Lafayette production OF the good, old
play presented many points of merit. and
gave popular satisfaction Chase's Thea
Ter patrons this week bid farewell TO
the season Of Hoyt comedy aud will wei
come a. resumption Of polite vaudeville