The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-26
The Acndemy-~Bowery After Dark

The Academy-.BOwery After Dark
Could Chuck Connors have witnessed
The Bowery After Dark as produced at
the Academy of Music last night by the
Harris & Sullivan company, headed by
the strenuous Terence McGovern. the
much Photographed Mayor of China
town would never return TO the place
where they say such things and do such
things"
Strangely enough, the star is the shin
ing light of the play, and while knocking
down the villain six times in each five
minutes may not be classed as acting
by those who love the old school, the
Brooklyn wonder was always on hand
when a punch was needed and happily
the show is saved a prompter. The pro-
duction is melodrama with a vengeance,
and to those who can remember the joy
and the thrills of The Streets of New
York" and Messenger Boy 40 the at
traction will furnish three hours of solid
pleasure.
II is doubtful if the Academy of Music
has ever held such a large audience as
that which greeted the whirlwind boxer
last night. Standing room was valuable
enough to fight for and there We're those
who battIed for it. 1t was a real old
balcony and gallery. with sprinkling of
the sporty element in the orchestra and
some society folk in the boxes. Terry
had but to appear on the stage to loosen
bedlam. and the modest gladiator found it
hard work to get his lines sandwiched in
between the bowls Of ecstacy and screams
of delight. His was always the centre of
the stage and when the tumult subsidized
he was permitted to say: "Ah. gwan now,
do as | tell yer, or I'll give y somethin.
Whether he smote the villain or not. the
effect was the same, and five more min
utes of mad worship followed.
The play IS the average alleged EXPOSE
ton OF New York's Chinatown, with sew
sral of the most evil-minded personages
imaginable thrown in. The villain is not
content to smoke cigarettes and utter
curses. but with little provocation sells
his wife to a Monaghan, strangles his
own child. stabs the hero seven times by
actual count, and endeavors to lure all
his friends into snakepit. Fortunately
the snake pit scene was not produced last
night, although on the programme, but
such a surfeit of bloody things was there
that a small item like this was not
missed.
In brief, the eminent Mr. McGovern is
always on hand to foil the plotters
against the heroine. 1t is his hand that
prevents the deadly dagger from doing
its evil work, and his strong arm sees to
II that when any two members Of the
ended without harm to either. The
author of the production has catered to
Terry and the public. and both evidently
get vast amount of pleasure out of 1t.
As great moral play the four acts
have few strange features introduced
into them. In the first a climax Is pro-
duced and the Monaghan thugs foiled
by the production of a cross in an opium
joint. and later on some time is devoted
to an explanation of the differences be-
tween the true God and all other gods.
This section is madly applauded by the
gallery.
The play is worth seeing. if only to
witness the one great climax, the bout in
the Broadway Athletic Club. This comes
as near being the real thing as the law
will allow. and Jack Donahae Terry's
sparriug partner, is forced to take some
hard knocks while defending himself
The usual lrishman. Hebrew, and Ger
man characters are brought into the
piece. and all are good, while the villain
is the most yillainous parsonage on the
stage. The scenic effects are good, and
on the whole. the production is much
ahead of the average plot written around
a successful fighter. Matinees today,
Thursday, and Saturday.