Evening star., 1901-12-14

' z|.,'sS
Nell Gwynne mistress of King Charles;
Nine. Du Barry. mistress Of King Louis.
and the dancing girl mistress of the Duke
Of Guisebury-these were the heroines OF
the week at the Washington theaters. The
public was liberal in its patronage and
there was no disposition to object to the
characters whom play patrons were called
upon to admire.
The Du Barry play. after many postpone
ments, was brought out on Thursday night.
The performance started before o'clock
and ran until after midnight. and yet it was
difficult for the observer from the front
to point out what material might wisely be
sacrificed. for the play is interesting from
beginning to end. 1t is unfortunate that
the people who conquer in the battles of
everyday life. who triumph obscurely over
the adverse conditions of existence, cannot
be made successful heroes OF heroines. The
Tribys. the Zazas and the SaphOs have
been exploited until the public might be ex-
pected to grow weary of the so-called out
casts of society" But Du Barry is
the greatest triumph Of recent times.
The play is deliberate falsihcation
OF truth so far as the character of
the heroine is concerned. but 1t is
cleverly done 1t is untruthful to its
subject as IF Were King was in It's por
trayal Of Villon, but 1t made the kind of
impression that the management sought.
and left the auditor content. The local as
well as the artistic interest in Mistress
Nell'' was very strong. and the performance
fr,IET raI al .hO
cerning it. "The Chaperons'' entertained a
goodly number of people 1t plays in Bal
timore next week. Harry Conor will take
a place in The chaperons." The hits of
the piece are Marie Cahill and Eva Tan
quay. Cahill Is one OF the reliable quanti-
ties In this field, but Tanquay Is a new
conner. She Is the best rough soubrette OF
the day. Mr.. Perley expects to take the
company into New York after the Baltf-
more week Walter Jones scored point
on Wednesday night that demonstrated
share of ready repartee for which the musi-
cal comedy entertainer Is not ordinarily
credited. In his scene with Marie Cahill. he
exclaimed, "Ah. Madame Du Barry Where
have you been for the last three nights
The allusiou to the delays In the Carter
production won hearty laugh. His auto
mobile joke. in which he refers to the ma
chine an ought to-know- better" was es-
tablished by some practical joker on Thurs
day night, who procured toy automobile,
and set 1t in motion across the stage when
the comedian gave utterance to the COM
plicated pun.
Mrs. Carter is credited with a ready wit
which saved the scene in which she strikes
her wounded lover and renders him uncon-
scious. SO that she can conceal him from
the king. who Is demanding admittance
It is the scene which represents the lavish
ly furnished apartment OF Du Barry a
scene which must have cut very consid-
cradle figure in the enormous sum total
given as the cost OF the production. In
stead of falling on the en-thousand-dollar
bed, where Du Barry was to conceal him
by throwing twenty-five hundred 4 ollar
coverlet over him, the lover fell with a
crash TO one side. smashing Si.15S.64 worth
OF furniture In his descent. But Mr. Be
lasco, who was standing In the wings, did
not care for the furniture. The speech pre-
pared for this scene was rendered map
propriate by the accident.
The eminent stage manager groaDed
The company turned white.
The supernumeraries shuddered.
But Mrs. Carter never paused She made
up some talk of her own. which answered
every purpose and the act proceeded to a
conclusion which brought forth an ovation
from the audience.
The coming OF Andrew Mack In a new
drema Of the biographical school revives
pleasant memories OF a much beloved poet
Tom Moore songs have been sung In
every language The fact that this poetic
as We'll picturesque character in Ire
lands history has never before been placed
upon the stage gives cause for wonder now
that it has happened, and anecdotes of his
early life and struggle for fame are fire.
Quent Moore was more than poet He
could express his thoughts In melodies that
have lived a century and he was the idol
Of the London drawing rooms in the latter
days Of George Ill The late N. P. Willis
OF New York. who wrote his charming
'Penciling IN Europe" described an even
irg party at Lady Blessington's In London,
where he met Moore. After dinner went
Up to coffee. and Moore, frightened over
his cafe. went glitteringly on with criti-
cisms on Grisi. Pasta and other Of the
choral goddesses now ravishing the world
This introduced music very naturally and
with good deal OF difficulty he was taken
TO the piano. Its effect Is only equaled
by the beauty Of his own words, and for
one, could have taken him into my heart
with delight. He makes no attempt at mu-
sic. 1t Is kind OF admirable recitatiye
In which every shade Of thought is syl-
Tabled and dwelt upon. and the sentiment
OF the song goes through your blood warm
Ing you 10 the very eyelids, and starting
your tears, IL you have soul or sense In
you have heard Of women faintins at
song OF Moore's. and Il the burden Of 1t
answered by chance to a secret in the
bosom OF the listener I should think from
its effect upon so old stager as myself.
that the heart would break with it. We
all sat around the piano and after two or
three songs OF Lady BIessIngton's choice
he rambled over the keys awhile and sang
When First Net Thee Warm and Young
with a pathos that no description can con-
vey When the last words had faltered out
he arose. and taking Lady BIS hand, said
Good night and was gone before q word
was~uttered. For q few seconds after he
had closed the door no one spoke. could
have wished for myself to have dropped
silently asleep where sat, with the tears
in my eyes and the softness upon my
heart"
Couege-bred men are comparatively rare