Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-01-06
PLETHORA Of STARS.
SUCH A GALAXY OF THEM NEVER
BEFORE WITNESSED IN THE
METROPOLIS.
"THE BURGOMASTER" GOWN.
did Piece of Acting and Her
Work Was an Original Rendering
of the Chnracter-Other Successes
in New York,

Special to the Register.
NEW YORK, January 5.-The first
nighters have been non.piussed this
week Be it understood that The
'hrs.-righter" who has any respect
for his reputation would sooner suffer
the tortures of West Point hazing,
with a double dose of tobasco sauce
thrown in, than miss occupying a
prominent place in the house where a
new play is being produced. To fail
to catch the critics eye and find his
name missing from the list of well
knowns present is gall and wormwood
and degradation unspeakable to the
confirmed first-nighter. But this week
there has been such a wealth of first
class new plays, not to speak of the
opera, that the first-nighter has been
quite unable to decide which one
claimed his distinguished presence and
so the question has remained an un-
solved puzzle with honors easy and all
bets off.
First there was Ada Rehan, at the
Knickerbocker, in Paul Kester's COM
! edy, Sweet Nell of Old Drury," in
| which Miss Rehan plays the character
| of Nell Gwyn, the famous actress OF
| the restoration period. Viola Allen
appeared at the Theatre Republic in
her new play, "In the Palace of the
King" decentralization by Lorimer
Stoddard of f. Marion Crawford's well
known story; the Empire Theatre Com
pany, headed by popular Charles Rich
man, gave Henry Arthur Jones new
play. .Airs. Danes Defense and "The
Burgomaster,' much talked of musi-
cal comedy, received its first perform
ance at the Manhattan Theatre. With
Loie Fuller, the original great serpen-
tine dancer, whose creation has defied
all imitation, returning to Roster &
Balls after an absence of four years,
it was no wonder that the first-night-
ers were in despair.
La Lcie came back at time when
such a unique, aesthetic and bewilder-
ingly beautiful creation as hers was
badly needed on the American yaude-
vile stage. Her stay abroad has been
Americas gain as well as loss. loss
in that her serpentine dance has been
denied us except in the form of inferior
limitations and a gain by reason OF the
many new graces La Loie has learned
during her sojourn in Europe. Sever
al novelties have been added to the
dances and the imitators of La Loie
will have to work ard to catch up. She
was enthusiastically welcomed. II is
worthy of note that transformation
has been made in Roster & Balls since
the Hashim Brothers came to New York
and pluckily tackled what had been re-
garded as losing venture. Under the
new management the house furnishes
the best vaudeville entertainment in
, town.
Nell Gwyn, as Ada Rehan portrays
her, is net the heartless fiirt that some
think her. Paul Kester's Nell Is sweet
and winsome creature full of sympathy
for others and showing characteristics
that are based rather on practical ac-
quaintance with the Golden Rule than
an Unsuitable greed for golden guineas.
The mountings of the play we're mag
nificent, Miss Rehan's private cohec-
ton Of furniture having been drawn
on literally for the furnishing Of some
Of the scenes, which is novel and in
teresting feature Of Sweet Nell's. his
tri0nic appearance. Supporting Miss
Relan on the stage. ware White Whit