Evening star., 1901-04-23

was placed in the hands Of Charles r.
Hawley, who has been heard in Washing
ton on many former occasions. In the
realm Of comic opera 1.-THE Bostonians" is
a magic name, and in all sections Of the
country has drawing power Of wonderful
strength. Especially Is this true here in
washington, where the annual visits OF
the organization are always looked forward
to with a show of keen interest. Last
night the audience was a large one, and
thoroughly enthusiastic. The familiar
strains Of the innocuous serenade in Victor
Herberts work were wildly applauded, as
were all the other selections in what is re-
markably pretty little opera. 1.-The Serenade"
has seen particularly active service during
the past four years. Its popularity Is still
at high pitch, and it forms the main stock
In trade for the Bostonians. The produc-
tion intact Is the same as has been shown
to Washington playgoers in the past, music
and libretto standing on the Identical sound
foundation which has served so well. Much
of the interest last night was felt In the
work of the feminine contingent In the
cast, where the greatest changes In late
years have been made. AS Dolores, the
part created by Jessie Bartlett Davis, there
is a remarkably pretty young girl, Adele
Rafter by name with luStrous black eyes
and hair of raven hue. She has true
contralto which promises to develop into a
voice of many rich qualities Miss Rafter
is a graceful girl, and by her earnest ef-
forts and attractive appearance soon won
over those in the audience who might
have criticised. The greatest outburst or
welcoming applause was when Frothing-
ham and Estelle Wentworth, the latter a
Washington girl appeared on the stage
together. Miss Wentworth is now handling
the leading soprano role, bearing upon her
very pretty shoulders the mantleS of Alice
Nelson, Helen Bertram and Hilda Clark
She Joined the Bostonians only last sea-
son, and was early this year called upon
to assume a principal part. Miss Went
worth's stage experience is bounded by the
irf1t cd
with the present organization. She sang
with a clear voice that rang true in eV-
cry note. That the stage has not long been
her home is apparent, however AS with
Miss Rafter, there is in Miss Wentworth
a promise of much in the future. She re-
ceived many encoreS last evening ana
huge bouquet of roses. Among the men
distinct hit was made by the basso, John
Dunsmore the head of the brgandage as
sociation. Charles Hawley's voice Is just
a bit disappointing. Just when 1t IS eS-
pected his strongest notes Will appear MS
voice seems to be plucked away. The per-
formance on the whole seemed to please
the audience immensely. The chorus Is
strong one, good looks and singing qualltles
being nicely divided THE Serenade Will
be repeated tonight, tomorrow night, Thurs
day night and Saturday matinee. robin
Hood will be sung at the matinee tomor-
row and Saturday evening. The Nlceroy
will be given one time only, Friday even
ing.
COLUMBIA THEATER.-Tim Murphy
ever dear to the hearts of Washington
theater goers, clinched his hold upon thelr
affections last night in the presentation OF
The Carpetbagger.' Lacking the broad
satire afforded by the Texas Steer, The
Carpetbagger' contains. enough of humor
to give him ample room for his power to
develop laughable situations and play for
his quaint characteriZations. SO, the au-
dience found the same old Tim Murphy
and vet saw at times during the four acts,
all too brief glimpses of more forceful
actor than Tim Murphy was ever before
known to be. The play is strong one, al
though pleasing at all times, and the star
of the company grasps the opportunities
the playWrightS have given him, to snow
that there is more in him than comedy
acting.
The first act moves with celerity, the
plot unfolds with directness, and there is
not halting line in the crisp and at times
intensely thrilling dialogue that intro
duceS the principal personageS of the plot
and explains their attitudes in the schemes
under way. The interest thus aroused Is
sustained through the other three acts,
and carries the audience in expectancy to
the very end. With no trace of melo-
drama, the play holds the wrapt attention
of the audience, relaxed only by the vein
of honest and cauStic humor of Tim Muir
ply OF course, when half way through,
the audience must needs have word in
person with Tim, and five-m1nute mono
logue in his familiar style rewards the
clamor for curtain talk.
The story is q simple one in its details.
Melville Crance, the Illinois "carpetbag'
governor of Mississippi in reconstruction
days, has adopted the motto ITO the vic
tor belong the spoilS' literally. He is
using the brief authority Of an autocrat
to secure the usufruct of politics. legisla-
ton and administration for his own finan-
cial benefit. The frank brutality of his
course at the beginning is refreshing. He
makes no pretense of his intentions to his
familiars and followers, but bends them
with an iron hand to his ends Love
brings about his moral redemption and
relieves the state of his tyranny. The un-
folding of the love story is seen in
glimpses the sentiment sufficiently con-
trasted with humor to foil semblance Of
platitude or preaching. BY no means unin-
teresting is a boyand-girl love story that
runs contemporaneously, and the political
chicanery of the play is not involved
enough to be a puzzle.
CHASE'S NEW GRAND.-The entertain
rnent offered the patrons of the local home
of polite vaudeville this week is distinctly
out Of the ordinary. That the bill is thor
oughly pleasing was attested by the gen
erous applause of the customary large
audiences at both performances yesterday.
The program is a novel one for the New
Grand for the reason that grand opera
and pageantry make up the greater part
thereof. Such diversion from the stereo-
typed list of vaudeville acts usually pre-
the most ambitious attempt of the bill is
the giving of grand opera In condensed
version. Selections from Trovatore and
Rigoletto are sung, with appropriate scenery
and costumes, by Madame Avery Stra-
kosch, Amelia Fields Payne Clark and
D. Cantori, all of whom have attained
prominence in the operate field. Their ef-
forts were enthusiastically received, the
audiences yesterday being determined In
their demands for encore numbers. The
other specially heralded attraction is desig-
mated "keith's Grand Spectacular Produc-
ticn.' 1t comprises a pageant of the ma
tions. gypsy scarf dance and red hus-
sar drill. A large number of prepossessing
young women, brilliant costumes and cleo
trical and calcium effects are employed
To appropriate selections by the orchestra
representatives of the several nations are
first introduced, the pageant concluding
with tableau. The gypsy scarf dance
constitutes a Kaleidoscope stage picture
and the red hussar drill is really revela
tiOn in the way of theatrical figure march
ing and evolutions. The several parts OF
the spectacular production are presented at
intervals during the evening. The enter
tainment is opened by Chas. r. Crolus and
Adele st. Alva, who present sketch of an
Sirtr cbnr or