Evening star., 1901-10-08
ADJUSTMENTS.


stage bric-a-brac in the entire American
collection. People go for miles to see him,
and the particular style of cabinet in which
his manager sees fit to place him does not
seem to matter. He is as grotesque as an
East Indian idol and at the same time as
modern as a fall fashion plate. Once seen
he is never forgotten He glories in. his
ability to show how the makeup box
which surrounds him with dreams of
feminine loveliness can also be made to
produce a nightmare. But it is not an
uncomfortable nightmare; just jolly remi-
niscence of mince pie, large bottles and
small birds. His appearance in an auto
mobile mask was an assurance that he had
no intention of letting his debut In
musical comedy tempt him into an effort
to be an Adonis. And when he removed
the mask there was the familiar face that
every theatergoer has hung up in his gall
lery of portraits and which memory always
pauses to salute with smile. In proper
person Mr.. Daniels may be very hand
some man-even as beautiful as Mr.. Harry
Woodruff is on the stage. But the come
dian whom the public has known SO well
across the footlights is a goblin; spr1te;
a gnome; but always a Robin Goodfellow
who sweeps the cobwebs from melancholy
mind and makes the daily grind Of life
little easier Mr.. Daniels peculiar style
of humor has defied analysis. The asser-
ton was ventured that a high hat and a
cigar were Indispensable adjuncts of his
comedy. In Miss Simplicity" he uses
neither, and yet he is as funny as ever.
There is no use in trying to discover the
exact trait which makes his personality so
laugh-compelling. Other comedians have
adorned tn amselves with eyebrows like ex-
clamation points and schooled their faces
to maintain repose one side while the
other developed corrugations for which
anatomy could not account. But people
would not laugh with them as they do with
Daniels
The comedian is the first consideration in
the nrOdncti0D this Next n
tance is to be recorded the somewhat novel
inducement of real merit in the lyrics and
music. Some of Mr.. Barnet's yersification
Is surprisingly clever and the melodies have
a sprightly and original quality which have
not been surpassed in a long time. Whether
they will lfnger in the ear as did the strains
of "A Runaway Girl is yet to be demon
strated for Miss Simplicity" Is only in it's
second week. H. L. Hearth the composer,
has not made any ambitious reaches, but
he has developed some odd little freaks of
rhythm which pleases en- passant, and
which will be still more effective when the
so1ofsts and chorus are more confidently
settled in their work. Mr.. Daniels has a
capital comic song descriptive of the child
who asks embarrassing questions in public
The soubrette work of Allene Crater is ex-
cellent. Harry Woodruff has adapted himself
very gracefully and efficiently to the acting
requirements of musical comedy. Fred Bal
ley as quack doctor was first-rate as the
second comedian and man who plays the
part OF an aged court retainer, not clearly
Identified on the program, deserves note be-
cause of his clever makeup. Vocally the
company does not display the strength that
the musical numbers deserve. The audi
ence was very demonstrative In its approval
and Mr.. Daniels gave a burlesque of the
conventional curtain speech which ought
10 De vigorously demanded by every audi
ence in attendance this week as one of the
pest tnlngs In the performance.
NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-Primrose
N trail hr,rro 1I-,,,
engagement at the New National last night
The audience was good in point of size and
most appreciative in sentiment. The min
strels We're at their best. Plays may come
and plays may go, dramatic taste may
change both in the production of, plays and
In those for whose entertainment they are
produced, but it would Seem that the min-
strel will go on forever just as he is. The
lay OF the last minstrel will in all proba bill
ity be heard by earth's last man. Americdil
minstrelsy may change it's Songs and jokes
as it usually does, but the new songs will
be sung in the same old charming way,
and the new jokes will be cracked with all
the -quaintness of speech and manner
which the first successful black faced
comedian impaired to his entertaining role
In no other form of stage entertainment are
the new and the old happily blended for
pleasing effect. But to leave off genera!iz-
Ing and return to the particular aggrega-
tlon or m1nStrelS now striving to please
Washington theater-goers: 1t can be said
for them that they deserved all the gener-
Gus appreciation they got from the audience
at the National last night. The proprietors
have been very successful in getting hold
Of new and melodious songs, with some
very snappy dialogues. The scenery is finer
than anything ever attempted in the min
strel line here before. The cast though it
includes a number of new faces to Wash
ington audiences, leaves no regrets for the
missing older ones so far as minstrel talent
is concerned: They are all artists in their
respective lines from the talented pro-
prietorS to the twin dancing mdgets John
ME and Willie Foley.
The entertainment opens with the entire
company picturesquely seated in the fore
ground of an autumn scene from the Gar
den of the Gods in Italy. Messrs HalIett
and Barnes are the interlocutors. Neil
OBrein and Eddie Leonard furnish the
sings patriotic song, entitled when They
Play God Save the King" Eddie Leonard
made 4 hit with I'm Going to Live, Any
h9~so how. Til I0d. Die pie =, Arthur Warren sang
Gladdish sang sentimental song. entitled
Don't Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve"
Neii O'H:!en scored heavily in applause
with two comic songs, IF / Only Had
Dollar of Ny Own and 'I Hope You
Choke" In the second edition George Prim-
rose and Lew Dockstader took the end chairs
and proceeded to make merriment for their
hearers. In the intermissions Of their
fun making Walter Vaughn sang May
be- with really fine effect and was heartily
applauded Fred Barnes sang THE Sea is
nome IOr Me, a DdSS SOLO, ana scored q
success. Lew Dockstader completely can
t1red the audience with topical song,
Don't Butt In,' and later kept everybody
laughing for about ten minutes with some
of his uniquc personalities in songs and
jokes abounding in local illusions Prim-
rose for his special part of the Sunny,
Sunny South, gave a fine exhibition of
dancing, together with most pleasing
scenic production. Ollie Young and Brother
do some marvels in the way Of juggling
with Indian clubs and hoop rolling. Claud-
ius and Corbin are really wonders with the
banjo The entertainment concludes with
Zeno, Carl and Zeno in a very fine exhbi-
tion on the elevated bars.
CHASE'S THEATER.-The beginning of
a second Hoyt week met all reasonable
expectations at Chases yesterday. Both at
The afternoon and evening performances
"A Brass Monkey worked its wonted
hoodoo on everything but the receipts.
There is no cessation Of entertainment dur
ing the performance, for when laugh is
not forthcoming from the farce. there is
one Of the musical specialties dances to
be applauded. The bright lights of the COM
pany, from Otis Harlan in black type at
the head of the cast as the Jonah, down
to the bull terrier mascot who is supposed