Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-30

biair, Btanche Burton, Louise Draper. Mir
lam Nesbitt and Marian Stuart. win pre-
sent for the FIRST time In Washington, Paul
kesters now famous and highly success
full comedy, tSweef Nell of Old Drury," at
the New National Theater on Next Monday
evening. The heroine of this play has be-
come great; favorite with playgoers and
actresses and her personality is assuredly
one of the most Interesting in history Nell
GWVn was low in stature, and what the
F1erch call mignonne and piquante, we'll
formed, handsome, but red-hafred. and
rather embonpoint. Airy, fantastic and
sprlghtly, she sang. danced and was eX-
actiy made for acting light, snowy char
aeters.' She had lively, laughing eyes,
but so small they We're almost invisible
when she laughed; and foot the least of
any woman in England Her merry man.
ner her natural wit. and her constant good
numor enabled her to hold her own at
court, as on the stage, while her liberality
made her loved by the people. In four
years she got ''above 100000 from the
klns-who had previously refused her $500
year-and she dispensed this vast sum
with free hand. She is constantly alluded
10 as Nell and Nelly" Even Evelyn,
who hated her in common with others of
ner class, called her Mrs. Nellie Moth
ing is known of her childhood beyond that
sne sold strong waters to gentlemen until
we hear of her as an orange girl In the pit
OF Drury Lane Theater. The orange girls
stood with their backs to the stage and
Danuied words with the libertines of the
town Nell then became an actress and
acquired considerable reputation, for on
April 3, 1865, Pepys goes to a play at the
Dukes house. .All the pleasure of the
play was the king and my Lady Castle
maine We're there, and pretty witty Nell
OF the kings house, and the younger Mar
shail sat next us; which pleased me
mlghtily Her first appearance on the
stage is supposed to have been in this year
In the character of Cydaria, in Dryden's
irdlan emperor. 1t is impossible in the
orlef space at my disposal to enumerate all
the parts which she is known to have
played, but she was at her best in comedy.
She could not touch a serious character.
Her hrst lover was Charles Hart, an actor
at the Kings Theater; her second, the
handsome Lord Buckhurst with whom she
kept. merry house at EPSON in July and
August, 1861. Her association with the
KING became common talk, and in the
spring OF 1910 the postponement of a new
Pay, The Conquest of Granada by Dry
den. in consequence of her absence from
the stage, confirmed the report. The play
was first performed in the autumn of 1910.
Nell speaking the prologue ''in a broad
OF III med hat and waist belt At the
duke's palace great effect had been Great
ed by the appearance of an actor in "a hat
larger than Pistols, which took the town
wonderful, and supported bad play by it's
a hat to be made the circumference of a
timber coach wheel" The brims of this
umbrella-like hat were spread to their full
limit, and the merry actress threw the
s.iSaeOi iiilo d CONFUSION OF applause. nay,
the very actors giggled, a circumstance
none mad observed before" This was her
last appearance on the stage. That so pic
turesque character should make a charm
ing and successful play is not remark
and that Miss Rehan should make the
character one of subtle fascination Is only
what her old admirers would naturally ex-
pect. Mr.. kester's story of Nell Gwyn is
tress, and incidentally the mistress of the
KING, whose power throughout is the ma
chine that Nell uses to obtain her desires
Historically correct costumes and draperies
as wen as antique furnishings and rare old
prlc-a-brac OF the period of Charles II will
be used and the production will be the
same as originally made at the Knicker-
booker Theater, New York city. The scale
OF prices for Miss Rehan's engagement,
winch includes an only matinee on Satur-
day afternoon, will range from % cents to
$3.50.
COLUMBIA THEATER.-Wilson Bar
retts unique historical drama, ''The Sign
OF the Cross" returns to the Columbia
Theater Monday night for the week. with
mat1nees Thursday and Saturday The ac-
ton or the play occurs in Rome in the
year 60 A. D., when Nero was emperor
Its main story concerns Marcus Superbus,
project of the imperial city who by a
mandate from Nero, is commanded to ex--
terminate the Christians. He falls in love
with Mercia, a beautiful Christian girl,
and rescues her from the general slaughter
Nero consents to spare her life on con-
ditlon that she publicly renounce her faith.
She choseS the martyrs death in the
Roman arena. however,, instead of the
worldly honors that would be hers as the
WIFE OF the pagan project. This sublime
courage SO moves Marcus that he, too
embraces the despised faith and goes to
his doom in the amphitheater hand in hand
with the woman he loves
The characterization for religions sake
lis one OF the chief reasons for the success
o. he ,1rx
ginning of it's career. Still, 1t has points of
interest and value Independent of it's theme
and among them are historical names and
facts, pictorial charm. an abundance Of
powerful scenes and incidents and a quail
ty of sympathy and self remuneration whose
effect on the mind and emotions cannot be
otherwise than wholesome and ennobling
Unlike many great theatrical successes,
The Sign OF the Cross has never been
played by what is known as a number
two" company. The piece has been touring
this country for the last four years but
presented by one company only--the one
that will be seen during the coming en-
gagement. Charles Dalton. who will ap-
pear as Marcus. has been at the head of
the organization ever since it appeared at
the knickerbocker Theater, New York,
four years ago. This will be the last OBJ
portunity to see Charles Dalton in the
role he has made famous. as next season
the management is to star him In this
country in a new play that is now being
written for him: A special scale of prices
ranging from twenty-five cents to a dollar
has been adopted for the engagement of
THE Sign of the Cross"
LAFAYETTE SQUARE THEATER.-
1.-THE AmaZons' is the bill announced for
next week at the Lafayette Square Thea
ter. Pinero, its author, is further known
by his Sweet Lavender 1.-The Princess
and Butterfly" and the recent success, The
Gay Lord QueX. THE Amazons' is one of
his best inspirations, and is high-class,
fantastic. romantic comedy of the most
wholesome sort, and is replete with laugh
able situations. It treats of the eccen-
tricities of mother with three daughters,
who, disappointed in their sex, forces them
to adopt male attire and trains and edu-
Gates them as boys. Within the boundaries
of their vast country home she makes them
ride, hunt, fish and train in a gymnasium,
prohibiting all girlish pleasures. The three
would-be boys" make brave efforts to be
manly, and these endeavors create some
of the most entertaining comedy On
visit to London the daughters, in proper
attire, meet three young SWANS who fol-,
low them to their country home, and, elud-
ing the watchful eyes of the guards, gain
admittance to the grounds and meet and
fail to recognize the three boys" who are
hunting. A remarkable scene is then en-
acted before recognition takes place, and
an engagement is made for meeting in
the gymnasium which the men enter by
of tho roof There thu nathan S,,d.