Evening star., 1901-11-19
AMUSEMENTS. A

much fuency and charm of discourse has
Richard Mansfeld's literary department op-
Grated that there is scarcely need to dwell
upon the merits Of his production of Beau
caire." They have been all exploited. They
have been gently insinuated from afar;
earnestly impressed at closer range and
blazoned where all might know them when
Mr.. Mansfield stood at the gates Of our
city. The attractions Of "Beaucaire" are
numerous and notable, but so ably have
they been described that there could be but
small hope of interesting the casual reader
in a discussion of the praiseworthy points
in the play or the production. The preju-
dice in favor of a Mansfield production is
strong, and justly so. for few actors have
done as much as he has to reflect the stage
as vehicle for literary expression. He
has aimed high, and even when he falls
short of his own ambitious purpose ne
reaches point well up in the art1stic
scale.
"Beaucaire' is neither a triumph nor a
failure. 1t is much better than The First
VIOLIN and not nearly SO good as Beau
Brummel," which set Clyde Fitch on the
way to his present emlnence.
There Is a certain similarity between
Fitch as playwright and Mansfield as an
actor. Both are at their best In the deplc-
tion of human nature In it's superhclal as
pect Each excels in the domain OF hol-
low show; the realm of fashion and rail-
ment. Each fails to strike virile note
with any degree of power In the hands
, of an actor of some romantic force Beau
caire would be first the man. then the duke
and last of all the barber. AS type OF
theatric art he is more like barber than
duke, and in his more dignified character
little better than a butterfly. There are
moods of frolicsome boyishness, which do
not lend themselves altogether to Mr.. Mans
fields personality. Mr.. Mansfield does not
frolic with complete effectiveness. his tai
rit To thnr han, a
his forte is precision and not spontanety. For
instance, when Mr.. Mansfield dances In the
minuet, which assists a number OF mex
cusably long waits between acts in defer
ring the dismissal of the audience TIL the
usual time, he plants his, feet with the
square and stocky tread of disciplinarian
rather than with the grace of 1ove-in-
splred youth. Beaucaire is fighter. His
victims, bandaged and court-plastered, are
paraded before the audience to the number
of an even half dozen. Yet the star Is very
chary about exhibiting his swordsmansh1p
He goes out behind the scenes to defeat the
champion bully, and when set upon by
band of assassinS surrenders the front OF
the stage to them and permits the cl1nk OF
weapons to suggest the dire things that are
going on. Yet with all the hollow trickery
employed in the delineation "Beaucaire' is
a fascinating personality, and he won for
Mr.. Mansfield the usual compliment of cur
tain calls and request for speech-an en-
terpriSe upon which he did not permit him
self to venture.
In this era of elaborate production it is
a disappointment to find the interest CEN
tered in a single character as unccmpro-
misingly as it is in this bit of entertainment.
The story as told in the play is only a
tempest in teapot, with little heroism
and small pathos. To be satisfactorily done,
every character ought to be played with
the same precision as that displayed by Mr..
Mansfield. The Beau Nash of this produc-
tion reads his lines in way that reminds
the auditor of a country sermon on warm
summer day. The bully whose defeat re-
bounds much to Beaucaires credit was
wholly impossible. 1t was beyond the range
of credence to imagine his association. even
as pet bully, with the exquisites at Bath.
1t was out Of reason to associate him with
any gathering more exalted than a tap
sters picnic. His natural weapon would
be the bungstarter; not the sword. There
Is little to be said in eXtenuation for any
pany. Yet the central character is so
charming and the ripple of repartee and
glitter of costuming so constant that it is
impossible for the auditor not to be divert
ed. even though he may not be especially
edited. 1t is dainty literary trife, whose
interest is merged in a single character,
and certain phases of that character are
adjusted with delightful accuracy to Mr.. :
Mansfields delicate skill.
COLUMBIA THEATER.-For more than
year past "Florodora," Owen Hall and
Leslie Stuart's musical comedy treating of
commercially successful but equally sup
positions perfume has been playing to
phenomenal business in New York city.
During the torrid. evenings, as we'll as the
melting matinee days of the past midsum-
mer. the Casino and, later. the New
York Theater, was crowded. From present
indications the original company viii con-
tinue with the production at the metropolis
for an indefinite period In the course of
the twelve months many of the musical
hits of the piece have radiated from the
furnace OF origin, so to speak, and have
become quite generally familiar here and
elsewhere. So, too, have glowing press
notices been diffused By reason Of these
circumstances Washington thaatergoers
have been awaiting the coming of Flo
radora" with great interest. Washington
represented by the largest audience of the
season last evening at the Columbia Thea
ter, has added its Endorsement without
reservation. When the occupants of gal
lery and hgher-priced seats as we'll in
sist on whistling one selection, ,.otwith-
standing the efforts of an augmented or
chestra to render another at the same
unusual quality. That is what occurred
last evening There is not dull bar from
overture to finale and several of the ef-
forts Of Mr.. Stuart real gems,-of
course from the popular rather than from
the classical, or even moderately ambi-
tious, standpoint The organization at the
Columbia this week began its career not
much more than month ago, starting
j.
1t is in any way inferior to the original,
the difference in merit is difficult to de-
tect. The cast of the New York company
includes Edna Wallace Hopper Cyril
Scott and others, but with the organization
now here are Bertha Waltzinger, Isadore
Rush, W. P. Carleton, VIM. NJ Armstrong,
w. c. Vaudeville, Alf c. Wheelan and
others Of like talents. The costumes are
fully as elaborate, the scenery as fresh
and the personal appearance of the chorus
as pleasing as the similar features of the
company that is practically a fixture in
New York. Certain it is that the members
of the famous double sextet of the road
company were more happily selected, SO
far as the eye is concerned. for in the
Casino company the pretty maidens'
were noticeably larger, physically, than
their gentle stranger" escorts, and the
usual difference in size was a detraction.
Washington Is more fortunate than other
wise in having "Floradora" first in
terpreted here by road company in
stead of by the original organization.
Tell Me, Pretty Maiden" had to be re-
peated time and again, as did many other
numbers. If the attendance of last even
ing continues undiminished, this week Will
be a record breaker at the Columbia.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
THE Two Orphans was produced at the