Evening star., 1901-02-16
MUSIC


william Crane into rivalry in the capital
city. 1t will be many years before the name
of one Of these members of the former firm
OF Robson x Crane does not suggest that
OF the other Scarcely a season elapses
without developing a rumor that they have
again Joined forces and are prepared TO
convulse the laughter-lovng communities
with that iow-cOmedy classic, The Comedy
OF Errors" Many of those who enjoyed
this performance regard the absence from
the stage of the two Dromios as n loss that
i Well-nigh irreparable. Honors between
these two players were about evenly d.
vided. The financial returns were Mr..
Cranes. The artistic commendations were
MIR. RObson's. The production of David
Harum' was unsatisfactory alike to those
who had read the novel and to most of
those who visited the theater without pre-
viously formed impressions. The play is
one of the least worthy specimens of hay
seed drama that seasons have produced.
But hayseed II is and that simple fact Is
enough To make a large number of play
goers love 1t blindly. The performance of
oliver Goldsmith" was on q par with its
former production. despite the changes
which have occurred in the cast.
The popular-price theaters did well. "Jinl
the Penman" played to large audiences and
''The African King" al the Academy of
Music was greeted with enthusiasm by a
large and enthusiastic clientele who de-
mand climaxeS and not literature.
Next weeks offerings show a diversity
rot always vouchsafed by the powers who
control theatrical bookings. There will be
high-class drama at the New National The
ater. where John Hare will appear, and
fun and frivolity at the Columbia with
The Runaway Girl as the attraction
The Daughters of the American Revolution
and the Lafayette Square Stock Company
stands on the verge Of "Cyrano de Ber-
gerac.'
Manager Chase of the New Grand has
plunged into the summer theatrical situa-
tiSn and his announcement. given below,
will attract the interest not only of those
who are expecting 10 compete with him in
that desirable field OF fortune, but also
among the many who follow the fortunes
Of the New Grand with unfailng con-
stancy- Il comes wholly unexpected, be
cause until this time he has stated that
the house would close early IN May and
undergo expensive improvements which
however. could not occupy he whole of
the summer period. 1t is reasonable TO
presume, however, that his charge of front
Il due to the fact that. ike other local
managers who have planned for summer
diversions. there will be enough profit dur
Ing these piping times of prosperity for
the others and Chase, too. At any rate. il
cannot be doubted that the statement of
his purpose will add impetus 20 the energy
of his rivals, who will expect formidable
opposition from him. In outlining his plan
Mr.. Chase said:
Il have decided not to close my Wash
ington theater at the usual time in Nav
hut will inaugurate spring and summer
season of polite vaudeville and comic Cp-
era at summer prices even lower than the
very low prices now In vogue The attrac-
tionS will be the very best that tie high
standard of merit and excellence which
has uniformly characterized my bills will
not be lowered. The theater ~ as cool as
a roof garden, splendidiy adapted to SUM
mer entertainment. and its popularity war
rants the keeping of IL open for IN indcti-
mite period.
II is a coincidence that as the New Grand
announces its arrangements for q stock
company production in the summer one of
the legitimate theaters Is arranging for a
monster vaudeville performance. The
''W hite Rats" as the players who have
united for the purpose Of doing battle with
the organized vaudeville managers and
booking agents call themselves, will give q
monster benefit performance on Sunday
night, March g. at the Columbia Theater.
As the membership OF the White Rats in
cludes a number of the leading people of
performance is one In which they are all
interested. both sentimentally and finan-
cially. there can be no doubt about an
abundance of material from which to draw
III making up bill.
John Hare Is a deep thinker and thorough
student OF the art OF acting. He has con-
densed some Of his ideas into the following:
''If an actors Imagination suggests moth
ing beyond what he has succeeded In pro-
ducing-if. in short, he is completely satis-
fed with what he has done, there Is some
thing radically wrong with his artistic con-
sututi0n. Representations have their his
tory, their life, their growth and progress
to a degree Of perfection within the con-
fines of an actors powers. And a time
comes when a character is, SO to speak. In
It's zenith, when the actor can do no more.
and then. If he be not careful. decadence
sets in Charac terizat!on is an art. and like
music or literature, II demands right tenn
permanent. an inclination, bent of mind, a
fund OF talent and natural genius. Without
This necessary stock in trade the actor is an
inpuSSi b.l!ty. And. even granted this capt
tai. this artistic nature, which must be in
born, and cannot be induced or acquired
nothing Will avail Its possessOr without an
immense amount OF energy and hard work
What some people call the inspiration OF
the moment / heartily distrust. Genius Is
essentially sane. and subject TO the laws OF
SANITY. II does not break free from all rule,
but Is tractable. and grows from strength
10 strength with ripening experience. The
character Is assumed by the actor but does
not d!splace his own Identity. He does not
lose himself in the part, but retains a criti-
cal self-consciousness; he experiments and
watches the result; he reasons out the
meaning OF the spoken words and when
q new Interpretation OF any point occurs to
him he notes its effect in practice with the
closest attention. Imagination is his light
and reason his guide. Many of these
Cmendatlons are failures, no doubt and
often. starting wrong premises the
actor finds himself landed in n fallacy Then
the advice Of a brother craftsman is inyaIu-
able. He IS an unwise man who shuts his
mind against the hints OF colleague. Those
who see from without can discern many
things that ii Is impossible to discover by
any criticism from Within
OF the many fetes and gala days that
are yearly celebrated and enjoyed through
out the world perhaps there Is not one TO
compare to the annual carnival of Venice.
which affords n plot for THE Runaway
Girl" With a climate that can be absol-
utely depended on and with every natural
advantage TO assist I'm the grand display.
II Is scarcely TO be wondered that the car
ntval OF Venice Is unrivalled Male and
female figures. all masked, and dressed In
the gorgeous costumes of their fancy, and