Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-12
MUSIC

W. ~
Two large productions, one of them pre-
viously unknown and the other widely her
aided, made the week notable. Maude Adj
ans success in "L'Aiglon' was so pro-
nounced that there could be no doubt as
to the presence of merit in the production.
Yet complete and satisfying was the
performance that it surprised even those
who expected good things.
Richard Savage" written by so clever
an author as Madeleine Lucette Ryley and
presented by SO popular an actor as Henry
Miller, could not fail to enlist the interest
of many play patrons. Richard Savage
pleased large audiences through the week
and was disappointing only to those who
object to having their history hopelessiy
CARRIED and who fail to regard Henry Mil
Ter as an actor Of nfallible quality. The
play resembles "Oiver Goldsmith" in that
it deals with literary people of the past.
"Oliver Goldsmith demonstrates the ease
with which such a theme may be made
interesting. Orchard Savage while re-
tanning the attention of the auditor and
giving unmstakable pleasure to many peo-
PIE is constant reminder of the difficult
ties of the task. In considering the char
acter of Richard Savage Mrs. Ryley has
assumed a viewpoint which is wholly I'M
tenable. The man who insists on thrusting
himself upon the attention of woman
who has the best of reasons for not caring
to be reminded of his existence makes but
a sorry hero His persistence becomes mere
boorishness. and his fight with the patron
upon whose bounty he has subsisted does
not tend to raise him in discriminating es-
TEEN. The sympathy which Mrs. Ryley
succeeds in creating for so unpromising
specimen Savage appears to have been
in real life reflects the highest credit upon
her skill as dramatist. Indeed, his death
at the close of the play comes with gen
uine shock. and there Is no reason why
the playwright, having taken SO many llD-
critics with the facts in the case, should not
In the kindness Of her heart have spared
this bereavement
Mr.. Miller labored under the difficulties
of a bad cold and a temperament when
adapts itself with plausibility only to the
somber and morose aspects OF the charac-
ter. In these phases Of the portrayal he
was admirable. There can be no doubt Of
Mr.. Millers superior abilities as an actor,
since they have enabled him to overcome
some very pronounced mannerisms. The
production IS agreeabiy reminiscent or
Culver Goldsmith Richard Savage" has
the stilted diction and some of the wit that
was characteristic Of the period. AS q
worker in this field, however, the author OF
being a mastery rhetorician as well as
skillful plot maker.
Some surprise was expressed over the
fact that Maude Adams should immediate
ly precede Sarah Bernhard In IL Aiglon.
There is nothing to indicate that the policy
was unwise. for the audiences were very
large. They who demand that their drama
shall be done in pure English were abun-
dainty satisfied with Miss Adams produc-
ton; and they who insist that Rostand
cannot properly be served without Coqueilh
or Bernhard dressing will be pleased to
ri aGnt a
agreeable first course. Both Ryley and
Rostand kill their hero in the last act, and
they who demand that they be let out OF
the theater in a rejoicing frame of mind
found material to their liking in Friends
at the Lafayette Square Opera House. ne
Academy of Music did a fine weeks pusi.
ness with Harry Lacy in THE Still Alarm.
Mis-. Adams has not been provided With
| a play for next season; or If any such ar
| raneement has been made it Is not yet an
nounced 1t will be impossible for l. Aiglof
| to cover all the territory where profitable
| ENGAGEMENTS could be played this season
| If so disposed, Miss Adams management
would probably find 1t advantageous to ruf
| the play all next season, or even later Bu
| the performance Of so exacting role a:
| that of the Duke must be very severe
| physical strain, especially with an actres:
| who lends her vitality to part so unre
| servedIy and conscientiously as Miss Adams
| invariably does.
During his engagement this week Henri!
| Miller displayed rather more versatility thai
| is possessed by the average actor In TIT
| matter of curtain speaking. He Responded
| to calls for talk very graciously on sew
| eral occasions. On one of them he Thanked
| the audience for its applause, saying tina
he appreciated it because the people II
| front We're paving the way to what wa
considered the actors heaven-New York
| The audience took 1t good-naturedly enough
| In spite of some disposition in the pas
| among Washingtonians to resent a ten
| dency to relegate the capital city to sec
ond place in matters of artistic opinion ant
| to keep 1t forever subordinated to the j'llg
ment of the commercial metropolis. Late
in the week Mr.. Miller again thanked tn
audience for its applause ami intimate
| with some sarcasm that he was handicap
ped owing to the fact that he had com
here with piece which had NOT previousl
received the critical Endorsement CO Paris
London or Brooklyn. 1t is feared that MI
| Miller is becoming trifie acrimonious.
Looking backward what do Think
repeated Mr.. Chase, after an inquiry amen
the second anniversary of polite vaudeville
which occurs Monday next. Il don't lik
to look backward now" he replied quickly
II am looking forward all the time. I an
never satisfied, always restless, often dis
contented with my theater and my week.
J bills. To be contented in polite vaudevil-
would mean to invite disaster. 1 have
few changes in mind concerning the hous
next year that the public may be intereste
in. First, every reserved seat ordered ovu
the phone in advance next season will b
delivered by me to the addresses of m
1 patrons. The tickets will be taken right +
their homes or Offices. I will employ
corps Of handsomely uniformed bicycl
messengers, who will speedily deliver tn
tickets. At first glance it may look some
what far-fetched. but I argue that 1t
identical with the parcel delivery systei
Of merchants and Is entirely practicab!
Thus I will do away with every incor
, venience suffered by my theatergoers
making advance provision for their accom-
modations. No other manager in AmeriC
has gone this extent yet, but If they wal
to keep up with the pace of polite and prc
gressive vaudeville they'll be obliged to d
It. If any one has a suggestion for a grea
er practical convenience of any kind than
. have already inaugurated / would l
. pleased to have 1t. One Of the best seen
artists in America has carte blanche
fresco the whole interior of the Grand ne,
. 1 H. he h.