Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-06
MUSIC


ANNALS alike to the casual and the habitual
theatergoer. There can be nothing more re-
freshing than the simple good heartedness
of Uncle Josh Whitcomb or the quarrel
some desperation of the two oldsters. one
of whom goes so far as to VOW that III ne
had a dipperful of cider, he'd sit up till ~
o'clock" Mr.. Thompson is one OF the vet
Grams OF the stage, and his play ranks al
most with rip Van Wrinkle as popular
favorite Although he is well on toward
seventy years of age, he is not content to
rest on his achievements. but Is contem-
plating another play of the series In which
The Old Homestead is the second. The
title selected is THE Golden Rule, and the
play is to be mounted with the magnifcence
characteristic of enterprises under the
management of Klaw & Erlanger.
"Superba" at the Lafayette Square Opera
House. proved the same old story Of splen-
did scenic trickery with which the Hanlons
have been delighting the amusement seek
ers Of all ages for years. The Academy Of
Music had a thrilling melodrama. whose
title. "A Kentucky Fued.' awakened vivid
expectations. all of which were duly full
filled on the stage. The star feature of
Chase's bill was a trio band Of performing
bears. The fact that bear is natural
comedian is worthy of scientific record and
analysis 1t bears a much more important
relation to human affairs than the question
of whether or not monkeys talk. There is
scarcely human performer on the vaude
Vile salary list who can be as sure of his
laughs as is the ponderous and sagacious
Tony"
The Empire Theater exploited the colOred
man an entertainer this week. The pro-
fciency attained by Afro-American singers
and dancers is becoming so well recognized
as to be no longer a matter for surprise.
The progress which the colored race is
making on these lines should tempt Mr.
Booker Washington to add conservatory
of music. a dancing academy and perhaps
even a school Of acting to his educational
enterprises.
x X x
These have been troublous times, dramat-
ically speaking, in the town of New York,
where they make the musical comedies
Mr.. Belasco's production of genuinely le-
climate play in such manner that lack
of information could not be disguised by
ridicule has caused a number of theatrical
commentators to rush for the thesaurus to
find words to express these sudden and I'M
familiar, but ecstatic emotions. Scarce had
the shock produced by 1.-The Darling of the
Gods subsidized when Richard Mansfield
with his usual love of a practical joke
steamed over from Jersey City with gen.
une production of Shakespeare. New York
has never been much of a Shakespeare
town. Marie DRESSER never puts on any
Of the Elizabethan classics. and there is no
part in them suited to Dan DAILY 1t was
easy enough to get rid of the ambitious
people who ventured from America proper
init TSrna dy-ny IN thn Of eli
tan hearing at least respectful as that
which would be accorded Anna Held or
Charley Bigelow. When studious and schol-
arIy young Walker Whteside put on a
week of tragedy at the same Herald Square
Theater that Mr. Mansfield is now occupy
fng they heaped ridicule upon his youth and
sCorn upon his entirely respectable efforts
to fulfill laudable ambition. The Mclean
Tyler Hanford company was received in
the same spirit.
But Richard Mansfield is different prop
ositlon. He fights back. He has the repu-
tation of being able to take care of himself
whether 1t be In a hotel dining room or in
the midst of a roaring mob of husky super
rumeraries. Meeting all corners is Mr.
Mansfield's delight. And If he happens to
be TOO busy to attend to the matter himself
ne can send Mr. A. M Palmer, who is no
shrinking violet when 1t comes to securing
all that he is justly entitled to. Mr. Palm
er has been known to walk boldly into a
newspaper office and demand of the pub
fisher an explanation of his conduct in al
lowing anything that might hurt Mr.. Mans
fields feelings appear In print. This pro-
gram Is of course calculated to make the
underling scriveners tremble and think
twice before inviting a controversy.
The Mansfield production of Julius
Caesar has caused obvious consterna lion.
Its discussion developed small evidences of
Shakespeareau scholarship, but showed an
abundance OF prudence. 1t was mildly sug-
eested that a performance of Julius
Caesar had not been seen in New York in
English for fifteen years. and that unfa-
miliarity with the play was therefore ex-
cusable. And this with so many free schools
and public libraries. Some said that Ar
thur Forrest as Marc Antony lin one case
II was spelled ''Marc Anthony and Joseph
Haworth as Cassius carried OFF the honors
Of the evening, while others declared that
they were uncompromisingly bad. There
were limitations that Mr.. Mansfelds enun-
citation was rather choppy. but the saving
hint was thrown out that these personal
peculiarities We're no doubt strictly in &C
cord with Shakespeare's own conception of
the part. Maturer experience took refuge
I'm list OF names and dates which at least
gave the assurance that the existence of
Julius Caesar" was a matter of previous
Information
Mr.. Mansfield is no doubt having many a
quiet chuclcle.
lie is merry wag.
The Hawaiian singers who are to sing at
Chase's Theater next week may be ex-
pected to put forward their very best eff
forts. They are singing for home. Ciyili-
zation has not treated them well They
have been received with welcoming en-
thuslasm from the front of the house
but have not always been able to tell what
became of the money in the box office.
Their music has attracted attention wher-
ever heard. and Mr. Chase has felt justi-
fed in giving them an enga cement on their
merits.
No more picturesque band of troubadours
has ever made Its way into this country.
They are bits of human seaweed, drifted
from Hawaii to our shore. The old man
hamakee is one OF two living chanters left
20 show the ancient rites of Hawaii. They
chant an accompaniment TO the dance.
which is prayer. each supplication being
expressed by the graceful gesture OF the
little seven-year-old boy. Keluua. Their
dress is strange as the weird chant and
dance the old man wearing a sort of toga
made OF the rare kappa poupou over a
hundred years old. The manufacture of
this cloth from the waukee trees is now
a lost art. The fiber was beaten by huge
stones for months till fiat thin fabric was
obtained. strong a barrel of water can
be carried In kappa, or q person moved, as
on stretcher. At feasts the kappa Is spread
as a table cloth: at funerals. Ii covers their