Evening journal., 1902-03-15
G p
q
@% &N3

pany have Just concluded a prosperous
run at the Savoy Theatre. New York,
where they celebrated the 15Oth per-
lformance Of the play. II
will be given in Philadel-
phia with the same accessories used to
he New York production. John Mason
and Sarah Cowell LeMoyne have been
specially engaged for the cast and
among others in the support of Miss
do Wolfe may be mentioned Miss Ali
son Skpworth Miss Clara b. Hunter,
Miss Frances RobinsOn-Duff, Miss
Florence Breed. Miss Helena Otis, Mrs.
Wright. Messrs. Harrison Hunter. Ar
mold DAILY. Edmund Liston. Henry
Stokes Joseph Phillips, c. W. Dowd
| Frederick Wallace. Ralph Theodore,
Donald b. Wallace. and George Wright.
The story Of the play has to do with
the affairs OF Mr.. and Mrs. Croydon,
members Of New Yorks four hundred.
George Croydon. who is a politician
and ambitious accepts the nomination
for the gOvernOrship OF New York
State His consequent and frequent
absence from home leaves Beatrice,
his wife. too much alone. Left to her
self she kills time by a harmless fir
tatiOn with a fascinating man of their
own set Jack Nevill falls madly in
love vith her and at last in act three
during the progress Of a musical party,
at the home of a mutual friend. he
entreats her to elope with him. Mrs.
lCroyden realizes then for the first
/ time the extent of her folly. She re-
lpudiates him. declaring her love for her
/ husband and her indignation at Ne
| wins insult. Society. meanwhile has
noted the frequent meetings of the
pair. and the birth Of a son to the
Croyden's causes gossip which comes
to the ear of Croydon. The child is to
be christened and named after his
father. when the latter appears and in
terrupts the baptsmal ceremony. This
scene is one of the most sensational
climaxes of the play. The last act.
thanks to a dramatist whose knowledge
of stagecraft has enabled him TO ar
range it so. ends happily and to the
satisfaction of the audience. There
are two automobiles. a live baby, a
wonderful prize French bulldog, a
bishop in full robes, an election parade,
lhesides a number of other dramatic
novelties. not to mention the gorgeous
gowns and fine stage sets which have
lbeen personally supervised by Miss de
Wolfe. 1t is the ambition of this
lclever woman. who is one of the few
Il American actress managers to have her
company. and the production to which
lher name is given, representative or
what is best in dramatic art. For this
treason. the furniture, properties, ac-
lcessories. and gowns are as perfect as
lskined workmanship and artistic di-
lrection can produce. The fact that
Elsie de Wolfe enjoys the reputation
> lof being the best dressed American
actress lends added interest to "The
WAY of the World" and the feminine
patrons of the Garrick will undoubt-
edly take advantage of the matinee
performances to see the display OF
lfrocks that caused so much comment
! during Miss de Wolfe's engagement in
New York.
( Although "The Burgomaster" lays no
, Iclaim to being an opera, still, from an
+ artistice standpoint, it is said to have
more right to the significant title than
many so-called light operas of today,
inasmuch as the comedy contains
-
bers. many of them being that light,
! fascinating and swinging movement
that is so easily memorized and whis-
tied after being heard but once, and
lalthough the authors, Frank Pixley
and Gustav Luders. have succeeded in
: associating wit, beauty and song so
+ harmoniously. they have also shown
i most beautiful regard for each other's S
: talent and welfare. irrespective OF
e each others personal gain, something
. Unusual and seldom seen in any musi-
Y cal production. the result OF more than
one authors pen. No better demon
stration of this statement can be shown
than at the finish of the prelude where
j. lies the thread of the comedys plot
i. where the two most important char
o acters, Peter Stuyvesant, the Burgo
y. master and Doodle Won Kull, hi.
- secretary. in a fit of excitement and
: despondence, drink of the dOped
u draught intended for tehir beseigers
i the Indians. the burghers and the bur-
l. CHER soldiers. which, according to the
L plot, completely overcomes them in q
y stupOr which lasts for two hundred
# and forty years, the main and only
n reason for the balance of events that
e follow; during this action, one OF Mr.
I. Luders best compositions almos
eludes a good hearing through attan
tiOn to the story. The Indians ap
e. Droach in defiance of the burgher sol
d diers, intercepted by the burgher sail
$. ors. each singing a different song al
g blended in a triple chorus as of on
4 tune-a decided novelty sure to arous
; the enthusiasm and admiration of al
= artistic music deyotees. THE Burgo
y master is announced for Saturday
, March 20. at the Grand Opera House.