Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-30
AMusEMENTs.

COLUMBIA THEATER.-With people
who like to laugh, visit to the theater
once a year at least to see Frank Daniels Is
a formal ceremony. Mr.. Daniels is accept
ed as a prophet Of fun: when he speaks 1t Is
time to ehuclsle, and when he makes
strange zig gags with his eyebrows. the con-
ventionalities of department are abandoned
and it is perfectly permissible to roar.
Although Miss Simplicity is an obvious
concession to the recent demand for musi-
cal comedy, it holds Mr.. Daniels pretty well
to the front as comic opera star. Al
though the piece Is in its second season.
there are numerous interpola lions which
hold the interest even Of those VINO saw II
before. AS usual, Mr.. Daniels is surround
ed by flock Of femininity whose personal
charms are enhanced by the coStumerS art,
and whose vocal abilities are al least suffi-
cient to swell the chorus in those moments
when joy is supposed to reign supreme. AS
a matter of fact, the ensembles are sung
with a unanimous enthusiasm which makes
them thoroughly enjoyable, and some of the
good old ballads of long ago, such as When
the Robins Nest Again.. although intro
duced in spirit of satire, won a measure Of
genuine appreciat ton which surpassed that
accorded to some of the music which had
been written to order. The program con-
tains warning to the effect that Miss
Simplicity has been duly copyrighted and
thre atening performers with prosecution If
they infringe. Those bent on depre dalton,
however, will still find some excellent ma
terial at their disposal in the numbers
which have been introduced with due credit
from other sources. VIII Danforth is
round-eyed and unctious as the quack doc
tor, and Frank Turner is picturesque as
the youthful king. The plot is one of those
something's that you have heard somewhere
before, and the characters those good old
creatures who have passed be fore the foot
lights In fantastic garb ever since comic
opera was They are good old friends and
they We're made welcome at the Columbia
last night as they will be no doubt for the
remainder of the week
Inc principal feminine roles are taken by
grace myers, who is plump of figure fault
less IN her footlight complexion. and more
over a songstress of no mean ability, and
by Adelaide Manola, who has something of
tne brunette intensity which would natural
~ associate itself with the family name.
MISS Manola is daughter of Marion Ma
mona ana Miss Myers is a daughter of
annie Myers, SO that each has the adyant-
age of distinguished pedigree.
Inc audience last night laughed alike at
the new and the old portions Of Miss Sim
pllclty' and Mr.. Daniels made merry with
the easy and unremitting affabilitv of a
man who knows that he is among friends
NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-It is in
terestinS to the regular theatergoers 70
hote the changes wrought in the audience
by the coming of the minstrels The men
Dehnd the burnt cork have their own dis
tinctlve following. They bring to the PLAY
houses people who could be attracted there
ny no other than this venerable institution
OF minstrelsy. Gray-haired men who have
got beyond or have become satiated with
the melodramatic, the romantic and even
the operate In stage doings, turn out in
tnrohgs 10 enjoy the simple songs and to
laugh sincerely at the jokes of the black
raced troubadours. 1t is good to be among
tnese people and to applaud with them for
they are unstinted in their praise and flat
terlng IN their appreciation. Last night
they filled the National Theater and were
thoroughly delighted with the modern en-
tertalnment furnished by George Primrose
Lew Dockstader and host of others Prim-
rose ana Dockstader are widely different in
their styles of work. as stage followers well
know. Primrose, graceful and clever
dances and sings his way into the applause
of the people, while Dockstader. in that
famous, rusty leviathan of a dress coat
breaks down all barriers between himself
and his audience and makes laugh after
la uSh that can no more be suppressed than
Niagara. When he came on for his
monologue last night Dockstader rode in
wonderful automobile creation. with a stove
pipe out behind, a candle headlight and
numerous other appliances such as no
homemade or imported machine can boast
The auto spluttered and smoked sized
and bucked. Between it and Dockstader
the audience had no chance and Simply
roared with laughter.
When the curtain went up it was upon a
scenic representation of the Garden of the
Gods The place was deserted. Far away
in the distance the audience detected some
thing with the sound of a minstrel band in
1t. The music came nearer and nearer and
now could not be mistaken. The first black
head popped up from behind and into the
Garden of the Gods walked a ful-grown
troupe the band footing furiOusly
in ragtime rhythm Enjoy Yourselves
Looking closer the audience noted that the
place had not been entirely deserted before
the burnt-cork brigade filed in. Up on tail
pillars a number Of gods of statuesuue pro-
portions, looked down upon the scene of
revelry and probably regretted that they
and their mythical brothers and sisters had
been SO long dead.
The first edition Of entertainers an
in that fashion on the program,
consisted of Endmen Neil O'Brien and Ed
die Leonard, with William H. Hallett in
the center. The first part was conventional,
but the stories and the songs We're new. The
vaudeville end of the show is exceptionally
strong.
LAFAYETTE OPERA HOUSE-"Ser-
geant James," the Offering at the Lafayette
Theater this week. is styled by Kirk La
Shelle a heroic drama, but 1t would be more
appropriately classed with the melodramas.
1t is true the curtain rises in the first act
on frontier military camp, and there are
also number of soldier characters in the
cast, yet the lack of thrilling scenes and in
cidents connected with military life, such as
are expected in heroic drama, Is very
noticeable. The play, however, is not void
of thrilling scenes; on the contrary, there
are several incidents in the piece which stir
the audience to a high pitch of excitement
Sergeant James had its first presentation
in Boston about three weeks ago In Its
present form it is lacking in completeness
but with a little careful work 1t could be
made melodrama of the better class The
shooting of Ferris the rascal mine superin-
tendent by his wife is rather startling and
the judgment of the playwright in thus dis
posing of the barrier between the lovers
Sergeant James and Mrs. Ferris Is cues
toned. If Ferris must be killed one of the
Villainous robbers might be prevailed upon
to do the deed. The stage manager should
also pay little more attention to the de-
tails of presentation. In the third act 1t is
noticed that Mrs. Ferris enters the parlor
by means of door previously locked by her
husband. without making the slightest
noise. The opening of a bolted door from
the opposite side is usually attended with
more or less difficulty, unless magic is at
trlbuted to the party entering, and such is
not the case in this piece.
Henry kolker essays the title role of the
piece, as the hero, who enlisted when his
hance married 1.-The other fellow" while
Ellen Boyer plays the part of his former
sweetheart.
A great deal Of local interest attached to
HOVer'S