Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-18

The attractions at the various theaters
this week possess many points of merit,
and vet are in no conspicuous instance i'm
pressive for general artistic excellence.
..When Johnny Comes Marching Home
proved to be melange of comic opera, eX-
travaganza, burlesque and meiodramta.
Through this incoherent mass whose lack
of continuity is aggravated by the EFFORTS
Of cast that is far from catching the
spirit of the plot runs a continuous and
clarifying flood of some of the finest music
that has ever been produced by an Amerl-
can composer The music is well worth sit
ting through an evening to hear and 1T is,
for the most part. competently sung Inc
comedy, however, is funereal, as Mr.
STANCES comedy so frequently is Mr..
STANCE has admirable literary facility, but
his muse is dignifed one, and his success
SO far has been rather as an adapter OF the
classics than as a constructor of smart'and
ingenious trifies such as are demanded for
the purposes of musical comedy or even of
comic opera. Mr.. Homer Lind sings with
fine effect his work being especially APP
precated in this city because he is still
Washingtonian, although a favorite in
many portions of the globe.
Alice r fischer Heiu TIE Dodi uS dt tiAC W
lumbia Theater with a frothy comedietta
entitled Mrs Jack" Miss Fischer's some
what stately proportions and evident cul-
ture constitute bar to her complete capt-
walton of an audience that looks only for
broad and uncompromising comic effects.
To exile her from the court scenes in which
she has displayed regal charm many
times and condemn her to frolic through
seems TO be a harsh exercise of the
managerial prerogative and step of
doubtful expediency. Miss Fischer is un-
doubtedy an actress with d fine sense of
humor, but she is also possessed of too
much personality and intellectual quantity
to permit her to be accepted without pro-
test in mere empty mirthfulness. Her tall
ents, whether applied to comedy or to the
portrayal of royal Weaknesses, are dis
tinctly legitimate, and there is small pros
pect of her succeeding to the satisfaction of
her many admirers in roles which present
her as mere laugh getter.
x
James X Hackett, who has become cele
brated as the member of the theatrical tri-
umvirate which hopes in time to defeat the
operations of the syndicate now monopolz-
ing most of the good bookings in the larger
Cities appeared at the Lafayette Theater
in a brand-new and very bad play entitled
THE Crisis Mr.. Hackett saw fit in a
little speech on the opening night to allude
to his relations, or rather lack Of relations,
with the trust and to thank the audience
for being present. Mr.. Hackett deserv-
eddy popular though he may be, cannot
rely on personal favor to win audiences
through many engagements of plays like
The Crisis" The theater has never been
49,
ton. In the times away back, which are
often referred to as "the good old days
but which were. in some respects, distinct
ly. the bad old days, it was customary to
throw things at actors who did not please,
and in case where the blame for failure
obviously to be laid at the door of the
playwright that unlucky poet might regard
himself as getting off with less than his
due if he escaped being taken out into the
street and tossed in a blanket. The public
temper has become milder, and even If we
We're ferociously inclined there would be
no danger of Mr.. Hackett's receiving
other than courteous consideration for his
handsome personality and melodious voice
are always good to look upon and pleasant
to hear. But in days of Elizabethan Lon
don the man who put together a literary
patchwork like THE Crisis would have
been in danger Mr.. Hacketts severance
from the trust is, in his case, an add
vantage rather than detriment. 1t makes
him an interesting figure, a sort of
Ajax defying the dramatic lightning and
always suggests a suspicion that any I'M
favorable criticism of his work or the ma
terlal he offers must be prompted by SYM
patty with the syndicate. The other men,
bers of the triumvirate which, in time, ex
poets to develop a syndicate on its own
account Mrs. Fiske and Henrietta Cros-
man. Mrs. Fiske is playing drama which
was taken from the highest attainable lit
erary source, the sacred Scriptures, while
Miss Crosman IS noted as the exponent of
historic drama, and of characters concern
ing whose artistic dignity there can be no
doubt Mr. Hackett still has several rungs
to climb in the ladder of dramatic merit
before he can claim equal recognition for
hts production with those of his distinguish
ed associates He is in great danger. more
over OF exceeding the limit of good taste
in his methods of calling public attention
to his business affairs, which seem on the
whole to be entirely prosperous despite
very deficient vehicle.
x * i
At Chase's Theater the regular vaudeville
season goes out IN Il pldZe Vi Sioiy, TIC piii
being one of the best that the house has
presented Next week the customary
sketches and exhibitions of skill in divers
fields will give place to comic opera Mr..
Chase has not announced whether he will
revive ping spong or free ice cream as
special inducement after the warm weather
sets in. II there were only little more
space his liberality would doubtless be
moved to offer his patrons the entertain
ment of free golf links all for one price OF
admission.
X x X
The stock season opens next week at the
Lafayette This form of entertainment is
one to which the Lafayette owes great
deal, for it has established a permanent
clientele for the house among the more
steadfast and conservative patrons of the
theater Some rather attenuated attrac-
lions which strayed in from popular price
circuit have not been able to qiIench the
interest in that theater as horne for le
Ultimate entertainment. and the resump-
ton of standard drama under the direc-
ton of a recognized producer like Mr..
Berger will be a good thing for the theater