Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-24

But he wishes Stuart Robson to pass judg-
ment on it. and on Thursday sent him the
following letter to Richmond. where Mr..
Robson is playing today in The Comedy Of
Errors:
My dear Robson: AS one of the men
living today who knew Daniel Webster in
the later years of his life, / want you to
call upon me at the Capitol next Monday,
II your engagements will permit, and see
a portrait of Mr.. Webster, painted some
fifty years ago by Chester Harding Of
Massachusetts, of which ! fortunately be-
came possessed the other day.
Your obedient servant.
X x
Clifford Leigh, whose work in stock COM
panies in this city has made him almost
local man in the estimation of theater-
goers, has risen to very important respon-
sibilities in the company of Stuart Robson,
who has revived the old success in which
Robson and Crane so long met with pros
perity, THE Comedy of Errors" The
chief duty of the second Dromio is. of
course, to initiate Mr.. Robson. Mr.. Rob-
son has been one of the most widely ilni-
tated men on the American stage, his pc
culiarity of speech being such as to ire
sistibly tempt the mimic. To maintain this
representation through entire perform
ance is by no means an Insignificant task.
Mr.. Crane used to weary of it, and Mr..
Robson frequently gave him resting spell
by standing in the wings and supplying the
lines of the Dromio who was before the
foOtlishts. OF course the audience could
not but marvel at the accuracy of the
| imitation.
Manager Schlesinger of the Empire Thea
ter announces that beginning on Monday.
February 9, the favorite Bjou Stock Com
pany will again hold forth at the Empire.
The company will be under the direction
of James Brennan and a weil-known come
dian producer 1t will number some forty
five people, and among them will be seen
a number of the old fayorites. In addition
to a weekly change of the burlesques, six
high-class vaudeville acts will be seen. The
program each week will be of the same
merit which last season characterized the
management of the Empire as most liberal
and eEterprlSing.
A one-act opera by Mendelssohn, which
has never been heard in the United States,
is to be presented by Homer Lind in the
near future. 1t is declared that the music
is worthy of the great composer. Willard
Holcomb has taken the liberty of bringing
the libretto up to date, his excuse for do
ing so being that JOKES which were funny
fifty years ago are at present outlawed.
In addition to the MeRGe,ssohn opera,
"Gringoire,' now an established success,
Will be presented by Mr.. LIND in con-
nection with a series OF special mat
inee performances, the arrangem ents
for which are rapidly nearing COM
p,etion. The performances will be under
the business management of F. G. Whitney,
and the first is scheduled TO be given soon
in Philadelphia. If the proposed series of
opera m3tiUees meets with favor, roper
toire CT one-act operas Will be prepared for
Mr. Lind's next season. Mr.. Hoicomb
has interpoiateL another character in Her
Last Rehearsal" which will be seen at
Chase's in March. This action by the au
thor is understood to be preliminary to ex-
pandng the pleasing little sketch into
full-hedged three-act play
;:
Witches of the fairy tales are uncanny
looking, shriveled and horrifying spectacles.
with bent figures and a creeing, cringing
manner. And that is why Miss Phoebe
Coyne, the witch in Klaw & Erlanger's big
Drury Lane fairy spectacle, The Sleeping
Beauty and the Beast found it SO difficult
to adapt herself to the part when she was
originally asked to take it.
In appearance Miss Coyne is nearly
the opposite of witch as it would be pos
sible to find She is tall, stately and in
clined to be bit stout. Her height is even
great enough to attract attention, and yet
every night she draws herself up like a tur-
tie and appears to be no taller than a
school girl She maintains this position