The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-11
In New York
TheafeKS.

New York, Sept. 1O.-I don't remem-
Der ever before to have observed such
a simultaneous array of important
amusement opening as that which has
been presented in New York within the
past week. Nearly every first-class the
alter in town is now going under a full
head of steam, where seven days ago
there were a dozen of these
playhouses untenated. Naturally,
the keenest interest Monday
evening conferred in the Empire
Theater, which, as always, pre-
scented as it's opening attraction
John Drew, this time in Robert Mar
shalls ''farcical romance" 1.-THE Duke
of Killicrankie." Mr.. Drew was, as
a matter of course, received with we'll
bred cordiality-not the boisterous eff
fusiveness of a favorite of melodrama
or the acclaim that often greets a
comedian of comic opera, but the pro-
longed token of esteem expressed
through the clapping of hands encased
in the white kid gloves of conventional
evening wear. For an opening night
at the Empire is an occasion that
draws together the elements of fashion.
The Duke of Killicrankie" is writ
ten with the wholly delightful clever
ness that has marked all of Capt. Mar
shalls works, and it sparkles along to
a ripple of laughter that is almost un-
ceasing. Mr.. Drew himself-but of
course you know all about that. You
are fully acquainted with the easy
composure, the unruff1ed calm of ex-
preston, the grasp of meaning, the
quick, incisive delivery the aplomb
and the command of this player who
dominates his scenes unerringly,
whether in dress clothes or morning
coat, in farce or seni-serious play. No
enthusiast will call John Drew a great
actor, but all must admit that he seems
somehow to fit into the characters CIV
en- to him for interpretation-and he
possesses quite as large and loyal a
following as if he had been the great
est of the great.
It was fervency that marked the re-
ception of the Rogers Brothers at the
New Amsterdam Theater in John ].
McNally's newest mirthful connection
on Monday night. None of your polite
and subdued expressions for a Rogers
Brothers audience. No tapping of
palms muffled by kid gloves. No tenn
| pered smiles of ppreciation-just
| plain guffaw of joyousness, punctuated
with plaudits of the old-fashioned sort.
| This, in brief may serve as a descrip-
tion of what went on necessarily
| throughout the representation of "The
| Rogers Brothers in Paris" The fra
| ternal Rogerses. poked their distended
| abdomens up against one another,
| stuck their noses together and fired
smart gags" into one another's faces
with their accustomed high tenor rap
| idity. They jigged it with the celebrity
| that has marked their. dancing all
along With a pretty girl on each side
| of them they chanted their parodies
| upon popular songs as of yore. And
they kept their tremendous audience
along with them from start to finish
They were surrounded with quite I'M
| precedented splend1f, for Klaw & Err
! LANCER had made a production in their
| behalf in which lavishrnss and artistic
valuations of colorinS ;.:ld effects went
| hand in hand. In addition, the COM
| pany was of great excellence. jose
| phine Cohan. the graceful dancer and
/ pleasing Coincidence. made a strong
| hit of her own. Fred Nblo proved a
| comic foil for the star comedians. As
| for the background of girls, what shall
be said of them i'm the bewilderment
| of their charm of face and figure, their
! earnestness and activity and the
| prodigality of their attire. even when
scant? It is a great show, this "Rog-
ers Brother in Paris" and 1t will please
the public better than any of those
that have gone before it in the Rogers
repertoire.
The Savoy Theater will not need a
! change of programme for months to
come-probably, indeed, not until next
summer. Mrs. Wigs Of the Cab
bage Patch" was first introduced to
this public last night and in its quaint
and quiet way created so deep an inn
preston as to insure its sustained
popularity for a quite indefinite period.
II is comedy Of types. with a strong
undercurrent Of heart interest, and IL
is clear away in a field of its own.
which competition will find IL difficult
to penetrate.
Lulu CHASER. IN a new comic opera
called "A Madcap Princess" and un-
der her new manager. Charles B. Dill
bingham. has come to the Knickerbock-
| er Theater and won a fresh triumph
! xtfgfh pavanpa1ffts bar