Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-25

The pretty girls in 1.-THE Wizard of Or
and the spritely chorus of Wang found
increased appreciation as the week wore
on and the clans began to gather for ths
races. Fred Stone, who was not in the cast
OF THE Wizard last season, added much
to its humor by his presence this time lie
comes pretty near making a standard crea-
ton, of the Humpty Dumpty sort, of role
whose possibilities for individual strength
would seem at first glance to be but slight.
He and Mr. Montgomery even managed TO
hold their own against the rivalry of tie
papier mache man and the mechanical COW.
X x
De Wolf Hopper did what he could to re-
vfve the good old days, even giving his
favorite curtain monologue and recitinS
Casey at the Bat" But the bloom Is
brushed from Wang" The brightness Of
that operetta's melodies have become cor
roded with the touch of time even as the
tinsel on that once mirthfuly potent mon
arch'S epaulettes. One of the clevereSt IN
cidents of the performance, modern 1dl-
ton to the original score. passed as rule
without notice. The burlesque of the var
ious styles of love song in vogue on the
stage, included a satire on 'Parslfal IN
this the orchestra had one of its few 1l'-
portunites to assert itself in a comic vein.
The musical accompaniment of this Wag-
merriam jest was absurdly grotesque and yet
keenIy suggestive of it's august original. 1t
was like a George Bernard Shaw comedy
in tempting those who CHANGED to discern
it's purpose to laugh when the rest or the
house was engaged in silent and curious
contemplation.
However, there will be no danger Of
laughing in the wrong place next week.
MIR. Forbes Robertson will be here, present.
ing Hamlet" during which there must be
no laughter unless you choose to indulge
few slight chuckles the ponderous asini-
nifty of Polonius. And with Mr.. Lew Dock
stader there is no chance of mistake. When
ever he stops to take breath, it is time for
the audience to respond with as much hilar-
ity as it can summon.
X x
The engagement OF Albert Chevalier at
Chase's, which closes this evening, has
brought a breath of freshness into an at
mosphere that has become more or less
fetid through the presence of so many
so-called breezy and effervescent attrac
tons which leave the air heated and stale.
Just what the dramatic purists will
call Mr. Chevaliers relation to legitimate
art is hard to define, but to the unpreju-
uICSu duuiLOI, Will dppClitc 1oi tiIAiSS
that are true and wholesome in the stage
world, which is seldom gratified, this actor
represents the highest and best. His work
is finished in every detail of action and
makeup. His is a clear title to the term
actor, and not thing does he do that
lessons the first impression. He brings
to the stage what Dickens brought to lit
erature-a characterization of the types
Of human nature with which his auditors
are most familiar There was nothing of
the false tinsel so often called worldly
about his work, but, as 1t relates 10 man
and as man bears relation to the world
his pictures were of the earth most eartny.
He does not present too much. lie never
tires his audience, and before 1t has re-
covered from Its amaZement and pleasure
In his round of representations he is gone,
leaving a pleasant memory ana SAUSAGE
ton that at first might be taken for de-
sire for more, but is merely the emotion
stirred by sense that, long dormant, mas
been suddenly awakened. In this Mr..
CheValier shows his wisdom, and more Wis
dom than some of his literary contempt
raries There are several writers whose
pen drawing of the humber and better
known parts of the human family are
magnificent works of art. But they, or
the great majority of them, have failed TO
appreciate the fact that their work, how
ever great 1t may be, sometimes leaves
the readers interest exhausted. The con-
slant recurrence of familiar types, accu-
rately drawn, sometimes leaves the reader
aching and stiff beside the embers of
burnt-out emotions This was true in
some respects of Dickens and lola and
Balzac, three men who realized true APP
probation of humanity most of the
world sees it, These are the types of peo-
pie Mr.. ChevaIier incorporates in his per-
formances, but through his wisdom he
practices economy and does not spoil
series of truthful pictures by making them
a kaleidoscope of human characteristics,
each taking color from the other, but none
bearing relation to any.