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FAMOUS TITLED BEAUTIES AT DELHI, INDIA, FOR THE GREAT DURBAR
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HEATRES
NEW YORK, January 3. The New
Year has brought a few changes at
metropolitan theatres with others im
pending. AVith the exception of the characteristi
cally "dull week before Christmas"
managers have had little to complain of
so far as we have gone this season.
The fourth month and last two weeks
of the pleasing musical comedy "A
Country Girt" at Daly's theatre ended,
although the piece could easily run the
entire winter. Judging from the crowded
houses which have greeted it since the
opening. But existing contracts for at
tractions booked last year, could not be
changed and the popular piece went on
the road for a short season hfter Decem
ber 27, returning to New York later in
the season to finish out its run.
"A Country Girl" will be followed by
Jerome Sykes in "The Billionaire" which
has been meeting with great success in
Chicago and other cities. According to
dispatches the setting of the play Is
unusually gorgeous. The scenes include
Nice In carnival time, as shown in -the
first act, the exterior and interior of a
New York theatre, In the second, and
a Parisian race track in the third.
Through all this brilliant scenery walks
Jerome Sykes, as John Doe, the Billion
aire, scattering millions and making love
to "Pansy Good." from Bird Centre,
Iowa.
The second act takes place In the
billionaires theatre and includes the
"scoop" of the play. It contains about
half an hour of gentle but very effica
cious burlesque. The bad manners of a
first night audience are mercilessly sa
tirized from the time It buys Its tickets
until It leaves the theatre, and to square
matters with the audience the producers
have caricatured the more egregrious
abuses which characterize theatre man
agement In the United States. The
chorus is stunning and New Yorkers are
likely to endorse Chicago's opinion of
the play, which Is one of Klaw and Er
langer's biggest successes.
Something really new was the attrac
tion .at New York theatre, when the
Whitney opera company presented for
the first time in the city Stanislaus
Stange and Julian Edwards' novel civil
war opera, "When Johnny Comes March
ing Home," with a cast and chorus of
350 people. The opera is in three acts,
the scenes showing the interior of Gen
eral Allen's headquarters during a ball
given to Federal officers by Confederate
belles, Felix Graham's plantation and
Ihe encampment of the Federal army
"on the eve of the declaration of peace.
The story, while possessing the dramatic
spirit and the atmosphere of war, is con
fined mainly to affairs of the heart and
all sectionalism is eliminated. The music
is brilliant and fascinating and far
above the average of comic opera. In a
most effective way Mr. Edwards makes
use of all the stirring airs that were the
vogue during the civil war, interspersing
them with darkey melodies and the
songs of the blue and the gray, in com
positions full of originality and charm.
At the Herald Square theatre Richard
Mansfield's" "Julius Caesar" is attract
ing much attention. His new interpre
tation of the character of Brutus has
been assailed by some critics, but the
great public shows its appreciation of
this wonderful presentation by keeping
the house packed to the doors every
night and at every matinee.
This is remarkable when It Is remem
bered that a similar condition of affairs
obtains at the Victoria, where Viola
Allen presents "The Eternal City," at
the Manhattan, where Mrs. FIske Is
magnetizing multitudes nightly by her
rarely clever presentation of the Mag
dalene, and at Wallack's where J. K.
Hackett's "Crisis" is eliciting the most
pronounced approval.
The magnificent staging of these plays,
the size and talent of the companies and
the unusual talent of the stars Is mak
ing a very notable page in the history of
the drama here. Each of the great
quartette is drawing an equal amount of
attention and adding to already justly
attained laurels.
At the Madison Square theatre
"Audrey" is delighting with Its delicious
colonial atmosphere so masterfully re
produced, and the piquant character of
its plot and the delightful Interpretation
rendered by Its clever cast, at the head
of which Eleanor Robson again proves
a most attractive heroine.
On Monday, December 29th, Mrs. Lang
try and her company will begin an en
gagement at the Garrlck, limited to three
weeks, during which time she will pre
sent her two successful plays. The
opening bill will be "The Crossways," a
new modern play written by Mrs. Lang
try and J. Hartley Manners, a member
pf her company. Her second play will
be "Mademoiselle Mars."
"The Darling of the Gods" has made
a sensational hit at Belasoo's. It is im
posing, artistic and splendidly acted.
Blanche Bates has never done anything
better than her creation of the little
Japanese princess. Yo-San, whose love
for Kara, the outlaw, strongly acted by
Robert T. Haines, forms the tragedy of
the play. Of notable Interest among the
wonderful cast brought together by Mr.
Belasco, Is George Arllss, an artist of
fine calibre and subtle Intellect. And
yet, with its list of strong players, and
despite the extraordinary success each
has individually scored, the fact remains
that the personality and genius of Mr.
Belasco rises above all.
Julia Marlowe has settled down com
fortably at the Criterion theatre with her
production of "The Cavalier." She has
made a great personal triumph as the
high-spirited heroine- of Mr. Cable's
Southern romance, and the play itself
has been welcomed cordially for the op
portunities it affords her to display her
ability, charm and beauty.
"Fad and Folly" Is running well, at
Mrs. Osborn'8 play house. The audiences
have been "very demonstrative over the
singing and playing of Blanche Ring
and Harry Conor, both in the musical
comedy itself and in the burlesque on
"Iris."
The Leslie syndicate man learns that
Miss Barrymore will leave the Savoy to
make way for the run of Clyde Fitch
plays there, which will begin December
29 with "The Girl with the Green Eyes,"
hi which Miss Clara Bloodgood will ap
pear. William Faversham has made a power
ful success In the Esmond comedy "Im
prudence," in which he is now appearing,
and theatre-goers keep on asserting
their fondness for both play and star by
crowding the Empire to its capacity at
every performance. The record of the
first month of this engagement is one
upon which Charles Frohman and Mr.
Faversham can both congratulate them
selves. It looks as if N. C. Goodwin and Max
ine Elliott were to have a record-breaking
engagement at the Knickerbocker
theatre. Mr. Goodwin's role of Dick
Arbuthnot gives him opportunity to be
THREE THEATRE FAVORITES IN NEW PRODUCTIONS
Virginia Drew Trcscott. a Cali
fornia actress of repute, makes her
debut .as a star this week In "Lord
Sfratmore," "a. dramatization of
Ouida's story. The production will
make an extensive road tour.
(r,; 'fill
A notable revival of "Caste" will
shortly go on tour under the man
agement of George H. Brennan.
Mary Scott, the beautiful California
actress, has been engaged for the
role of Esther.
Maude Lillian Is playing In New
York in the "Sultan of Sulu," which
has just been put on the boards at
"Wallack's theatre. The production
will tour the country after the New
York dates.
his happy and fun-making old self, and
at the same time it permits him to show
that he Is effective In serious work whe
that Is called' for. He has a lot of
humorous lines and situations, and
keeps his audiences roaring with laugh
ter. Miss Elliott's beauty Is a fascinat
ing factor 'in the character of Sally Sar
toris, and her exquisite acting enhances
its attractiveness.
Messrs. Liebler & Co. have succeeded
in achieving the purchase, or lease, of
the American rights of the Hall Calne-Wllson-Barrett
dramatization of "The
Manxman." This play is intended for
Mr. James O'Neill, and whether it will
be given in repertoire with his present
play, "Rurik, the Serf," or whether the
former will be.made to give way entirely
to the new production, has not yet been
decided. "The Manxman" will be put on
just as soon as the production can be
LADY DUDLEY RECOVERING
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Lady Dudley, wife of Earl Dudley,
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Is recov
ering from a recent operation for ap
pendicitis. The operation was per
formed just in the nick of time to
prevent a fatal termination to her
Illness.
prepared and rehearsals completed, when
Mr. O'Neill will resume his tour, which
will take him through the south, prob
ably beginning at Norfolk or Richmond.
"The Girl I Left Behind Me." has suc
ceeded "Jane," at the Circle theatre,
where the new Herbert stock company
has achieved immediate success with its
standard plays at popular prices.
Ma'belle Gilman, in "The Mocking
Bird," is keeping the Bijou theatre
crowded nightly. On a recent evening
Edouard de Reszke. basso, and a dis
tinguished party enjoyed the play from
one of the boxes. The great basso was
delighted with the performance, and pro
nounced It one of the finest comic operas
he had ever heard. His opinion, which
should be of great weight. Is shared by
a number of musical critics, who have
seen the play, which has attracted great ,
attention from theatre-goers who are
more than usually critical. The prior
engagement of the Bijou for later dates
will compel Miss Gilman to leave New
York, and a tour of the leading cities
will follow her engagement here.
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