Augustine Daly opened the doors of his theatre, Tuesday evening, October 9, with an adaptation from the French of the comedy “Les Surprises du Divorce.” Mr. Daly calls his work “The Lottery of Love.” It was enthusiastically received on the first night, and it grew in favor with subsequent repetition. During the season it is the intention of Mr. Daly to produce, in addition to the more pretentious part of his plans, a number of short one-act comedies. They will precede the important attraction of the night’s entertainment. These “curtain raisers,” as some writer has christened them, are oftentimes very enjoyable. One of the most pleasing recollections of the last theatrical season was the presentation of “Editha’s Burglar,” at the Lyceum.
“LORD CHUMLEY” SOTHERN.
Speaking of the Lyceum, calls to mind the success of young Sothern in “Lord Chumley.” Since the first night he appeared in the comedy, he has crowded the handsome little theatre with well pleased auditors. The success is due more to the acting and personality of Mr. Sothern as the young lord, who is not such a fool as he looks, than to the merits of the play or the acting of the company. Young Sothern’s “Lord Chumley” is as good in its way as was the elder Sothern’s “Lord Dundreary.” The play of “Lord Chumley” is a piece of literary patchwork, rather skillfully put together, and afterward run through the sieve of thorough rehearsals. Daniel Frohman may be congratulated on the success of his promising young star and the good fortune he has brought to the Lyceum.
THE PROSPERITY OF “A LEGAL WRECK.”
William Gillette’s victory with “A Legal Wreck,” in the very theatre—the Madison Square—in which his first play, “The Professor,” was brought before the footlights was complete. “A Legal Wreck” is not a great play, and Mr. Gillette did not aim to make it so. He did, however, attempt to make an interesting drama, and succeeded. Since its first night it has steadily improved. Judicious cutting down, and alterations in the stage business, have made it an effective acting play. When it is taken from the Madison Square Theatre and sent to other cities, it will meet with as much favor as here. When “A Legal Wreck” was first put on the stage it was not expected to be played more than a few weeks. It has exceeded expectations, and will run Mr. Gillette’s entire season out. A. M. Palmer’s follows with the regular Madison Square Company in a revival of “Partners,” after which he will produce “Captain Swift,” an English drama of the “Jim the Penman” order, which is highly spoken of by people who have seen it in London.
RICHARD NEVILLE.
A STORY of the rough life of the ranch in the Far West, clad, so to speak, in “purple and fine linen,” appears at first sight to be somewhat of an anomaly. In this case, however, the contents are worthy of the binding, and the story is not thrown into a shadowy background by its luxurious and sumptuous equipment. “Ranch Life and the Hunting-Trail,” by Theodore Roosevelt, has already made its bow to the public in a series of papers issued in the The Century magazine, and the verdict has been given in its favor. Now it is published in a veritable édition de luxe by The Century Company. The story loses nothing of its merits in the process, while Mr. Frederic Remington’s spirited and characteristic illustrations, so familiar to the readers of OUTING, are shown to the greatest possible advantage.