National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-02-16
A NIGHT AT TIL" NATIONAL.

A NIGHT AT TIL" NATIONAL.
now TIE PUBLIC APPETITE F01s
AMUSEMEET IS APPE.ISED.
TT -FANAGER IN THE BoX-oFFICE-THE
AT THE DooR-TRIALs OF TICKET
1.-THE POOR STAGE-MANAGER-
i,,tw AND WHY HE CURSES, AND Is
c;rHsED-PA TING SCENERY AND
PAINTED FACES PERSONNEL OF THE
NATIONAL THEATRE COMPANY.
Some one has remarked that ''all the worlds q
stage and the people only players" To . great
extent such ic really the case. The world is .
pretty big theatre and natures scenery il entirely
too beautiful to serve as IN accessory to the
tragedies, dramas and farces that are daily being
presented upon the real stage Of life. Every one
is an actor, although many play any other part
than that for which nature designed them. The
fool frequently essays the role of the philosopher
tn sorry manner, and the clown is as often seen
upon the stage Of life in the character OF geh.e
man as In any other: but as general thing nc SCI
dom succeeds in the PRESERVATION, for despite nis
careful makeup the public discern the clown %.
meath the taking exterior, and he Is At once se'
0OWn as the asSOClhte VI thc ihohA~'.
abanks that go to make up lies circus. Ing
world of nature is spread before those who people
IL 80 plarinxly that all can study the scenery, the
olayers, the costumes and the appointments Is
shey pass along, but f.
THE MIMIC WORLD
D hid behind the curtain, and the people see II
univ SO far as can be viewed from the orchestra
tails. The object of this article is to take the
reader into one Of theatres, Lift the curtain,
10 49,
Hmss, and take o close peep at those who are
seen only in the glare of the footlights caught
glimpse of as they fit hither and thither around
Sic temple of the drama. The reader is supposed
50 be seated in the box-othcc beside Manager Sa-
vile, who is busily engaged in disposing OF tick
sts, dispatching couriers In every direction upon
important errands, listening to the wants OF the
scenic artist. of the orchestra leader of the cos
sSat pour in at an alarming rate, al at the same
lime Saville is a master at dispatching business,
out his handsome face is always wreathed with
shildlike and bland smile, and he never loses mis-
patience but turns . deaf ear to the demands Of
he dead heads in the quietest and most polite
manner possible. As everybody knows Sayiiie. II
Is not necessary to draw Il pen portrait oil MN,
but the visitor is perhaps not SO well acquainted
with
Mr.. NJ. W. CANNING,
Ar Sayille's assistant manager, who sits behind
which must be paid every week whether the re.
eeipts be large or small. Canning is good
aafured looking man, although his stock OF
eomes more easily .'riled" than does that of the
manager. Canning is n blonde, wears nice
goatee, brilliant diamonds and nestly-htting
.lothes He is scrupulously neat and his shirt
BOSOM presents q spotless appearance. HIS nat
and boots shine like the white OF q colored gem
mans eye, and his hand is always full OF bills,
which he never pays without first scrutinizing in
The closest manner. Canning Is an experienced
manager, and has done good deal Of business
with many eminent artists, including Fechter.
a q n m az
th,.siast in his profession. II his skin be little
thin, that is nothing unusual, for the profession is
liable to abuse THAI il is not to be wondered ut
e they finally become sensitive. At the door the
visitor is brought into contact with
BUCK! NGHAM,
the polite individual WHO keeps jealous eye over
the entrance OF the patrons and See that all relin-
guish their tickets before they go in to view the
"show." The public might naturally suppose
that the position of doortender calls for the pos
session Of no more than ordinary ability, but in
this respect the public is sadly in 10 attend
The door Of a theatre requires tact and judgment
Of the finest order. Sc many persons are contin-
ually rcsortng to all kinds Of eXpeients to secure
free admittance to q theatre that 1t requires
practice and experience to understand the tricks
Of the would-be tead-heads and to be prepared to
Withstand their arguments and to dispose of them
IN such a manner as will not give absolute offence
and make enemies for the management. A door
lender must also be man Of integrity lest the
emptation to accept presents for which the donor
expects future fayors might be too great to be
KithstOoi; besides, he might add TO his position
Oh llchei selleI Will pTOuL " LlllsSll,
put with q loss of profit to the management.
buckingham is polite and attentive. sharp and
0xy, and il he be not a beauty in appearance, he
makes up for this personal defect by large stock
OF good nature. So much for buckingham.
HARRY wIDMER,
he leader of the orchestra is almost as well
known in Washington as the manager. Widmer
Is a born musician and the first word he uttered
Is said to thave been cry for a violin. He pos
Iesses a well-knt frame, Is good looking, polite,
attentive to his duties and understands his bust
aess. He is one Of the best orchestra leaders In
:he land and the music discussed 1T the National
Toes him infinite credit. As a violinist he stands
aigh in the profession and some Of his solos elicit
LIBERAL and enthusiastic applause. Strangers NJ
ways speak in the highest terms of the music at
;he National, numbers expressing the belief that
It's even superior to that dlsePurrsed at many
places Of amusement in the lafger cities.
NED LAMB.
he stage-manager, holds the most important
position in the theatre. He II is upon whom falls
;he burden of producing the plays; and If any
thing goes wrong upon the stage Lamb is to blame.
In most theatres the stagemanager engages the
sompany, selects the players, casts them, su-
perintends the rehearsals, looks after the paint
ing of the scenery sees TO the preparation OF the
proper costumes, keeps the artists in order and
attends to the thousand and one details necessary
for the successful performance, and Of which the
public have no idea at oil. If the scenery be not
sast be not such as suits those who are to
stage-manaSer is sworn at on the stage, and fire.
7uently cursed by the audience before it. If the
DR. her back up, the stage-manageri is berated, and
:here is general jangling behind the scenes that
frequently surpasses that upon the stage toa
marked degree.
The stage manager is not only supposed to know
everything going on about the stage, but he is
likewise expected to play q principal part him.
Seif and is frequently called upon to double up
and assume the role of delinquent who is TOO
'.indisposed" to appear. 1t will therefore be per-
Ssiis for the possession 81 much histronic talent
t is likewise one of great responsibility: MIR.
Lamb has proved himself q model man for his
braise during his term of service with Mr.. Sa-
Vile the public must certainly have admired the
manner in which the stage has been run since the
models Of perfection and taste, the appointments
have been appropriate and elegant, and the per
0rmances have passed of with the smoothness
,ne of the very best comedians on the stage, He
Is SO eQpsidered by the New fnrk PRESS anu pub
lie, where he is An immense fav0rite. He first
became prominent at the Park theatre, in Brook
yn. where the talent he developed attracted the
attention Of New York manager, and Mr.. Lamb
td 6so ana In prTae life
re is quite retired and modest. He possesses
;.amb-like nature, and is anything but mutton
aead.
MAY sAvILLE,
me leading lady and wife of the manager, Is
we'll known in Washington, where she as quite =
.avorte. Mrs Sayiile has this season developed
more talent than she had previously displayed.
IN LED AStray' ana inc ''JeueNd STOss eue
surprised the public by the naturalness Of her
acting and the gentle and winning manner in
which she brought out the more delicate touches
If the characters she personated. Mrs. Saville's
hults are a frequent carclessness, that seems to
,e the offspring of an independent nature, as If 1t
we're of little consequence to her whether she
pleased or not Her position as wife of the man.
,Rer in q certain sense, may have nourished this
ceiling but O true artist will, in all cases, and
lnder every circumstance, do his or her very
BEST and endeavor to give the audience the salts
factory entertainment which they have paid to
receive If Mrs. Saville would use more care
md study to improve her elocution, she would be-
some one of the leading ladies upon the American
stage In private Life she is very agreeable. She
lsquiet, retiring and laiyiike, and possesses rare
entertaining powers She dresses with hne taste
ner costumes being invariably rich and becom
ing.
MISS KATIE MAYHEM.
This little lady has become quite o fayorite
Ince her first appearance here at the opening o.
;he National. She came from Brooklyn, wnete
esui ais minor parts, and where her exemplary
Ar,,ate life caused her to be highly esteemed In
iociaf Mrciss, Miss Mayhem possesses kecr
,ense of the ridiculous. and in characters whert
.his element is allowed Iu,, play, she Invariably
eives sa.isactio and makes p0inaS fsAt never iAi
70 win for her rattering applaule. She u ptcn
,rettier of the stage than %, where tpe pHsyaii
ny habit OF using Artificial means, for lac i'A
laken reason that 1t beauties the complexion, IL
being carried to such extremes as to cause the