, 1876-12-17
SOCIETY. PLAYs VS.. SHAKESPEARE,

SOCIETY. PLAYs VS. SHAKESPEARE,
The production Of Shakspeariean plays under
the thin disguise Of a revival of the legitimate
drama at such establishments as Booths and
Days Theatres is a fraud. These so-callcd re-
vivals in the nature Of gorgeous spectacles,
rcsplendent with gill; tinsel, and magnificent cos
tunes, and an appeal to the sensual
rather than the intellectual passions. As
such they more Shakspcrean. but simply
..BlackClook" spectacles- It is related OF we'll
known manager. who wished to trya little Shak-
spea.c thut out OF company comprising i number
VI experienced actors and ACTRESSES, hc coul not
the proposed play, and accordingly tie design was
abandoned. 4 popular actress engaged IN
equally popular dlanatist to write her a
pay wss ss'uoSo to 'S n' sfage c'sea
so a. to give chance for fine points Of acting. The
piece was written and WAS esteemed By the author
read it few times to get all the ideas firmly
in her nnind but at last she rejected it. Her expa
nation was that the piece ran against the grain OF
ordinarily popular plays. In The trat place. the
heroine goes mad in the second net; IN uuheardof
thing, and utterly without precedent In the sec
ond ss s foa G 4}g
latlon OF precedent aud contrary TO all Usage. She
said that white muslin dress indispensable to
dying scene, and any other would spull the ct-
feet The popular ae.rcss nowadays demands
piece in which there is TO be change OF Costume
between each scene, and her contempt for Shak-
$ntAIE Is 0OL ~ A!l [OuEEAfCus
HOW AN ACTOR SAVED HIS WATCH.
Actor. like other mortads will occasionally
find themselves i'll straitened circumstances
financially. One of them who was the victim OF
a Centennial Joke On the part Of a manager who
failed to pay salaries when due, some time ago
found himself minus every cent, and Wns COM
PEELED to make an arrangement with his landlord
to take his effects security for board More
time pa..ed on, aud the actor still unable to
lquidatc, and one morning the landlord knocked
1t his dvor. The actor and admitted him, but
WIS unable to comply with his demand. The land
lord obduratr aud told him to vacate Hastily
donning his attire in the landlords presence, the
latter proceeded to pack up the young mans effects
| for was old blue pincusbion, which
he carelcasly tossed into the trunk Ii it were
| block Of wood Our hero rushed forward, and,
with tears in bis eyes, and high tragic attitude,
beseeched his landlord to spare him that pincush-
| ion,-t WAS his dying mothers gift and the on =
his creditor laughed bat another dose Of cloquence
about the value Of mothers gift, and vivid de-
scEiption OF deathbed Scene when be received the
pincushion from the hand OF his dying parent was
| 100 much for him, and the landlord gave back the
| coveted gilt. and the actor departed happy. When
in ripping open the cushion, running ont the bran,
t and recovering valuable gold watch and cha:n
I therein concealed. lie p2wucd bis watch, went to
! Philadelphia. and Is now playing m engagement
| at one Of the theatres In that city.
| 4 LITERARY SOCIETY ECMPCs-
Too much fact is what often causes tronble,
| and the we1l-known St. Marks Literary Society,
| avory high-toned-and aristoezatie affair In it's