Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-05-09
GENUINE STAGE SENSATION

men Becomes n Real EncOun-
ter-Maud Granger and a Ri
val i'm Their Great French
Act.
New YORK, May Sin the sensa-
tional play Of ''The AsSommOir," now
on the stage at the Olympic Theatre,
there occurs a fight between two French
women in a Paris lavatOry. The scene
is supposed to be, and no doubt Is,
realistic one. The two women are
known respectively rs GervOise and the
Grande Virginia. The former is at this
point in the play, the mistress OF a
drunken halter, who deserts her, and
runs of with big Nirginie's sister Adele.
But Gervoise knows nothing OF this TACT
until her two little children came wad-
iug through the sOapsuds to tell her
that papa is gone. Big Nirginie, who
knows of his departure, has come to the
laundry TO gloat over GervOise, who has
lately been putting on airs and all that
sort of thing; she taunts the poor moth
ct, and hard, slangy words follow.
These expressions in the original French
are not only slangy, but decidedly nasty.
I'm the English version they are toned
down somewhat, but they are still quite
vulgar and hardly fit to be spoken by
any actress who processes to be a lady.
From words they come to blows. They
null each others hair, and their
dresses are torn until the white skin is
seen. Blows are freely exchanged, and
presently GervOise tears one OF Nlr-
ginie's earrings out with sudden pull,
and tubs Of alleged hot water are thrown
by each upon the other. Finally Ger
voiSe picks up the heavy paddle with
which she has been beating her clothes
i'm the wash, PUSHES upon the other
huzzy, seizes her by the waist and bends
her over her knee. Then she hits her
skirts and warns her bare body till she
shrieks with pain and falls upon the
floor.
Such is the scene in the layatory, a
description of which is necessary in
order To- understand what follows.
The part Of Geryoise is played by
Maud Granger; that Of Big Nirginie by
Emily Rigl. The former is an actress OF
some pretentiOns, who has starred
throughout the country. Emily Rlgl
was formerly ballot dancer, a premier
danscuse Of no mean merit. She and
her sister Bette are indeed stars, and
what was much better, always preserved
their reputation for chastity and gentle
breeding.
For some time there has been pro-
irsSional rivalry between Emily and
Maud. the cause Of which is not yet
known: nor is it known that AuguStn
DAILY was aware of this fact when he
engaged The two ladies to play these
parts. This rivalry grew apace until
the ladies got TO hating each other.
Then. so report SAYS, they got TO speak
mgill of each other, and shortly were night
mad. Tonight the scene IN the lavatory
is said 10 have been realistic beyond a
doubt. The knowing ones IN the theat-
rical circles have been expecting the
quarrel To eliminate for some time, and
as il was known that a rare opportunity
presented itself for an actual fight IN
this play Of "ASSomOir," all the actors
and actresses in the city who are out
of work and can get past the door keep
crS have been Crowding the Olympic IN
order % be i'm at the death. Tonight
these expectant gOSSips and the other
spectators OF the play noticed an extra
spiteiulneSs i'm Miss Rigl's tone OF voice;
also i'm Changers. Then came the
throwing of the water. Instead Of dash
inc the water on Miss Rigls bosom and
hips As before, Miss Granger hurled the
burketiul with all her might direct into
the face uiNirginic. The poOrgirl was near
lv strangled, and cries Of alarm were ut
tered bv the other women on the stage.
The audience shouted and applauded
loudly. Ii was glOriOuSly funny, and,
rs they supposed, all in the play. In
stantlv-that is rs soon as she recover
ed-Big Nirginie grabbed up her pail
Of SOapsuds and Strided across the stage
after Granger. The latter grabbed up
her skirts and started TO run. Rigl IN
creased her speed, overlook GervolSe,
and drenched her from head to foot
with the nasty water. Then the two
ladies disregarded the rules OF the prize
ring and clinched. They pulled each
others hair, they scratched each other S
lace. they tore each others clothes,
they called each other names, and they
would perhaps have seriously injured
each other il they had been permitted
have their own way. But the curtain
was rung down soon enough, however;
Carpenters and Scene-ShifterS rushed
upon the stage, and the belligerent te-
males were separated. Expostulatlons
ON the part of the manager followed,
| The artists of the company begged the
/ Ladies' to remember where they were and
/ LEI the plav proceed. Emily and Maud
promised to fight no more, and the cur
/ tain was ruug up again.