The Portland daily press., 1879-03-12
Amateur Starring.
[Brunswick's New York Letter in Boston Saturda
Gazette1

[Brunswick's New York Letter in Boston Saturday |
Gazette.l |
You remember that l wrote some time ago |
of young man by the stage name of Paulding
whose mother Mrs. Col. Dodge, had organized 1
a theatrical co Il pany with her son as the star.
At the time wrote they had been out two
weeks and had lost $4,000. But Mrs. Dodge has
a long purse and she said tba. she got $1,000
worth of fun out of the fortnight, as well as
exnereuce for her son. They played in New
Haven and took in S27 at the door, and after
the performance Mrs Dodge gave supper
that cost more than twice the apount OF the
gross receipts The comedy old lady OF this
company is Mrs. Louisa Eldridge, a veteran
actress as full of fun as she is of talent. Mrs.
Dodge first saw Mrs. Eldridge as Prudence in
Camille a part where her principal character
istic is hunger; so she has got an idea IN her
head that Mrs. Eldridge Is always on the verge
Of starvation, and having taken great fancy
to that actress, who is the soul OF joillfy, she
gives her supper every night, and not liking
TO make invidiou5 comparisons she Calls the
whole CONF pany in. Their tour was delightful,
though not remuDerative to the management.
On Monday night this little company with its
amateur star dropped into New York, and ike
| so MANY similar companies anchored at the
| T,yceum. There is no theatre in this city that
| has harbored more ventures than has the Ly-
| ceum Both amateurs and professionals, Wnen
| they want to try an experiment, 60 over 70 tne
T.scenm. If they are successful, which is sell
| dom the case, SO much the better; and II they
| fail, which is generally the case, no one hears
| ANYTHING about it. L suppose the tears tnst
| have been shed behind those scenes by disap-
| pointed amateurs struggling for fame, and by
| disappointed professionals struggling for bread
| and butter would float ship the size OF the
| Ppsfore, Fortunately for Mr.. Paulding, his
bread and butter is assured. 1t glory ne Is
| after now and if he is satisfied with the ap-
nlsuse Of friends he must feel very comfortable.
! hear that he is related to Henry Irving, the
| Eoelish actor; how true that may be don't
know. / do know that he is the grandson OF
Admiral Paulding, but he bss not inherited
any histrionic ability from that side of the
house. :.
ssThe Fools Revenge" He played for q char
ity. and the House was filled with an audience
as fashionable as 1t was large. Every yDodI
Knew everybody, and everybody knew Mr.
Pauding. His entrance was good and he wa'
received with such applause as must have as
sured him he had nothing to fear from his au
dience. OF his performance L can only 50.
that it was Booth and water. l am told tha
E he saw Booth in the part 80 times, and mad
notes of every gesture. Allowing that it wa
an imitation, it was an excellent performanc
for a boy of 20 That he did not have more hre
| that DIS dCtiDR liCk6u COlOr was OW'hS W
, age. How could a lad just out OF his teens &c
pct tie agony of father over the supposed ~
g in of his child, or the desperate purpose OF
G man bent on fiendish revengt? 1t would o
simply impossible, aud that Mr.. Paul ing al
e not do it satisfactorily Monday night Is no sig
that be will not bs able TO do it ten years irol
now. do not, however, think that ne VIII eN
/ or he a very great actor-that is, SalVlni; OF
1t he NAV be an Edwin Booth, and believe thi
is bis ambition.
He is conscientious studious. intelligent az
ambitious, and these qualities, with youth, a.
ID Greatly in his favor. He was perfect in b
r. lines and knew his business, but sometimes
- forgot himself and would straIghten no to q
l. tull hight and, as he did not wear q hump,
if might have been any other fool. His voice
: against him. 1t has not much power, AMI
Ill rchpess and is not expressive OF emotlon' 1
a. scored some good points, which were tapsu
onsly applauded by his dear hve nquars
friends" as was everything he DID. Indee
,o the audience seemed to me as am ~
'o the star. They nearly died Laughing over M,
Ir. El5ridee's comedy, and wept over Tue soIio'
ed of Fiordelss, the nnh ppy uau.
- P.r,ncco. as depicted by Miss Laura Dd
I'D Potwsea nhe wings the mother OF the 81
stooa with bowl of beef tea and fed him VIII
49, hs came off he stage, and from the orchest
no chairs and b xes his sisters and bis cous
"a his suuts" fed him with grateful applau
"a Ga was called out at the end OF each act. and
IT. The End of the last, old ladies aud young fl
:, red their observation-disclosures az him as
,n;oht 10 a favorte prima.donna. Not unhk
, nrima donna, he was rewarded with a ouq
'n' nf roses thrown at his feet by an entnusia'
an Young lady iu proscenium box.
VIC