New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-23
AMERICAN ACTORS ABROAD.


A PLEASANT TIME. ALTHOUGH HIS PLAY WAS NOT
A sUCoEss-REAsoNs FOR THE FAILURE OF
COLONEL SELLERS r-sUccEss OF TIE OTHER
AMERICAN PLAYERS.
well this is cfuel-tO come to interview IN an
whose enterprise has resulted a failure, concern
ing all the horrible details Of his misfortune" said
John T. Raymond 10 a TRIBUNE reporter who called
upon him al his pleasant apartments at No. 10 East
Tventy-third yesterday. However sit down.
and will endeavor to bear up and be happy and
talk to you just the same as If | had returned 10
America with my pockets full of English guineas.
Glow did like Londonl Well liked it very,
very much indeed. aud would have liked to remain
there a ittle'longer, had business been good. The
people met IN England were most delightful. They
received US cordially and treated US splendidly-as
individuals but, to be frank with you, they
con du't stand our play. The fact is they couldn't
understand il. Of course the character OF Colonel
Sellers was plain enough. The people were pleased
with IL and laughed at Il. The Colonies specUia-
,ionsr took enormously. They were universal
in their application and the people could
appreciate them; but all tine iocalisms
Of Tho play fell glt can tell yOu When the stove
fell down. in the third act 1t all went FOR nothing
The an lence didn't see anything fanny IN that
The English people however, don't know WAT
wood-.tove is They call "a CRATE a stove. On the
other hand, the Trial Scene, which We would con
slider rather ordinary was one of the few redeem
ing features of the play in the eyes OF the Lon
dorers. They were almost willing 70 regard that
much If II as q su-cess.'
How long did you play in London
"Oniv three weeks. That was enough. We did
not attempt % take tie play Cut OF London. There
was one thing that was BAD for a. the START We
opened In very bah season. The people we're out
of town. ~ they are her, il the SIMMER tne. My
manager Mr. HolngsAcad thought. however that
ne could obtain sufficient audiences despite All that,
and maybe we might hal play sakeu' We
opened soon after our arrival the Gaety Theatre
sara Bernharit had Immediately preceded
Us at the theatre She made an I'M
mersc success in London. as she viii here when she
comes over Ba5 although we were not successful,
we had splendid time il London-oE the
stage. Every courtesy was extended 10 Us by the
English actors; the clubs were thrown open to us,
and everything was dous that could be doac TO
/ make NJ happy. number of the actors gave us
breakfast az tine savage cab which vas a very en-
| ioyalIe affair and winch was ATTENDED by many
Americans. AID EnCii-Emen well known on TINS
side Among them were our Minister tn England
| Mr. Lowell. William J. Florence. Mckee Rank Il,
/ and w. Z. Sheridan. Edwin Booth was invited
/ but was in Scotland 40 the time and VAS unable TO
be present.
O.. The London newspapers were kind to me per-
sonally audalso to the members Of the company but
/ they condemned the play IN unmcasured terms
/ win t.e single exception of the part Of Colonel
/ ScH1s which was vel spoken Of. However. as the
pauer- said. that one caaractr was not strong
enough to carry the play. In this mornings
TeiBu>l is an extract from Tie Saturday her.ec in
which YOU vii ser that idea expressed. The people
reilly wanted To Ike the play. but they
| couldn't. II didn't suit them. inc uIS
ri-nt az 1t was a perfect OVATION. Al III ~
! the leading actors literary people ma espec'aiy
/ rhe cri .-lttended in ml force One night the
! Prince and Princess OF Wales oecup,ed one o. the
! boxes. win their suite. and hiS 10 'a highness
oven sent for C0i0nd SojT3 TO come mo the OoX.
| where the .ol0HeI Wis congratula ed upon his
/ character Then there were tie Dus" and duchess
| OF Conuaur, { aId-weii. ever 50 many NOR.
% How az. the other American actors d. ing lnd
| doing now How is Mckee RANKIN dong
opend,d BIZ ne ana nus ,b eo.P spt re
| crowded houses ght al0ug."
And Haveriy's MInstrels
Having an enOrm us success. Everybody goes
to herr them and they are the talk ~ LONDON
Tae'r good fortune "a simply astonishing. one
would scarcely eypect it-not wlthstandIng the eA-
cellence of the comDanv-fOr tire Engnsh do not
generally take liking TO tbat kind of performance.
J. l.. Tooles UDper Crust Is one or re processes
of one season. too DION Bouclcauii5 Mariiage IS
Iamen-able failure even worse than our play was
ard thai Is saying great deaf" 49,
what are your plans for the ensuing season J"
Well cannot tell myself rs yet; am ~ have
a conference with MY manag regarding nat TO-
/ morrow. We Will begin "A tour. however, DflieFe'
about September l3. | expect TO DO ID me cltY
here part or rnc season but do NOT know YET JUST
whom | brought two new plays over with me from
Iondon which will probably De produced the COM
ing season. For the present their titles are With
How do the London theatres compare with
! those IN New York -
To the great disadvantage of the London thea
tres. They do not N any sense compare win oul
theatres here in appearance, convenience or any
| thing else. Tho Haymarket OF London i
the finest thea r. IN that cry, ana
moro like an American theatre than any oil
] the others. In London the hayna-Ket occupies
about the relative position AS Nalacks does
IN New-York. In ii are produced comedies mostly
ana It's patrons emlneatly arlstocratlc. Ine
GAZE. Y. however Is the most popular Jheai re WIFE
the better classes. IL might be sad 70 resemble tht
Union square or Park Theatres IA New York. IN re
7 spect 10 Its audiences. Most of the London thea
tres. however. arc drcary, uncomtortable places
+ and do not az al compare with our fresh, Dugh
American theatres"
When did YOU leave England"
We started for home on August IL, ana had
} delightful passage. barring lew DAYS 81 snght !,
rough weather. We had pleasant Tune ON DoaIu
and there were some very agreeable people along
. for instance. Thomas Hughes"
= As the reporter taking up ms hat To depart a
breath OF air displaced some OF tne papers VI
the table, and written programme nuttered to th
I An said Mr. Raymond. as be picked il mp
tins Is a pleasant souvenir OF our voyage nome
! Last Thursday evening we gave al eI'ei y
e was most delightful occasion IN every waV
0 Ii was a beautiful night and everything passed Oh
! splenddy The affair given In the caDin OF Tn
steamer and was productive Of considerable anuse
= meut and great deal OF applause AZ tine close %
, the exercises some of the ladies collected 600 To-
e the benefit OF tine Liverpool seameas Orphanage'
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> MR.. LOTELL AT THE SAVAGE CLUB.