National Republican., 1883-12-29
LONDON LETTER.
30 American Talent Taking Possession Of
the English Stage.
N Anderson, lotta, Lillian Russell,
Minnie Palmer, and Others,
New Operas and Plays That Afford Amuse-
ment 10 the Britishers.
lively Talk About Happenings i'm the
WorId,a MetrOuoIfa.
lively Talk About Happenings I'm Tn,
Worlds Metropolis.
Special Letter.

H IN mas JuSb Hppohrcu rs NfhlaUeu,anu even nor
armest admirers admit that the performance
bs not created a furore In fact the Times
nd very cutting criticism, and, in speaking
Miss Amy Roselle who played tho part of
ynisca, said "that the audience turned with
1easure from the statue TO the woman" You
hay Judge Of the rest of tho article by that
lmericans are naturally proud of their beau
iful tragedian, and wish that she may be
thoroughly successful. Probably when she
axes up parts which really amount to some
hing she will have a chance to play better.
Nary Anderson has talent enough to warrant
her in studying--a little. Plays like "Pyg-
malion and Galatea" will do for women who
have little talent.
Mr.. Gilberts words and plot are as usual,
loo ridiculous to need more than statuesque
delineation poses, and posing.
As Truth once said, "Ho makes person
in one piece fall in love with q fountain, and
then the British public rebelled." His idea
of the pure is singularly suggestive, and even
in the much admired Patience" l have
never seen anything more indecent on the
stage than the scene where the girls throw
themselves fiat on tho floor with scant core
mony and scanter garments. Nothing could
be more vulgar than his librettos one and
NIL, and people are suddenly waking up to tho
fact that Gilbert is playing Gilbert for just
what he is worth, and is cramming vice down
| peoples throats in the virtuous form which is
the rot aforementioned.
He is only passable with Sir Arthur Sulli-
vans music, and we even hope some day for
divorce in the musical world. Separation
in high life--one composer and one librettist.
Mr. Gilbert surely cannot be called drama
tist Even our amiability would rebel at
that
Apropos of the new opera at the Savoy. 1t
is to be called "The Princess" Yesterday
they held so-caled full rehearsal. Miss
Lillian Russell is to be the prima donna and
Leonora Braham second singer The pro-
logue and first two acts only would be gone
through with. / shall not speak of the
libretto just yet, but can say that the music
is superb. Bright, catchy. and extremely
well written-in fact, Sullivan at his best
in light OPERA By-the-way, he is finishing
grand work for Covent Garden Italian opera,
to be produced this spring. The new knights
favorites are awaiting its completion with
great impatience On Monday night last Sir
Arthur dined most all of the royalties (men)
from the Prince of Wales down. 1t was
grand banquet and very swell affair. Sulli-
van has beautiful home in Queen Anne's
mansions, and it is running over with Objets
dart, lovely tapestries, and embroidered
stuffs gathered from Persia to India-Egypt
and l dontt know where BESIDES This
talented young composer merits his high So
cial position and the honors which he receive
rs great writer. The new opera for Covent
. Garden, If q success, will place his name high
up on the rolls of fame. He is an indefatiga-
BILE worker, and hopes to have it done by May
next. We certainly wish him all success.
THE probable title is ''Mary Stuart" Gilbert
Is not the librettist.
At the Avenue theater they are playing
Offenbach's ia Vie" to jammed houses. By
the-way, what a number of American stars
there are in this city, to be sure. Lillian La
Rue is prima donna at the Avenue; at the
Savoy is Lillian Russell; at the Royalty, Kate
Munroe; Mary Anderson at the Lyceum
Minnie Palmer ut the Gaiety, and host of
others, more or less well known, playing at the
best of London theaters. All are successful
Quite record, is it not? am sure America
may we'll be proud of her young talent.
Apropos Of ia Vie," it is quite charming.
The music is delicious in Ofenbachs old vein,
and the libretto "vouched for" by Mr.
Farine is, to say the least, fairly amusing.
do not know the plot of La Vie" in Paris. In
London we are introduced to number of
characters, all having good parts. Two young
men fetch up at a London railway station to
await Miss Trixie, a favorite dancer and to
their amazement she appears on the arm of
another, giving both the cold shoulder.
young English lady is off for her country
seat. She arrives at the station and meets
her cousin, one of the waiting young men.
She having read q paragraph in the World re-
specting young gentlemen and actresses
treats him very coldly and goes of. The
whole of the play hinges on German baron,
who is come to England to write book
on Merry England" He is accompanied by
his daughter, who has come to pay IL visit
to the young English peeress. She is secretly
enamored of one of the gentlemen come to the
station. This young man changes dress with
the porter, takes tho baron to his own house,
which hc calls his family hotel" His staff
of servants are called in and coached, then
there is table d. 'hote scene, ball at o prime
minister's in Downing street, and so on until
the baron's daughter and her lover are united
CONNIE IL tdm. The idea is really quite new
and most farcical, the denouement being we'll
kept up.
The costumes, scenery, and stage decorations
ere most splendid. The actors, one and all,
form a fine ensemble. Messrs. Lionel Brough
rs the Baron, Arthur Roberts as the Porter,
H. Standing as the love hero, and Miss La Rue
as Christine. Camille d'Arville, another
artist, sang most charmingly. 1t is a long
time since | witnessed so satisfactory per-
formanoe. The local gags" are few, but
amusing, and the orchestra not an unimpor-
tant contribution toward the general success.
do not know If ia Vie" has yet been given
in America; ii not, it certainly should be a
welcome novelty.
At the other theaters thore arc many new
plays. One by Pinoro being especially good.
1t is called Lords aud Commons" and is
going on at the Haymarket. Mr.. Pinero is a
very young man, about three and twenty,
and his success as a dramgtst has been most
marked. THE Squire" 10 one of his best plays
"Lords and Commons" will also be ciassed
among the fine English modern plays
Mrs. Bernard Beore, who has the principal
role, in the English Bernhardt. She resem-
bles the great Sara most strkingly in appear
ance, and is not far behind in talent. Mrs,
Bernnrd.B Beere was once the "gantiere" or
glove woman, to the theater. She married
well-say tairly-educated herself very per-
fectlv, learning and speaking several mod
ern languages. She gradually worked her
way up until the Bancrofts gave her the part
of Fedora in Sardou's last great play. Her
success was immense and we now find the
lady at the top of her profession. In person
she is cry fair, very tall, and very siapacita
SheA fleets Bernhardt in everything,
,julir7 really is uncommonly like her,
ques igh she is far ptettier
Iyipr :. She has a SUMMER face, and her
ray lers are ladlylike and quite those of
v Sred Englishwoman; otherwise she is
w. 3ernhardtish. One hears so much of
les actresses. Ellen Terry has of course
anu anu anne; but shall not be surprised to
.pu lrs. BERNARD Beeres soon outdistances
~ competitors. United to her great
eAPeot has tact, the first of all necessary
unleSs 20 woman; besides, she has q re-
.,Whable intelligence. / like to hear of
woman working her way up from nothing to
something-to find one who startling life
in an anti-intellectual career, steps forth and
shines in one SO eminently intellectual as
that of the stage, There are undoubtedly |