Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-09


and heard Mr.. Edwin Booth 1t the Residenz
Theater, Berlin; have come over here from
Paris purposeiy to assist at the finish Of his VI
emma engagement, and having thus studied him
several times think am in . position to say
something about his German tour. Thus far
all that has been sent to the American news
papers about the ''illustrious tragedian's" sue
cess on the Continent was written by his "gen-
tlemanly agent" Mr.. Wynn Miller, fact
which that industrious person himself
in, Hamburg, Hanover, and other German
cities Booth played to curious. but by no means
Over-enthusiastic audiences. There has been at
each performance very large claque present,
and certain number Of Americans have also
aided these paid auxiliaries In getting up show
of applause, which doubtless satisfied the actors
artistic longings. but which fooled none of us as
to its genuineness. These people, both northern
and southern Germans, know very little of the
English language and as their ideas about
Shakespeare's works are quite different from
ours 1t will be readily understood that the spec
tators, other than those have just referred to-
could not become greatly excited over the ex-
cellent acting Of tragedian who ia, think
without q superior In the world. am impelled
TO assert then, that quite two-thirds of the pay
Ing public have attended these performances out
of mere curiosity -
MIR. Miller assured me that Booths German
engagement has been as great an artistic as It
has been a financial success. q statement which
he said he had already cabied to the Associated
Press in America AS 1t Is easy for me to get at
the financial results Of this engagement, and as,
according to Wynn Miller. the artistic success
was equal to the financial one we may thus ar
rive at that Also Mr. Booth gave twenty-eight
performances at the Residenz Theater, Berlin.
At ordinary prices that house will hold only
2,4OO marks "a mark Is about "a cents), but
while Booth was there the prices were raised
and average receipts amounted to $500 marks,
or say $500 night. He played in larger thea
ter at Hamburg and the average was little
better: At Hanover, where he gave tour per-
formances, one house counted up to over 4,6OO
marks the average in that city being close on
to 81 600. Here In Vienna the average receipts
have amounted to about $3.50. Now of the total
receipts Booth received one-fourth-that is to
say. Is per cent-as his share; hence his gain in
this continental exhibition OF himself has been
only $50 to 1926 performance. For TRACE
d1an VINO has repeatedly refused to play in the
United States for less than $500 night, guaran-
teed, this Is quite come-down, is it not3
tors and actresses In their intercourse with each
other formed themselves into mutual admira-
tiOn society, which was really touching In its
sentimentality. In proof of their friendly feel
lngs the native artistes have presented Mr. Booth
with numerous silver wreaths, mugs and music
Albums as green-room souvenirs Of their appre-
citation of his histrionic efforts. The lager beer
and sourkrout lunches which were served up In
exchange for these gifts have fortunately not
Deen very expensive to the American actor and
his manager: Mr.. Booth really likes Ger
mans but he has poor opinion Of their knowl-
edge OF VIII Shakespeare. Throughout his con-
tinental tour he has failed to discover q single
soul about the theater that ever heard Of WHY
winters version of the immortal bard Not
Withstanding that the star played In English and
the local troupe In German there was never any
percept1ble hitch in the tragical ceremony. It
Is true that Booth did not know a word of the
Vernacnlar except yah and nein, but he Is 80 per-
iecty familiar with all the roles Of the tragedies
In which he acts that he could tell by the meter
when the giver of the cue had reached the end
OF his or her lines.
As for the local talent there was no need at
all OF their understanding the Queens English.
DO not believe that German actors ever learn
tnelr parts MIR. Booth says they do not, and it
VIII hardly be denied that he has had expert
ence. They attend rehearsals only to learn the
"bustness;" as for the words, they rely wholly
on their friend the prompter. That useful func-
tionary takes his place in the little box in the
middle OF the stage by the footlights, and when
the actors are ON they listen with all their ears
TO that which he Is reading, and they repeat the
lines after him, little louder. perhaps. but not
much. Your good German prompter will not
permit his more or less melodious gutterals to
be squelched under wooden hood, and in these
theaters we, as rule, get our moneys worth
In the matter OF utterance ii not of excellence
The prompter reads right straight along In GO
as-you-please tone with now and then squirt of
rising infection when he discovers some one on
the stage trying to get past him. When the
prompter reached the cue he used to stop to
give the American thunder a chance to spend
itself. Under the English lines in the prompt
book were rows Of figures; these assisted the
prOmpter to keep track Of the meter; he was
thus enabled to know when Booth had spoken
his part, and then the verbal race aforemen-
toned was renewed.
The French System Of ArbftratI0ns,
From the Toronto Globe.
council Of wise m en-" is created In a