The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-25

and after that meodrama, The French Spy
rfhe Wizard Skif,' something of that kind
Now, they take thing that wonld make
thirtvminute farce, dilute it, divide it into five
acts and string il out to make it last through
an evening. At the New Boweiy in New York,
n 1868, when n. B. Clark was manageable was
called Cast-ir0n Clark on account of being stiff
and pedantlc-they played twenty-five pieces a
week. four each night ana five on 9euefit night
lr those days the orchestra and the actors used
To get home about the time the chickens were
getting up"
~. r. Scott in those days." said Mrs. B.. 81
thong had grea ter possibilities than any actor
on The stage. He was versatile man, and
could play heavy tragedy like Macbeth, COM
edy like Don Cesar de Bazan or Biack-eyed
Forrest said of him that If it hadn't been for
brandy there never would have been an Edwin
Forrest, meaning that Scott's Incorporate hap-
lite kept him from taxing first place"
women" said Mrs. B., "dld not have the
prominent place IN the profession they had after
ward. l mean that there were few lady stars,
tragedians Julia Dean Hayne Charlotte Cush-
man, Mrs. Farren, Kate and Sue Denim compris-
Ing most of the list Charlotte Champion also
ola tragedy, but she was more on the melodra-
marlc order"
DEBUTs OF BARRETT AND KEENE,
eve were talking of Macbeth said Mr. B.
It's absurd the way Keene gave it the other
night, without Lockes music, which adds so ma
terially to the strength and beauty of the play.
Keene made his first appearance as profession
al at the new Bower. in 1859, IN a small part, as
did Frank Evans, hon YOU have seen here as
Pierre in The Two Orphans Fney had belonged
previous to that TO amateur dramatic associ-
alton, and got in regulars by taking and sell
ing number OF tickets for the privil eye of play
ing parts
81 met Mr. Barrett when he was last nere' said
Mrs. Is. 81 was sitting at the wings and did not
think he would recognize me, but he did. He
tod me that he brought the French flag on at
Detroit, in 1858, when was payingsthe French
Spy.' That was his beginning; he told me he
thought himself immense Oh that occasion.
Stock companies were schools for actors. The
way business is done now is rot calculated
to develop talent. This thing Of companies
travelling over the country, and the same piece
being played by the same persons thousands of
consecutive times, destroys all the talent, all
originality, and makes the performers not actors,
but mere machines"
BIRTH OF THE VARIETY.
"The variety business has, to a great extent,
taken the place of the legitimate ard the better
class of theatrical performers" said Mr.. B. 'tt
was started by Dick Williams q eostumer, in
New York. He went to England in 1857, and in
London saw the English music halls. In Janu-
airy, 1858. he came to me and said he knew how
money was to be made. 1 asked him how, and
he took me about New York to q number of free
andeasies, where there was stage with chairs
aud tables and where beer was sold. I said,
Not in that styleF He answered, Not exactly,
but like it, He engaged me as leader
his orchestra, took an old carriae on
Broadway, near Spring street, altered it
considerably. fitted up a stage and put in chairs
and tables for the audience He called it the
Santa Claus, and had waiter girls. Well il began
with good quartetLe, two men and two women;
each could singly sing song. Then there was
some fancy dancing, and 1t ended up with "a
farce, the orchestra TO help spiu the perform
ance out. After awhile a man came out and
gave Old Bob RiSIey' in black, and more niger
business l1u0wed in time. AT first leaders
wou!dn'e play for Niger performance, so song
or ftance man had to furnish his own banjo
player. The variety business got great boom
during the war, when snide companies were
scraped together to follow up the army and
anuse the soldiers. Lydia Thompson popular
lied the loud dressing. Before that the women
in the variety business dressed in long dresses
and made pretensiOns to modesty."
YES" said Mrs BeissenherZ, land the kissng g
was not as perfect as now. In Pauline ana
Claude MeinOtte and in Romeo and Juliet, the
nearest approach to kissing was in putting The
faces together; that was all. As "A young lady
remarked to me the other day, in explaining that
the drama in which she took part required -
large amount OF hearty kissing and no Sinking,
they go III 20 for nature D5T.'"