New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-22
LONDON SOCIETY.
vi.
SOME NOTES ON THE SOCIAL RELATIONS
OF ACTORS AND ACTRESSES.


The relations perwcen society and the stage have
been good deal discussed of late years but only
Of late years, and perhaps l might say only, or
chiefly, in London. 1t is within the memory Oh
living men that there were no such relations, or
none which, even in London gave any real social
standing to actors and actresses few men.
Macrcady. for example. were admitted to Few
houses; women. 1t is Of very recent date
that actresses have been received into the social
church. nor ore they now received as actresses
but as in many eases, very wcll-bred and
charming women TO whom the stage is profess
sion Their profession is still, l am told, social
disqualification in New-York no other door opens
to the most gifted excellent woman who enters
the stage door. The rule is harsh one perhaps
il is not of universal application but it seems
TO be q rule. Here it may be said there is no
rule: q woman is not admitted into society be-
cause she is an actress, and she is not excluded
from society because she is an actress. There
are houses from which she is excluded: and there
is the Court. II used TO be said until last year
that no actress had been invited by the Queen
TO any courtly function. don't know whether
that was true or not, but il is true no longer,
for Mrs. Kendall was one of the Queens guests
ut the Buckingham Palace garden party last
summer. Mrs. Kendall had been at Marlbo-
rough House garden party long before by invita-
ton Of the Princess of Wales. She is the per-
sonal friend of some of the ladies Of the royal
family, but that act on the part Of the Queen
was none the less considered new departure.
The publication of Mr.. and Mrs. Bancrofts
"reminiscences set people talking afresh on this
delicate subject Anybody who turns over the
pages of those entertaining volumes will come
across royal names interviews with royalties
and the like. There has been, obviously,
considerable period during which those two ac-
complished artists were on good terms with per-
sonages of what is called exalted rank. df,
however, you read critically, you will discover
that these personageS are mentioned IN terms
which to good republicans might seem too elab-
orately ceremonious. g His Royal Highness the
Duke of Connaught did us the honor TO be pres
ent on that occasion" that is the style and state
observable. The note is pitched too high, and 1t
might be inferred by one who did not know the
position of the Bancrofts that they were not en-
tirely at their ease under the burden of the royal
favor accorded to them. 1 suppose that 1t is
the terror Of the printed page. and not of the
royal presence, which weighted and overweighted
such sentences
IT, however were to enter on the very wide
subject of the relations between royalty and the
stage, should want great deal OF space. FOE
the present it may be enough TO say that the IN
fuence of the Prince of Wales has been and IS
very great If he did not set the fashion, he
extended il. If he was not the first to suggest
that the theatrical profession bore no social bar
sinister. he is the one who has done most to
make people forget that such prejudices once ex-
listed, and that the exclusion of actresses from
society was once general lie has relaxed more
rules than one that used to govern social inter
course; this is perhaps the one be has come
nearest to abolishing. He is interested in the
theatre goes often to the play has good knowl-
edge of dramatic art, and wide acquaintance
among those who practise it, But even he draws
n line and draws more than one. He asks actors
to dine with him at Marlborough House If i'll
yitaticns sent thence to dinner have ever included
actresses they must have gone in the name OF
Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, and
it Is rot probable that any such instance can DE
cited.
There was, some years ago, case which may
serve as an illustration A lady known to both
the Prince and the Princess was about TO go on
the stage She asked to dine on a certain
day at Marlborough House, and that DAY was
named as the last which could be fixed before the
date Of her first appearance. The implication
conveyed and no doubt intended, was that IL
would not be possible for the Princess TO ask her
after she had become professional comedian. IL
will be safe enough to suppose that TINS restric-
ton, which is but relic of the older time' Is
maintained in obedience to court etiquette, or to
the Queens command
The well-known incident of the silken rope is
not likely to occur again. It was Grsi, If |
recollect, who refused to sing till this barrier
between the general company and the artlsts had
been taken down. Many years have passed; no
such dividing line is now drawn. 1t now depends
not on the art but on the person who practlses
it. whether he she makes one of the society
they are good enough to amuse. l Will take
strong instance Madame Patti, before and after
Il foUO 70
very good society The Nicolini period put an
end to shat and her retirement lasted for some
years after her divorce from the Marquis de Caux.
Whether her subsequent marriage to Signor Moo
lini would renew the relations between her and
her old friends was question. 1t was settled IN
a single evening with decislveness that adnltted
of no further debate. concert was gwen IN one
of those houses in London whence social edlcts
GO forth The Prince and Princess OF Wales were
present. Less than a hundred guests had been IN
yited TO meet them, which is another way OF say
ing that the half Of London was bcseechlng their
hostess for invitations, which they did not get.
Madame Patti sang Supper was served after
ward in two rooms, and the diva supped with the
rest and held little court Of her own afterward.
Her reception was precisely what it had been III
former DAYS Her fee for the two songs on the
programme you may care to know, was 300
puincas-s2 50O-and as she had repeated one OF
them, u diamond bracelet was thrown III.
Madame Patti, though, as I said favorte.
never became at any one moment, the rage thau
Madame Sarah Bernhardt did. There were candid
friends who impaired to the American public
their opinion that said too much about Madame
Sarah during that brief blaze of glory, and dare
say did In any case, am not going over the
history again refer to it only to point moral
While tho fashion lasted it was despotic When
Il came to an end it came to total end In
other words, Madame Sarah was, with one or two
very smart sets in London, during part OF TWO
seasons idolized and lionized TO her hearts con-
tent Then some other fashion set in, and Sarahs
social star sunk below the horizon as suddenly as
IL had risen She has often been here since
season after season has she played, always to full