Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-07
They Had to Do Some Work for Their Sala-
ries in the Sixties.
HOW COMIC OPERA USED TO BE PLAYED

often think, when I hear my friends -
and -. who, as you know, are tragedians.
regretfully recalling, as If their won't. the good
| old days of the legitimate drama with big.
| big d.. that they seem to forget that the de-
| spised comic opera comedian has also his days
of the Legitimate" to recall with a feeling of
pride or the reverse. l am not one of those
| who believe that the old order which has
changed, giving place to the new. is necessarily
| to be regretted; indeed, my own impression is
that progress in matters theatrical is as admir-
able as in matters scientific. and that we are
very much better off to-day than we we're in
the good old stock company days"
IN oLDEN TIMES.
Just before left New York went with my
wife to see the opening performance of Fran
els Wilson in THE Oolah," which, by the way,
/ rejoice to see has caught on" as the phrase
goes, and was not surprised to find myself con-
trasting the production, as production, with
those of the old "Oates Opera Company" days.
when was Mr.. Crane, the basso, and used to
send my voice down into my boots every night
| to my own huge qualification, and trust not
to the danger of my audiences nerves When
1 saw the magnificent scenery, the profusion of
gorgeous dresses. the perfection of detail, the
lImitless array of chorus and supernumeraries,
and further when reflected that the piece
would probably be played night after night in
New York the summer through, and then
would be seen on the road for several seasons,
WaRSeQ INV neaQ anu mOrdllZeu Will eACeSuluR
| comfort, that my lines were no longer cast in
the places of long ago.
In my day we used to have repertory as long
as my arm, and not only that, bus we had to
more than one. For Instance, I have often
played in farce at the beginning of the even
TO S' follow, and a GurIesque or operasbouffe. %
end up with. Our chorus was picked up in the
town in which we played, as was our orchestra.
Our scenery was the stock of the local thea
and cOstumes-well- salaries
sumptuous in those days, and we had to provide
our own. The result you can imagine.
Obi but we worked for our wages in those
days, assure you, though may be the public
suffered. l have been looking over an old
scrapbook to see whether 1 could refresh my
%e@ory and amoos Dosce one of Of an me
ing's performance in Toronto, which
began with the farce of ''The Dead Shot," con-
goblets," went on with the burlesque extrava-
CANA of ''rhe Invisible Prince" incorporated
solo. which regret to- see was encored, by
myself, and ended with the farce of ''The Linn
erck Boy" in which ! appeared as Paddy
Miles.
ONE EVENINGS WORK.
Another bill recounts that on one evening.
at Pixies Opera House in Cincinnati,
1 played in one evening DIR. Dulcamdra
in "L'Elisir d. Amore," Handy Andy with
songs. Irsh jigs, and other playful
trimmings, followed it by tfe then popular
minstrel song of sally Come up'' with dance
thrown in, and finished by enacting the clown
in the closing pantomime. Not a bad evenings
work for a rising young comedian. was it? But
how much mere for their money in actual fact
do people not get nowadays, when quantity
has give place to quality in carefulness of pro-
duction. How could one devote CAREFUL study
to parts, when one had to play two or three in a
night?
the modern actors season. 1t is taken at hap
hazard from my diary when playing with the
Holmans: Monday-"The Streets of New
York" with myself as Badger. and a farce.
Tuesday-"H Trovatore," in which 1 played
Count di Luna. and Paddy Miles Boy,' with
myself as Paddy; Wednesday-"Rosedale."
playing Mules McRennd, and farce. Thurs
day-"Faust," in which played Mephistophe-
les and in which Julia Holman, "by request"
INTRODUCED into the fair scene the then popular
Kearney," an Irish drama. and ia Somnam-
bua," and Saturday an opera, a farce and a
psntomime. The mention of the pantomime
reminds me that in 1884. when playing the
clown in a pantomime. rashly tried corclu-
sions with gun, which, to nv extreme discom-
future, was loaded. / fired it off by accident
while looking down the muzze and received
the whole charge of powder full In my face.
For some time feared would lose my eye
sight, and so thoroughly peppered was my face
with grains of powder, which impaired bright
cerulean tnge to it, that for q long time after
when / was in Canada during their severe
winters, friends would rush up to me on the
street and begin to vigorously rub snow in my
face, under the supposition that my nose was
frostbitten.
sKIRMISHING FOR COSTUMES.
The shifts to which we were put for costumes
were some times amusing, at least they seem
SO as 1 remember them now, though at the
time doubtless, we thought them embarrassing
enough. 1t was trifling matter to have to
play "Blue Skim in the same costume as one
used the next night for a burlesque of s.Rich-
ard ILL.," and so forth, but remember indi-
yidual members of the company being worse
off than that. Denman Thompson, for instance,
when he played in the Old Royal Lyceum in
Toronto, in the sixties. was not quite SO rich in
this worlds goods as am delighted to say he
is now. The only wardrobe he known to
possess was an old red waistcoat and a pair of
Irish kuee-breeches. Even SO clever an actor
as Thompson could not Joke" with such a
scant assortment as that, and SO he managed to
make out fairly well by requistioning such
minor articles of apparel as he needed from
the other members of the company.
Another member of the same company
whose name was Alfred Hudson found him
self in pressing need of some crepe-hair with
which, as you know. when it is teased out, the
majority of stage whiskers are made. There
was none in the theater and none could be pro-
| cured on such short notice, so he took paper
of fine cut chewing tobacco, divided it into
two portions, hurriedly rolled each of them
into the form of a side whisker, and pasted
them on either side of his face. doubt if
anyone sin front" had the remotest idea of the
true inwardness of Hudson's whiskers that
night.
orchestras attached to travelling Organizations
to-day, / often think that the report of the
young midshipman on the manners and Gus
toms of the South Sea Islanders. Manners
none and customs beastly," would apply to the
chorus and orchestra of my comic opera days
have often sung a classic opera. such as
Faust" or 'Somnambula," to an orchestra
consisting of good Mrs. Holman alone PLAYING
a cracked old piano. while as . the choruses,
we used TO sing them at the wings, joining in |
with those an the stage, who afterward would |
act as chorus to us when we had to go on in our
turn. They were a clever family. the Holmans
and despite what to-day we should consider its |
crudities, their company gave vast amount of
pleasure every year to thousands. SalIie in |
especial was a remarkable woman in her day |
Her voice was better than Alice Oates and in |
dramatic ability l think she was on par with |
Maggie Mitchell, while her sprightl;ness and
skill in dancing were equal to that Of Lotta.
Julia, too, was delightful actress. Oh the
family of six all are dead save Alfred and Mrs
Holman.
A THRILL OF PRIDE.
But you ask me for the personal reminis-
cences OF an interesting character. At first,
was inclined. like the needy knife grinder to
retort, "Storyi God bless you'll I've none to
tell, sir!" and then on the contrary when
began to look back, 1t seemed as though I
could run on like Tennyson's brook forever
remember the first time saw my name on
the bills, and the thrill of conscious pride with
which I surveyed the announcement of the |
forthcoming appearance of The new basso- |
profQudo Master William" to which A. i. |
Parks, now of the New York Mercury. but |
then our manager, had added. with voice !
slncularly grand and effectiyeI-Nesc York
life. but used to stand for half an hour In
front of the bill boards and look at the name