Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-29
STARSTHATHAVESET
Bright Lights That Have Shone Upon
the Pittsburg Stage.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE THRILLED US.
Interesting "reminiscences Of Famous Ira
gedisns and Comedians.
NAMES THAT ARE ONII AEMORIES NOW
rwnrrrrr ZOE rHE pIsPArcH.l ]

sometimes think that ii the callboy, or
the scene shifter, or the property man of
theater could be brought to the point Of
writing his autobiography, the result would
be some mighty interesting reading. Not,
perhaps, because OF the autobiography itself,
but because of the bits Of other biography
that would be woven in with it.
The views of Chufy Smithers. call-boy,
concerning ChuFy Smithers, might be 8 bit
tiresome, but we could put up with that for
the sake of getting his views concerning
Mr.. Tearpassion, the eminent tragedian. or
Mr. Feather, the favorite comedian His
recollections of those renowned artists
would be delightful in their way. The
standpoint would be new, and the criticisms
and reflections would have fresh, impair
tial independence about them not 70 be
looked Tor anywhere else.
The thing written would be very dinerent
from what the famous artist himself would
write. of course: not necessarily better, but
different, giving lights and shadows the
great man knows nothing about, and spiced
with anecdote and "reminiscences the subject
of them would probably not have selected.
As to truthfulness, not even the manager
mot the advance agent himself-could be
depended upon for such strict and judicial
uprightness of Judgment as the unpreiu-
diced person spoken Of And as 10 infinite
variety. think of the multitude of actors and
actresses, great and small, which callboy
encounters off their guard at one time and
another.
TASTE OF THE QUALITY.
From time to time little fragments OF
secret stage anecdotes get out into the air.
at least they used to in the old stock COM
panv days-that give a taste of the quality
such as an Autobiography would have. ldon't
know whether it was the call-boy, but 1t was
some unconsidered theatrical underllng,
WHO gave limited freedom to bit OF gossip
concerning one of the great stars who visited
Pittsburg years ago.
It lisa well-known fact that many COM
edians sigh for the missing opportunity to
shine in high tragedy; and many tragedians
believe that they could convulse an audience
with laughter if they were to appear IN
broad comedy. But who would ever have
suspected the great Ristori of any ambition
to be dancer?
Yet the gossip referred to indicated just
that. It was privately related that one OF
the attaches of the theater, just before the
curtain was to be rung up for the tragedy OF
the evening, caught surreptiuous glimpse
of the renowned artist. when she thought
she was alone and safely secluded from all
profane eyes. She was posing, but in the
most unheard of manner.
The majestic tragedienne was not rehears-
ing any Of the telling attitudes which made
Queen Elizabeth, or Mary Stuart. or Media,
| or Lady Macbeth so grandly effective. Far
from it. She was balancing herself on one
toe and trying to spin about In the limited
space of the dressing room. In other words,
| she was practicing a ballet step, and was
yerv much in earnest about it. too.
Ihope the story is true; for it is delicious
to think Of Adelaide Ristori indulging In
such frivolity as that.
Then there was another story. coming from
some such source as the first. This wasaboui
! Edwin Forrest, and related to one of hi
last visits to Pittsburg. He was old, he wa'
afflicted with gout; and his temper, so il
was whispered, shared the affiiction to 6
| marked degree. Therefore, everybody who
| came in contact with him, on the stage OF
of, was very careful.
Perhaps it was because he was too careful
that one of the stage subordinates got int
trouble. He had occasion to pass Mr.. For
rest as he sat waiting for the time to ''go on.
He moved with such elaborate care that hl
"stubbed his toe" against one of the gouIl
feet. Panic almost overthrew the poor fel
low, and in the effort to recover himself hG
struck the same foot second time. Ther
he stood still, prepared for annihilation.
For an instant the pain from the first blow
was SO great that the sragedian could onl.
gasp. preparatory to the proper explosion o
wrath, The second infiction came befor
the explosion was ready; and then the situa
ton was too thrilling for even Edwin For
rests most tempestuous rhetoric. Nothi1!
in ttKinQ Lear" could match it.
Consequently there was no outburst at all
The offender was dealt with, but he wa
simply cut in two by a sharp sarcasm o
courtesy. Bowing low to the unhappy maj
Mr.. Forrest said, with the blandest civility
"Will you favor me by practicing on th
other foot for while? That one is tiredi'
hope that story, also, is true. If itisnc
thought to be.
TWO QUEENS.
Whatever Ristori may have done whel
she thought nobody was looking, she neye
did anything funny on the stage. One G
her Italian supporters made the audienc
laugh one night, but she had nothing to d
with it. The play was "Macbeth;" an
Macduf had Just been told of the atrocitie
committed by the wicked Thdne. In th
excess of his emotion Mdcduf thrust hi
head out of window and shouted into th
wings some italian words that sounded lik
'sSuke! Sukei Sukel' as if he had discoy
cred q COW in the garden. The audienc
Uttered at the outcry.
But when Lady Macbeth was before theI
there was no thought of mirth. Ristori, 9
the strong and wicked wife of that wea
and wicked man, was a terrible fascinatin
woman. And she was a woman, not
! monster. In the sleep-walking scene, whe
/ all has come to naught. andsonly remors
and terror are left, she was SO wonanl
!. that pity thrust down condemnation.
1t was the subtle q1ality Of womanlineI
in her characters which made Ristori's reI
reservations of Queen Elizabeth and Mar
! Stuart so popular. The plays were nc
strong, from either the literary or the hi
, torical standpoint perhaps; but they becam
: fsvorites with Pittsburg audiences, and
! think the people liked the actress better
those two characters,than in any other.
Elizabeth's love-making with ESSEX; ~
stormy interview with him when he calle
her names and she demanded his sword; hC
? signing of his death warrant; her eager wal
: ing for the ring which would be his plea Il
. pardon; her terrible grief and remorse Whe
at last the fatal ak has fallen; and the loS
memories the old woman indulges In as sh
lies dying, holding the crown upon her hea
to the last moment-those are scenes whic
those who witnessed then recall with thri
even now.