Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1890-11-02
THINGSTHEATRICAL
TIE DIVORCED WIFE OF BOUCICAULT MEETS
WITH A NEW SORROW
In the Death Of Her Eldest Daughtsr-Soms Of the
Features Of the Great Spectacle Of "Nsro."
Thompson and the "Old Homestead"
SIP Of Actors and Theatres

terday morning of the death of her eld-
est daughter, Patrice Pitman, she was
deeply affected. A cablegram from Lon
don TO Edwin II. Low brought the sad |
news and he went in person to see Mrs. |
Boucicault at the residence of Ohas. |
Wheat Leigh on West Sixteenth street. !
Mrs. Pitman had been nearer to Agnes |
Robertson than perhaps any of the |
other children resultant from Bouci- |
cault's marriage. Geo. w. Pitman, of |
this city, married Patrice Boucicault |
when her father was at the height of |
his fame. Mr.. Pitman is handsome
man without much means. 1t was sup
posed by his acquaintance that,
once married TO the daughter of such
money-maker as Boucicault, Pitman
would be fixed for life" The marriage,
however, was said to be anything but
happy. a slight congenital weakness
of the hip joint did not impair Mrs. Pit
mans attractiveness. She could not be
called a beauty. Her ailment did not
affect her amiable disposition. But it
had, no doubt much TO do with the fact
that she was not welded to a stage life.
Only once after she became Mrs. Pit
man did she appear on the boards. 1t
was at one of the Sunday night concerts
in the Boston Music hall, when she gave
recitation. Dion Boucicault's sarcas-
tic simles down in the orchestra discon-
certed her so much that she did not
again go on the stage.
Six full-blooded African lions, cage
less, Straying about the stage of a
theatre, unfettered and fancy free,
within few feet of audiences protected
by a curtain of solid steel network is
the spectacle which is just now drawing
immense crowds at Niblo's at each per-
Torrance of the successful grand dra-
matte pageant, "ClaudiuS Nero"
Niblo's has never enjoyed such audi
ences in all its eVentful history. Less
interesting than the spectacle offered
the audience is the exhibition behind
the scenes Just before the lions appear.
Such he.ter-skelter skurrying of plump
limbed coryphees, danseuseS, ladies OF
the Roman Courts, Roman senators,
guards, pra9tors, etc. etc, anxious TO
secure their persons somewhere out of
sight and reach of the lions, has never
before been witnessed within the walls
/ of a playhouse. Not until the dreaded
]
the heavy bolts are again shot back,
securing them, will any of the army of
people engaged in the presentation ven
ture from their hiding places.
In the last act of "The Old Home
stead" at the Academy, New York,
where the great play is in its fourth
year and still attracts an average of
>, 500 people to each performance, there
| is used an old wooden rocking cradle
that has been in the family of Denman
Thompson and his forefathers over 1870
years. 1t has rocked six generations of
"Uncle JoShuas" The old fashioned
clock introduced in this scene is also an
heirloom of the Thompson family, hay-
ing been in the family since its early
members settled in New Hampshire.
over a century and a half ago. The gun
which hangs over the fireplace is even
older. The date of its manufacture
stamped on the barrel is 1925. Den
mans .anceStorS used the piece in 1876 |
Many and uncertain are the ways of |
the theatrical profession. Emmett was |
content with earning fifty dollars oc-
caSionally for weeks service, before !
he made fame and lucre with his Fritz |
in Ireland" Denman Thompson long |
ago was performer in the vaudevileS |
until he hit on his word-famed char
acter of "Uncle joshua The climb
ing of Nat Goodwin, Francis Wilson,
De Wolff Hopper, Roland Reed and |
Jimmie Powers was slow, but they |
eventually got there. The struggles of /
Lawrence Barrett for public recogni- |
ton were long and painful, but he Is |
now reaping rich reward for his perSe-
verancc and energy. Out of 10000 |
players in the country only about one |
half of one per cent. can be said to be |
highly SucccSSful; not more than five |
per cent. clear above s., 600 year: bat |
/ fifty per cent. make comfortable liv- /
ing. while the remainder may be said to |
suffer a hand-tO-mOuth existence. Even |
among the most luckleSS, though, there |
is strong ambition, coupled with the be-
lief that they will some day win place |
near the top. Taken altogether, stage |
folk are generous, good natured, merry /
set OF educators, to whom the world /
owes much, and would be- "A grave place /
Iindeed without.
Mrs. Bernard Beere. the Sarah Bern /
hardt of the English speaking stage, /
will tour this country next season under |
the management of E. G.. Gilmore and |
/ Alex. ComStock, of the Academy OF |
/ Music. New York. Mrs. Beere brings |
full English company, and ten com
plete sets of scenery from London for /
te presentation of a repertoire OF excel |
lent plays.
The cry that mclodrama has had its
day is very forcibly answered by the /
continued success of "The Soudan" at |
the Boston Theatre Boston. The fourth |
week Just ended was even larger than /
the first. and it looks as though it would /
continue for the balance OF the season. /
Such powerful attractions as Booth and /
Barrett. jefferson and Florence, and |
others. were paid handsome sums TO can /
eel their time at the Boston Theatre SO /
that The Soudan" might have clear
sailing.
The profits of the Nero" spectacle at
Niblo's in New York within the next |
twenty weeks will reach 100000. In !
Nero there is dramatic cast of thir-
ty people, ballet of 40, 275 extra men |
as senators, prGtOrs, etc, 200 women as
Christians and NazareneS, making over |
500 people actually engaged in the per-
Torrance.
Gilmore .S Comstock, OF the Academy |
of Music. of New York, are quietly en- |
gaging some of the very cleverest peo-
ple in the profession for next seasons
tonr of the new spectacular farce COM
edv. "a High Roller" Besides the
usual clements that go to make up the
ordinary farce comedy, "A High Roll
err" will have the additional advantage
of a modernized ballet of twenty-four of
the best dancers that can be secured.
Another feature of the entertainment
will be the appearance in this country
81 Tho Tnnino troupe of pantOmimiStS Of