The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-02-02
DRAMATIC AND LYRIC.
Close Of the Grismer-Davies Big
Season.
MR.. LOUIS JAMES LAST NIGHT.
st Both Housewife New York Herald on
the Dramatic Season-The
Ladies' Musicale

Lake." said Grismer to HERALD repre-
sentative last evening, 'but this season
caps all previous ones by several hundred
dollars. With the present political excite
ment and the opposition at the other house,
result like that is very gratifying. We
have had very fine season; if it keeps up
as it has started, it will be by long odds the
best we have ever known. Before we visit
Salt Lake again, we shall in all probability
make three months tour in Australia, for
which we have the exclusive rights to
The Burglar'n
Miss Davies said she counted ''The Burg
lar'' the best play that had been written for
long time, and she thought the Austria
liam company meant good deal of money
company drew big house at
the theatre, and. one that was
thoroughly pleased with the SEN
sational and humorous phases of "The
World Against Her." The piece has been
done here before and its continued success
proves it to be one of the strongest plays
in the Grismer-Davies repertory. 1t is of
the wages of SIM order, and we believe
Davies are well suitedi in it, and their act
ing caught the house.
The Home Dramatic club, who hoped to
be able to do Held by the Enemy for
Washington's birthday will, in all proba-
bility, find it out of the question, owing to
the election excitement and the many calls
on their time resulting therefrom Mr.
4 1slC al,
World,' has also expressed a willingness
TO let them have "Called Back,'' provided
they open the opera house in Logan, but as
he expects to play it here himself, he can
not give them permission to do it in Salt
Lake.
With house packed from pit to dome, a
standing room only sign in the entry, a
total count up of $500, large smile on
the face of Manager Burgess, flourish of
drums, trumpets. cornets saxhorns, tubers,
DaSs violS, clarinets, triangles, small bows
and every thing that could elucidate a sound,
a sword combat tit for the gods Cin the
crowd we heard one say ''they wasn't no
flies on that sword fght'O, a curtain call
at the close of the performance
dearer than all to the professional
sense-the engagement of Louis James
came to an end last evening.
from both an artistic and financial stand
point, success. Taking in view the fact
of the strong attraction at the theater. a
huge success. The managers were even
surprised at the immense turnout for the
closing performance of "Richard the
Third" 1t was a mastery performance.
each person being well cast for his or her
part MIR. Mosley received some very fiat
tering recalls. The costumes were ahead
OF any we have seen, and the sword COM
bat so realistic as to be truly painful 1t
has been matter of frequent remark by
those who have watched Louis James since
he first appeared in this city, that
during this, engagement he has
shown marked improvement over
any other of his visits. Manager
Burgess has closed a contract for a full
week with him a year from now
The matinee of ''Ingomar'' was well at
| tended, and was beautiful rendition
Mabel Amber, as predicted by THE HERALD,
made an IDEAL lovely and luscious Par
| thenla, and Louis James a noble and ardent
| lover.
| Speaking of the money that had been
spent this week for amuSements, Manager
Burgess remarked: "Well, it proves to me
that Salt Lake can support two good show
| houses, and hereafter | shall work with a
better determination, and do many things
Tor the comfort OF my patrons"
The present theatrical season has proba-
bly, been the most disastrous that the pro
fession has ever experienced.
This not only applies to the country at
large, but to the city as well Metropoli-
tan managers will probably deny this. but
facts and figures will prove the assertion.
To use piece of theatrical slang, ''nore
companies have gone out in their rubbers
and meandered back in their stockings this
season than ever before"
You go to high theatrical authorities and
ask for an explanation of this and you are
told an explanation is impossible.
Last June all the managers in New York
were unanimous In saying that the attrac-
lions they had booked had been favorites
in the past, and that the prospects for a
brilliant financial season were never
| brighter or better.
| VERY FEW MADE MONEY.
| But with very few exceptions the com
panies have not made money. Even those
who made money on the whole up to the
present time cannot deny but they had one
or more losing weeks.
Some people say that there have been
more companies out this season than ever
| before, but this is not SO, as there were as
many out last season. One thing is certain,
however, many companies started out too
early this season and were killed in CON
sequence. They were all anxious to get
out early so as to rake in the shekels they
were sure of making, but they soon
returned.
Before the season was properly opened
nearly dozen companies had come back
to the city with doWncast looks and empty
pockets. One of the first shows to sue
cumb was ''Enoch Arden" in Chicago.
It0 was quickly followed by many minor
ones and the cry has been ever since, land
still they Gomez
1t was said last week by a Chicago
manager who had come to New York to
attend to some business, that seventeen
companies had quietly slipped back to his
city the week before and ended their sea
sons. The number of companies which
had come into this city is almost as great.
Theatres have been closing up in many
cities, and even one has had to succumb to
bad business in New York. This was the
Theatre Comique, in Harlem. For five
years twas the only fashionable theatre in
Harlem. 1t had its run of the best attrac-
| lions, but time came when the people
would not leave their homes, and three
weeks ago the house had to close it's doors
OF the holiday matinees in this city there
was only one set proved profitable. That
was on Thanksgiving, but the day was an
exceptionally fine one. On Christmas
afternoon the business was bad, and on
New Years it was also very poor.
The attractions that have done a good
business in New York this season have
been very few. The Kendals are among
those who have made money, and it is said
that during their four weeks engagement
at the Fifth Avenue theatre $4,000 came
into the box Office. Salvini did not do so
well and some people say Mr.. Palmer made
| Ic ON