Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-02

W. a5|i{'llI|
"
BIJou THrArER. s'The Bottom of the Sea"
GRAND OPERA HOUSE. =. '"rhe Great metropolis
HARRIS THEATER. woman Against woman
ACADEMY OF MUSIC. C.......... Hyde's Specially 20.
DAVIS FIFTH AVE. MUSEUM. ....C .Curiosities' Etc.
WORLDS MUSEUM. .Curloslues I'c.
The above are the theatrical attractions
for this week.
~
It cannot be said that the general run of
attractions this season at our principal
theaters has been satisfactory in an artistic
sense. The managers are contented with
the pecuniary results, but large portion OF
the theater-going public has been practically
debarred from theatrical amusement by the
prevalence of trashy farce comedy, cheap
sensational melodrama, variety. .veiled and
naked, and spectacular revivals of third
rate order. THE DISPATCH has received
many complaints upon this score. and they en-
phasize the need here for theater that Shall
deal in finer dramatic wares.
At the same time it must be admitted that
better things are promised US in the future az
both Grand Opera House and Bijou, and the
Duquesne Theater is being hurried forward SO
rapidly that 1t can be counted now as one OIL
the factors in the situation, and 1t goes without
saying that the new theater to succeed must
cater to the element in Pittsburg that appre-
ciates plays and players Of the best sort
By typographical error in a news paragraph
last week 1.-THE Great Metropolis was de-
scrlbed in THE DISPATCH as bloodthirsty,
which is very different from what was intend
ed, namely, bloodcurdling. The latter adjective
is frequently applied to melodrama in a favor
able sense, and it is tolerably certain that 1.-THE
Great METROPOLIS will Justify its use in this
instance, but in view Of the unfortunate con-
version OF bloodcurdling into bloodthirsty, it
may be added that the attraction at the Grand
Opera House this week promises to be melo-
sations.
The popular success of "a Straight Tip" can.
not be denied. The novelty of the race course
as background for variety specIalties. OF
which "a Straight Tip' is made up, and the
cleverness of the whole company, with the GEN.
tral comicality of MIR. Powers bimself, account
for the crowded houses the Bijou enjoyed all
the week. The bad points of the performance
ha indicated H.
and nothing more need be said upon this score.
It has been suggested that this journal was In
error when IL stated that some OF the Jokes IN
"a Straight Tip" were entitled to respect on
account of their age. Perhaps 1t would De
more in accordance with the truth to say that a
great many jokes in "a Straight TIP" were not
respectable at ALL
A correspondent writes with regard to an
other New FORK production: " The Last Word,
an adaptation by Mr.. Augustin DAILY, from the
German of Franz Won Schontau, was produced
on Tuesday. Mr.. Daly's new play is almost an
emotional drama. with strong plot of love and
Nihilism and human interest. Probably such
plot in theater devoted almost entirely to
light comedy would not have succeeded in the
hands Of the majority of Mr. Daly's players.
But the really phenomenal acting of Miss
Rehan in the character of a Russian Baroness
changed what promised to be a disaster into a
most brilliant triumph. In this latest produc-
tIon Ada Rehan rose to a height Of dramatic
power that she has never before displayed.
The play opened with a ballroom scene. which
was the most perfect representation of such an
event that has been seen in New York. The
persons on the stage were dressed and looked
like ladies and gentlemen; they all talked at
once in that Historically mirthful tone which
obtains between this and the next waltz, and SO
natural was the movement on the stage and
one felt as II he stumbled into private house
without an invitation"
sx#
Whatever may be said of the worthlessness
of farce comedy as art, and its evil effect upon
the stage to-day, it must becognized that Mr.
Charles H. Hoyt's plays continue to be the
best of this kind "a Texas Steer" his latest
work, is receiving unusually serious and favor
| able consideration, and the Boston GLOBE has
| deemed it worthy of an editorial in which this
passage occurs: THE follies and iniquities OF
| Congressional life are satirIzed with keennesi
| of wit that of itself would make the play re-
| markable one. The humor and drollery of the
| situations are worked out with coDsummate
skill. In Maverick Brdnder the American
stage has, we think, gained a character to the
| full as salient, strong ana racy as any OF the
| famous comedy characters which our native
authors have given us. 1t will take rank easily
! in the same class with Colonel Sellers, Hon
| Bard,OeH Slote, and other immortal creations
| *x#
In New York last week two or three plays o.
some importance we're produced. In "Reck
| less Temple" Maurice Barrymore made his ap
pearance as star under the management o.
| the sly Mr.. j. NJ. Hill at the Standard Theat er
| BARRYMORE is an interesting young man, with
face that great many people insist on liken
| ing to a Greek gods, who is more famou:
! for his Bohemian escapades and athletic feat
| than for serious dramatic effort. The criticisms
! upon Reckless Temple" in the New Yorl
| papers would seem to indicate that Mr.. Barry
| more has tried to exploit his athletic and Bo
| hemian traits in a drama with rather drear,
| results The play deals with very uncertain
| quantity called ST. Louis society, and show
| Barrymore in all the glory of black hair, whit
ened at the sides (Do we not remember him IL
| the same guise supporting the unspeakabl,
| Langtry at the Opera HouseO making Ions
| speeches and doing ridiculous things to Prov
| Bohemianlsm is blessing and society" in st
| Louis and elsewhere a curse. The New orl
| papers agree that Reckless Temple" Is no
| worthy of serious criticism. Mr.. Winter, in thu
Tribune, says: There is not particle of ma
| dents of the play are silly and ludicrous"
80
The rage for dancing of the unconventiona
sort still keeps up in New York, and tn
theaters are bidding against each other witt
all sorts Of Spanish and other dances, chief
remarkable for the high kicking and posturinl
they entail. Carmenclta has lots OF rivals now
dancer kicks over the congruities and whirls il
modern dress before Nero at Niblo's; Mis-
Edith Kenward injects wonderful life into
farce at the Madison Garden theater with he
AGILE limbs, and Miss Sadie Martinot in tn
| eor,a ,iaoa-uDr RtlI'-last week sonObt p