Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-03
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
FLASHES FROM THE FOOTLIGHTS OF
MANY THEATERs.
Stage Exaggeration-An Everyday Lis
tener Always Thinks There is Over
Emphasis-stage Notes.

An auditor unused to stage languae
and ways, and coming to the theatt
straight from the street, the exchange, tt
counter, the mess or the drawing room
wherever, in short, men and women cor
gregate, could hardly, says the Fortnight
Reriep, fail to be struck by certain falls,
ness, certain over-emphasis and esp,
cially certain long drawn exaggeration
the pathetic tones. He would think
grotesque and he would probably think
unpleasant. 1t is a note not to be hear
in daily life, for we are an undemonstrs
tive people by nature, and pride ourselve
in getting through the crisis of our live
| in dumb show, with no more than a wor
or two. This impressive attitude, som
think, it one of the best things about u.
] am myself inclined to believe, after cer
tain recent personal experiences of NOR
vociferous methods, that the very demon
strat;ve nations spend more energy thai
we do in promise, and perhaps retain les
of performance. On the stage how
ever, and chiefly on the melodramati
stage, we have changed all this. Our mel
weep, our women whine; it may be senti
mental, which is quite another thing from
pathetic, but it is singularly long way re
moved from our English way of takin!
the facts of existence.
In the course of the past summer tn,
present writer was listening to one of tn,
most popular plays of the season. Two
young ladies of pleasing exterior, very
competent players, had taken the stage
One was recounting her misfortunes to the
other. "Now," thought, "was ever any
thing more unlike the behavior of tive
sane English women than that of these
two young actresses-the fearful faces, the
spasmodic gestures, the long-drawn, wofu
utterances and the various traditional
stage tricks of speech and manners?"
And reflected that the young ladies
themselves were not responsible for theil
departure from nature, but the fashion o
the times, which calls fo- such divagations
At this moment stranger sitting at my
side could bear it no longer; he moved
impatiently in his seat and expressed his
Indignation in whispered comment in
my ear: 81 beg your pardon, sir, but what
two confounded idiots" / imagine this
gentleman, whose speech was educated and
his face intelligent, may have lived long
enough away from London melodrama land
to have forgotten that it is region where
a dialect of its own prevails, accompanied
by contortions of the face and body, roll
ings of the eyes, emotional gurglipgs.
Kisses and huskiness, which never accom-
pany the speech of the English men and
women in the world we live in.
JEFFERsoN's DYSPEPSIA CURED.
Joseph Jefferson relates in the Century
the following concerning London expert
ence of his: "My approaching appear
ance was the important dramatic event of
my life. l had been FIVE years from Amer
lea and was on my way home, and felt
satisfied that if this new version of rip
Van Winkle' succeeded in London my
way was quite clear when | returned to
the United States
"On Sunday evening, being alone in my
lodgings, | got out for my own admiration
my new wig and beard, the pride of my
heart, and which was to use in the last
act. | could not resist trying them on for
the twentieth time, | think; so / got in
front of the glass and adjusted them to my
perfect satisfaction. / soon became en-
Unused, and began acting and posing in
front of the mirror. In about twenty min
utes there came a knock at the door,
"'Who's there ? said L.
" Its me, if you please said the gentle
but agitated voice of the chambermaid.
May | come imp
Certainly not 1 replied; for l had no
desire to be seen in my present makeup.
Is there anything wrong in the room,
sir? said she.
Nothing at all. Go away replied.
"'Well, sir she continued, there's a
policeman at the door, and he says as 'ow
there's crazy old man in your room, a
tlingin' of his 'armds about and a-goin' on
lawful, and there's a crowd OF people
across the street a-blockin' up the way
81 turned towards the window. and to
my horror l found that had forgotten to
put down the curtain, and, as it seemed to
me, the entire population of London was
taking in my first night. | had been un-
acting with the lights full up,
to an astonished audience who had not
paid for their admission. As l tore off my
wig and beard shout went up. Quickly
pulling down the curtain, | threw myself
IN chair, overcome with modification at
the occurrence. In few minutes the
side of the picture presented it.
self, and must have laughed for an hour.
L had been suffering from an attack of
nervous dyspepsia, consequent upon the
of ho 7
believe that this continuous fit of laughter
cured me-"
STAGE NOTES.
We shall see dashing Swift in Barry
more.
Fred Peel will next season be in advance
# Dan Sully's "Millionaire.n
RusselPs comedians are en- Joy ing good
'un at the California Theater.
The sale of seats for the Palmer Com
'any commences Monday, August 18th.
Miss Ida Mule will be the Cinderella
If The Crystal Slipper" on the road next
eason. =
The new Duquesne Theater in Pitts
'urg will cost in the neigbborhood of
100000.
Ed. Bloom has been Te-engaged by Pro-
essor Hermann, and starts soon for San
francisco.
America will be pleased to know that
Jharles Wyndham will not visit America
ext season.
A. @. Scammon has left the "Two
ohn's" company after having managed it
Or six years.
Franklin Fyle's new comedy, Cover
ook," will be tried at Hartford, Conn,
eptember 22d
"The Crystal Slipper" in spite of the
ot weather in Chicago, has averaged SO
ar $4,000 week.
Harry L. Hamlin is in New York max
ng the final arrangements for the tour of
is farce-comedy, THE Fakir.n
Sydney Rosenfeld is going to bring a
lit against Francis Wilson for not using
is version of "The Merry Monarch"
Harry Woodruff of the Palmer company,
no celebrated his majority recently, was
ne original Ned in the "Black Flag"
Maud Harrison, Ada Dyas, Mamie
Paddock and Maurice Barrymore were
OF with the Palmer company on their
lst visit here.
W. III. Batcheler, a well-known musical
irector of pantomimes in England, has
cen engaged by manager Henderson for
The Crystal Slipper"
Wilton Lackaye has brother named
ames, who will adopt the stage as pro-