Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-21
IUsIc And DRAMA.

1USIC and DRAMA.
LILY LANGTRY's WONDERFUL DRESSES
IN CLEOPATRA"
Thomas Keene in "Louis XI."-" Happy
Jacks" Cough-Emma Abbott
Coming-Stsge Notes.
OF all things interesting and otherwise
offered in modern stage presentations none
could be more puzzling than the cough of
Happy Jack, the tramp in the original
"Oid Homestead" company, now in its
fourth year at the big Academy, New
York. To attempt to describe it is use
less. 1; can only be likened to the hoarse.
hollow discharge of some old rusty musket
that is only fred at centennials 1t ia such
genuinely narrowing affair that few can
be led to believe it purely device of the
actor. When Happy Jack first springs it
on simple Uncle Joshua, that good old
souls heart Immediately melts 10 pity.
| The cough has occasioned such comment
that Waiter Gale, who plays the part of
Happy Jack, was asked the other day 70.
garding its origin. "The introduction of
the cough y said Mr. Gale, was solely ac-
| cidental. When l first undertook the part
l was troubled more or less with a rather
severe cold. While delivering my lines
| one night felt an irresistible inclination
to cough. l restrained myself, however,
| and hurried on with my speech, Just at
its conclusion and as Mr.. Thompson was
about to proceed, let 60. Mr. Thomp-
son was SO surprised at the sudden in
| terrup:ion of his lines that he, i'm
| pulsively brought his hands to his
head. Something in our combined action
| caught the fancy of the audience and the
house fairly shook with laughter. Then
| we knew we had stumbled on a good thing.
When We got together in the wings We
came to the conclusion that the cough
should be coughed at every performance.
| 1t was easy enough while my cold lasted.
When it vanished had to get to work. l
spent three hours one morning before l
| could get cough to suit me. At the end
of that time you will understand why had
| no further need of practice that day. Nv
throat was so lacerated that I coughed on
/
work supplied me with enough coughing
material for whole week. During that
| time made coughs my special study and
| picked out one of the worst. The one YOU
| hear in the old Homestead is my best
| effort. have the hang of it. I can't ex-
plain exactly how l do it. 1t is sort of
| anti-Dr. Koch movement. See?" Here
Mr.. Gale gave vent to cough the echo of
| which must have caused every lurking
| microbe within hearing distance to quake
| in its boots.
LANGTRY AS CLEOPATRA.
Whatever may be the views of London
critics as 10 Mrs. Langtry's Cleopatra, there
| is but one opinion so far as her dresses are
concerned. A local expert furnishes de-
scription OF the costumes in the first scene,
where she steps from her picturesque bark
on carpet strewn with roses, and where
she reposes beneath canopy of roses and
Nile rushes. Cleopatra wears a flowing
dress OF gauzy white material. She seems
on fire with pointed crystals, which, gleam.
| ing and changing from crimson to green
| and silver-border her dress and graceful
wing sleeves, and a. ash in the high coronet
| which rests on the flowing red thrown hair.
One tress Of hair is braided with rope of
pearls, and splendid stones flash on the
arms and neck and in the girdle, which
hangs in long bands from the waist.
| Mrs. Langtrys second dress in the scene
| with her maidens is quite simple one,
consisting of a white silk underdress en-
broidered in colored silks and fringed ever
| drapery Of shellpink crepe. embroidered
in gold. A green serpent coils in the hair,
and thick gold bracelets encrcle the arm.
At the beginning Of the third act, where
Cleopatra appears at the head of her army,
she wears train of sapphire-blue velvet,
4 Is ~.11
| silver, and silver helmet. This is ex-
changed for the royal robes in which the
Egyptian Queen appears, carried in pa
lanquin, to welcome Anthony beneath the
walls of Alexandra, and which, in the
last scene of all, she dons to die in queen
| like splendor. An underdress of white
silk. it is veiled in white, gauzy material,
embroidered with white and green crystals
representing flowers. 4 mantle, also of
white fimy material, bordered with green
embroidery, and with a pattern of large,
is clasped about the bare neck. A deep cir
Gle of embroidery about the neck flashes
with the green iridescent stones, which
also adorn the clasp and girdle. A stiff
jeweled piece of silk, plated into four
plaits. falling in front, gives an Egyptian
character to the dress. The long, wayy
hair is crowned with helmet shaped cor
onet, thickly crusted with jewels. A halo
like circle of iridescent green metal forms
a frame for the beautiful face A rich
necklace, rings on every finger and brace
lets COMPLETED a dress of royal magnif-
cence, which sets off Mrs. Langtrv's beauty
| to perfection.
KEENE IN LOUIS XII"
| Thomas Keene has been doing splendid
business in Denver, and has thoroughly
1 nc ,ftr he fhao ofarr 80 IL
| city. His greatest success was in Louis
XII" OF his Interpretation OF the charac.
ter the Denver Times says:
Mr.. Keene's impersonstion is based on
| the character of this King so graphically
| depicted by Sir Walter Scott in his novel,
Quentin DUrward." 1t would seem,
however, that Mr.. Keene plays the charac-
ter SIS that of somewhat older person
| ality than Scott pictures. The character of
Louis XI, is cowardly and brave at inter-
vals, full of contradictions, at one time q
braggart, at another almost hero, re.
hgious when it suited his mood, super
stitious by fits and starts, kind when it did
not please him to be cruel, cunning and
crafty always, dignified and regal, vet
childish and churlish, ordering an execu.
ton as he uttered the angelus, ch posing
his advisers from disreputable characters,
trusting 10 one, bundle of contradictions,
| tne semo' ance OF man, one who gloI1ed
in his faults and used them with satisfac-
ton TO serve his OWE ends He hardly
trusted himself. Mr.. Keepe's ipterpreta.
ton is mastery, and in this character he
shows an intuitive discernment which
merits the very warmest praise. In the
scene where the Due de Namours throws
down the gage of battle on behalf of his
sovereign prince, Charles of Burgundy, Mr..
Keene is admirable, investing the passage
with scorn, a assembling and an assump.
ton of outraged dignity that are intensely
true, and yet free entirely from any melo-
dramatic effect He was admirable in the
scene where he beguiles Marie with 5hypo-
critical promises. In fact, he was admir-
| able throughout, and it must be the opin-
ion of many that it is his best character.
| ization.
| EMMA ABBOTT.
One of the great social and musical
events cf the season ia Sacramento will be
the appearance at the Metropolitan Thea
ter on Saturday night, December 9th, of
the famous little artist Emma Abbott. and
her superb grand opera company, especi-
ally so as the engagement is for only one