The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-21
Artistic Success, and Financial Fail
ure Of Bronson Towards
"The Henrietta" "a s.
Illustration Of the Fact that Critics
Gan Neither Make Nor
Unmake.
Lanstry Speaks OF "Dcar America" for
Advertising Purposes-Geraldinc
Ulmar and Marie HaltOn.

ESPECIAL correspondence OF lhA INpEfENoIN1'
LONDON, April 6.-At last London play
coers have had IN American play presented
to then. which hes met with their approval.
Nj. Bronson Howard's Henrietta was
served up by MIR. Henry Lee to his patrons
at the Avenue on Saturday last, and the
critics were, for once, unanimous in their
favorable notices of the play - but damned
the PLAYERS with faint praise. One and all
said that if the piece had been presented by
American actors it would have had moro
Justice done to it. Coming from such a
source this is praise indeed! Mr.. Howard,
however. has written to the papers to say
that he is quite satisfied with the way in
which it is interpreted, that mo hidden
meaning has been overlooked, etc. When
the author 10 satisfied, who else can grumble?
For all that, Mr.. John Shine. who plays
the part of the Dude Berthe is not a patch
on MIR. Stuart Robson, and the play gen
orally wants the 'go'' it had in New York.
One swallow does not make a summer, nor.
as it has been proved over and over
again, do unanimously favorable press
notices make a play 60. or unfavorable
ones damn it. The success of Henrietta
has vet to be proved at the box-ofice, and
until the upper ten return to o from
their Easter holidays in the country, there
is no knowing whether the play will "catch
ON or not.
That favorable notice won't make a play
or an opera a success is proved BY the fail
ure of Maid Marian, Mr.. de koven's comic
opera, at the Prince of Wales's. No opera
could have been more highly praised-in
fact, the push over it smacked greatly of
Aho sslr1lor a 1iposs nrHar nf prjf1c11n1 The
opera itself is t%uneful, and there were several
melodies in it which the first night critics
prophesied would soon be "whistled on the
Streets But neither the barrel organs or
the small boys have as yet caught on to the
tunes. probably finding. like Marian Manola,
that Mr.. de Koven's music is too high for
sifieuistic purposes. Whatever the reason
may be the opera has failed to catch on, and
tine many-tongued they" say that the man
agement have dropped $4,000 over the pro-
duction. This is u severe knock down for
Mr.. de Koven, who, the first week after the
production, was talked of rs the successor
of Sir Arthur Sullivan in the good graces Of
Mr.. w. S. Gilbert.
Mrs. Langtry is not going back to the
states just yet awhile, and is very indignant
with certain newspapers for saying that she
was. The rumor grew out of her speaking
of dear America in several of her inter
views. Whenever an actress uses this ex-
presslons freely you may take it as an alb
solute certainty that she contemplates an
early visit to your shores. All the same, it
will not be long before the fair Cleopatra
will be compelled to revisit the land of the
goose with the golden eggs to replenish her
purse. She has found out, what every one
who has ever tried it found out. that the
Princess's theatre is q quicksand that swal-
lows up any money put in it and never
gives it up again. Her production Of Cleo
patra was great, but she must have lost
thousands. Lady Barter, which succeeded,
was a dismal failure, INT now she is trying
a new piece yclept Linda Grey, which is
passable, but, If I mistake not, will run at
a loss. There is nothing in the world like a
theater-except it be a newspaper-to swal-
low up money, and long as Mrs. Langtry's
purse is, it is not Fortunatus.
Marion Manola has returned to America
on urgent private affairs" and James Ma
son remains here giving great satisfaction
in The Idler at st. James theatsr. Rumor
has it that when Miss Manola returns a
"free woman, the services of a registrar or
a duly qualified parson will be in request.
That aristocratic marriage exchange. st.
Georges, Hanover square, was crowded last
Monday to witness the marriage of Miss
Geraldine Ulmar, better known as Dolly
Ulmar, and perhaps better known still as
La Cigale of the Lyric theater, to Felix
Siltin, otherwise Ivan Caryll, the musical
conductor of the Lyric. Miss Ulmar has
Atduo IHAuy IElclluS uoTo, dHu she was
given away" by a real live English Judge
in the person of Sir Francis Jeune. 1t is
to be hoped that Sir Francis will never
again make a public appearance with Miss
Ulmar, and some people who are always on
the lookout for "omens," lucky or other
wise. we're inclined to look grave when Sir
Francis Jeune "Rsve the bride away Sir
Francis, be 1t known, is the judge of the
divorce court.
While Miss Ulmar is away on her honey
moon her pat of LA Cigale' is taken by
Miss Marie Halton, who has taken London
by storm. How many more have your"
said a ~well-known critic to me after the
first act in La Cigale the other night. ut
appears to me that you never send US a bad
one now, n American singers will soon
%monopolize the English comic opera stage"
Miss Halton's singing and acting pleased
every one and she will never want for an
engagement now, and, for the matter of
that, will have the pick of them.