St. Paul daily globe., 1891-12-06
She Will Play a Special En-
gagement for the Twin
City People.
Something About the Charac-
ter OF the Woman She Will
Represent.
Cleopatra as She Was and as
She Appears to Those Whom
See Ruled.
Gossip About the Recent
Change in the Grand Man
agement.

In connection with the gossip in re
gard to Messrs. Parker and Thompson
wisely surrendering the lease of the
Grand and Lyceum theaters, it might be
stated that there were many commend
able things in their methods of handling
those places of amusement. There was
little clustering and circus methods
used during their reigu. 1t is custom
ary in most places of amusement to
adopt the circus style of dong business,
and usually there is an abundance of
clustering and shouting as to the great
attractions offered, the enormous re-
celpts, etc. There is mo question that
the Grand opera house, especially, has
presented and will present during
the present season by far the greatest
line of attractions ever offered to Min
neapolis public; and, while business
here. as in st. Paul, has been good, com
pared to majority of Eastern cities, it
has been far from what it should have
been. Still, some of the attractions that
have played at the Grand have done the
most phenomenal business in the his
tory of this money making theater.
Why, IT the ordinary theater were to
play to $500 at regular prices in three
nights and matinee. as did Sol Smith
Russell at the Grand. it is dollars to beef
teathat the whole managerial force would
expand in chest measurements nearly
double the normal size. Think of
William II. Crane, in three evening
performances only at the Grand, play
ing to over $1,000, with The Senator"
recently, and the divine Sara Bern
hardt going Crane nearly a thousand
better IL but two performances. No
flags were flaunted III commemOration
of these events, and no clustering
methods used; but it is safe to say that
any of the above two or three nights
receipts is nearly double that of the
weeks receipts of any other playhouse
in this section. 1t is most commend
able method, TOO, thai the Grand
management adopted. in doing away
with the brag method so common in the
theatrical business of today, and theatre
patrons generally began to realize the
fact that business at that fashionable
place of amusement was being conduct
ed in quiet and refined manner, be-
coming the dignity of the Sixth street
Thespian temple. There were others.
too, it seems, who were also well pleased
with the way things were conducted at
the abOve-named place of amusement,
among them Manager Henry e. Abbey,
who will give Minneapolis special OPP
pOrtunitV Of seeing, as only a few
American cities have or will
see. (nOt half doZen), the
greatest production of cleopatra"
Arrangements were closed with
Manager Abbey so that Nine. Sara
Bernhardt will, at the close of her New
York engagement and prior to her going
to Europe, make a special trip to Min
Il
magnilicence the above great prOduc-
ton.
No figure in history is more interest
Ing than Egypt's wanton queen. Cleo
patra. While she lived the gaze OF the
civilized world was rivited upon her,
and succeeding generations have
sounded her praises. The icy Julius
Caesar bowed to her shrine, and put
his sword to sleep for her caresses."
Marc Antony for her threw away
One-third of the world aud the imperial
scepter that was almost within his
grasp. 1t was reserved for the young
Octayius to be the first to withstand her
charms, and well may his resolutions
have been shaken while deciding be-
TWEEN the senSuOuS pleasures and com
panionShip with the most vOluptuOus
woman in the world, and his ambition
to rule the world from Palestine All
the world loves beautiful woman. and
when the physical charms are added 10
those OF intellect, the flesh is prone to
give way. There has never been a more
beautiful comparison drawn between
women than in Shakespeare'S descrip-
ton of the virtuouS Octavia and the
hOnorleSS CleOaptra, but the world loves
Cleopatra best. Truly a strange paradox.
She was the most witching woman in
fina MN nd flSf far IL
pent of the Nile" Her arts were end
less: the world stood aghast at her
eXtravagances of personal conduct and
financial expenditure, but none rebuked
her. She was queen, but not ZenO-
bla. SO many characteristics were
bound up in this one woman, if one
tenth of the stories concerning her can
be believed. For her Antony "kissed
away kingdoms and provinces" AT one
moment he lavished upon her the most
,eXtrayagant praise; the next he cursed
her right royalty, and the next,
seeing her again, he lavished his
called Cleopatra good woman.
Whatever may be the proportions of
truth to error in the traditions of this
courtesan queen, she stands today as
the highest type of female beauty.
Joined to wit and intellectual vigor.
She was collOSal in all thiDgs. and this
may be the justification for the univer-
sal palliatIon of her offenses. Besides.
she paid dearly for them at last, and
who is there to not feel pity for one
whose long train of meteorc SplendOr
vanished into utter darkness in the
twinkling Of an eye? The world has
never seen another woman so gorgeous
III her triumphS, so tragic in her fall
The production which Madam Bern
hardt has given Sardou's best effort is
said to be the most elaborate this coun-
try has ever known. 1t Is said to differ
radically from Shakespeare's play. The
author has selected some of the most
radical passions, traits and f0ible5 de-
lineated by his predecessors, Corneille.
LacroiX, Gauthier and the immortal
bard, and with keen dramatic instinct
he has moulded these together In one
brilliant spectacular mosaic. The
drama is IN six acts, the first of which
shows the quaysat Tarsus, where Marc
Antony awaits to pronounce the iudg-
ment OF Rome upon her. She comes
upon her famous barge. which is
here made visible to the eye in
stead of being described in verse. The
second act reveals the Sorceress and her
victim in the palace of the Pharaohs.
AntoHy's friends try to induce him to
go back to Rome, and, to their surprise,
Cleopatra urges him to 60. The third
act shows Cleopatra in a temple at
Memphis awaiting news OF Antony.
The messenger arrives with the report
of Antony's marriage to Octavia. The
act closes with Cleopatra's determine
ton to see Octayia for herself. The
next act is in the palace at Actium,
where Antony has brought his bride.
The Egyptian fleet arrives and Cleo
patra Is brought in. concealed in a rug.
She hears Antony in loving converse
with Octavia. At the proper moment
she appears and tries her wiles on An
tony again. Kephreh, her slave, is ac-
cused by Antony'S friends of being her
latest favorlte. Antony furiousiy de-
mandS his death. He is summoned, and
the queen bids him drink poison to
prove his and her innocence. Antony