The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-06-04
A NEW MUSIC HALL STIR.
Jeanne Pudge, who Is Fat and Pudgy, But
stu a Trump.

You sometimes hear of n young nobleman
getting married to London music-hall song
stress. But does it ever happen that lyric
artist of genius springs up on the boards of
one OK these establishments says the London
truth. such phenomenon is not by any
means unheard of in Paris. Some time ago
J spoke of GuIlbert as one certain to get the
ball at her toe and TO keep II rolling. Do you
know what fee she now asks for singing
couple Of songs in a guided drawing-room
Eighty pounds. She earns twice as much
more every evening in a music hall Her
father and mother are concierges.
Madame Jude came first into public
notice at the Alcazar dressed as an Italian
shepherd, and singing mock pastorals re-
Plete with funny innuendo. Tonight 1
heard at the Scala the most astounding
divette that has come within the range Of
my ear and eye. She Is UNIQUE But /
doubt if she could succeed excepting in
barls. Her name Is Jeanne Bloch An ex-
tremely obese woman. dressed in crenm
nun yelling stuff and deliberately necklaced
with gllt zecchins in the Algerian stvle.
advanced with an air of assurance on the
stage. One felt at once that she had plenty
OF snap" and that the audience was going
To be well reused up. A torpedo-fish thrown
into pond well stocked with carp might
have affected these indolent piscatOry crea-
lures as she did the house directly she came
forward
One was conscious of prodigious spirit be-
fore she attacked her song. She had every
thing against her but her temperament and
talent, or rather genius. The fat figure within
the classical dress was laced tight as a drum
in a long wasted corset The face was dis
tlnctly Jewish. As 10 the eyes, they blazed
You'll do. / thought. She lost no time in at
lacking a new song which should throw Dru-
mont INTO fits. II was La Marche des Semi
naristes. or divinity students intended for
the priesthood. who must, like all other cit-
zens. shoulder the musket. The music re-
minded one of La Marsellaise," but had
notes of jubilaton. inspired as though by a
hard-wOn victory.
The semlnarists are supposed to be starting
for their depot with a lot of other young
conscripts. and the song might be words of
irOnical advice and sympathy from an old
sergeant major, much more VOltarian than
clerical There were almost clarion notes in
Jeanne BlOch's voice as she sung the chorus
part. which the galleries. drawn away by her,
took up. The sardonic spirit which the face
expressed seemed 10 know no bounds during
certain passages. which were as much tramp
ling on the Cross as the ceremony the Dutch
had TO 20 through annually in Japan.
One might suppose all the furious fanati- |
cisms that regned in Jerusalem when Titus |
was besleging 1t was concentrated in some |
mysterious way IN this adipose little Jewess. |
In point of expressive power nothing could |
he finer than her intOnatiOns gestures, the |
of her eyes, the magnetism of her |
whole being and the hatred and scOrn which |
lay behind the half gOod-natured fun. so far !
rs mere words went of the song. | can now !
picture to myself what manner of woman !
Jael was as she drove the nail home into the |
temple of Sisera.