Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-05-10
ABOUT THEATERS.
COMEDIAN JOHN DREW'S WITHDRAWAL FROM
AUGUST.N DALY'S COMPANY
The Talk Of New York-What Frohman Intends
to do With His New Acquisition Burg
Porsakss German for English Acting
Two Plays With the Same Idea
and Motive

tneaLrlcdl Town is largely ABOUT JHe
withdrawal of John Drew from Angus
tin Days company. The Importance Of
Drew as the leading actor at Days,
both in the eyes of the profession and in
the estimation of the distinctly modish
portion OF the theater-supporting pub
| lie, made the announcement of his en-
gagement by Charles Frohman really
stirring piece of news. There had al
ready been considerable discussion of
the transfers of Frederick Bond and
Joseph Holland from DAILY to Frohman,
and the action of Drew in taking the
same course set everybody to talking
with increased volubility. Guesses are
many, and necessarily wild, as to what
Days treatment of Drew will be until
the close of his engagement next spring.
Will the comedian be taken to Europe
| to play the chief male roles with the
company this summer, or will some plan
of retaliation be contrived to punish
him? Drew has gained great favor in
London, and it would be costly sacri-
| fee of his value to cast him for minor
parts or to let him draw his salary in
idleness. As to his future employer,
Charles Frohman, he simply has hired
an actor whom he wanted, and pre-
sumably is devoting his thoughts, when
they relate to the subject, to the best
utilization of Drew's talent and popu-
larity. He would say nothing to re-
porter yesterday about Days attitude
in the matter. 81 expect to play John
Drew during the winter season Of 1892
90 here in New York, and then for a
spring and summer in Chicago and San
Francisco. My ideas touch also upon a
possibility of presenting him in London,
where he has been very successful,
socially and on the stage. l mean to
make him the head CT breezy comedy
company of the sort typfied by the
Wyndham players, who were here a
while ago. think the time is ripe for
such an enterprise. The older stars are
dropping out, one after another, and
see in this young man good oppor-
tunity. lam really fond Of the scheme,
and propose, after season or two of
the light, breezy style of work, to make
more pretentious comedy productions.
| admire Mr.. Drew's quiet unasSuming
nature, and you know all about his pub
lie favoritism as gentlemanly come
dian" The DAILY company are playing
in Philadelphia this week, with Drew in
his accustomed roles.
Another transit of talent is that Of
Helen Burg, who has been the leading
actress at the Amberg since 1889, and it
is remarkable for the fact that she goes
from German speech into English. But
Miss Burg was a New Yorker by birth,
and it was not until she was IA that she
went to Germany for a completion OF
her schooling. There she ran away
from home and entered a Berlin school
of acting. Upon her graduation she
went on the professional stage, and
after while was brought across the
ocean by Amberg. Her debut here was
in the German original of 1.-THE Great
Unknown" and her acting as the hero
inc placed her at once very high in the
favor Of our German audiences. But
she seems to have tired Of the German
tongue, and, as she speaks English with
out foreign accent, the change will
present no difficulties to her. She has
taken an engagement in the comedy
company of Meyer & Lederer, and will
support Charles Dickson in the autumn
production of "Incog." She will sail
for Paris next week to buy costumes
and make other preparations for becom-
ing an actress in English. The Amberg
people will not be likely to forgive her
for deserving them.
The dramatist who takes piece of
biography for the theme Of a play can
get no insurance against anothers use
of the same matter. An interesting il
Illustration is seen in the production of
Clyde Fitch's Frederick Lemaitre," at
Days and the announcement Of play
at the Lyceum, by John Ernest Nc
Cam, the poet, and Nugent Robinson,
editor Of once Week, embodying the
same incident in the great French
comedians life. The almost simultane-
Gus writing Of the two pieces has led an
actor to make an indefinite charge that
the original of both works was some
French play. The literary reputation
of the three Gentlemen concerned is
enough to acquit them of the always
plagiarism. Mr.. Mccain gave to re-
porter yesterday an account of the af
fair: -Four or five years ago." said he,
Il read in one of Lucy Hooper'S Paris
letters, bit from the life L'Emaitre,
which she got from Alphonse Daudet,
if | remember Alright 1t told how
young man once went to the great
Frederick's house and asked the actor
to assist him to position on the stage.
Frederick then told the young man to
give a taste of his quality. The young
ster hesitated, until Frederick told him
to imagine himself young man with
pretty wife. The young man is clerk.
He comes in one night, radiant with Joy
and hope aud love and laughter, to tell
his wife his salary has been increased,
and that he is going to take her to the
theater. He finds letter from her,
telling him that she has grown tired of
poverty. of him, and that she has gone
with a handSomer man. Then Fred
erick tells the young aspirant to act as
that young husband must have acted.
The ambitious youth tries and fails.
Then Frederick shows how it should be
done, and blasts that young fellows