Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-05
How Theatrical Realism Received a
Series of Setbacks.
TOO TRUE TO NATURE.
Russell Harrison in . theatrical Box-The
Front Row Dude and the soubrette's Slip
per-How the Theatrical Writer Repairs
Faiiures-An Actress for Beauty Only
Personal Animosity Among Artists.

Lyceum) this week-one blow for every per-
Torrance Of a new play. The most important
scene dramatically and the most preteutious
one pictorially represented a grand hallway
and staircase in British dukes residence on
the evening of a ball. The arriving guests
were announced by sententious turnkey and
in every way careful effort was made to closely
initiate real occasion Of the kind. And it was
done successfully, too, as judged by any we'll
informed observer. Nevertheless, the specta-
tors laughed at it and it suffered terribly from
ridicule Its very truthfulness caused its fasco
You may have seen Du Maurier's pictures in
Punch during the past ten years, depicting la
dies and gentlemen in London aristocratic So
ciety. Those drawings have made the artist
famous by reason Of their faultless sincerity.
coMIcAL FROM THEIR REALISM.
Well, the two or three dozens of swell guests
introduced on the stage in the ball scene were
as good and true as Du Mauriers portraits.
They were not meant to be all Adouises and
Venuses in modern garb. but were intended to
represent the mild eccentricities of personality
in such gathering. Two or three of the girls
were very handsome and fully satisfied any
bodys ideal of aristocratic bellies. and there
we're examples of the London beau in his best
slghtliness, but the ma jority were by intention
just little comic. The audience was quick
chouhh W utsCeTH tue CoNl1Callby. Out Qlu not
give the credit of intentionally to the manage
ment and instead laughed at the guests for be-
lng-as was supposed-a crude and ludicrous
failure to represent good-looking, fashionable
folks.
RUSSELL HARRISON IN BOX.
The acceptance Of proscenium boxes at q
theater by the Presidents family one night this
week led an inquirer to ask of Russell Harrison
how he enjoyed performance from that part
of the house.
1T may be swagger to see the play from
boz" he replied, but the play suffers. You
can see the actors at their entrances waiting
Tor their cues. you can see the braces by which
the trees arc held up. you eau see too much Of
the paint and powder and you observe the
leading lady adjust the hook in the back of her
dress while she begs the villain for good gra-
cious cake to spare her life. But what of all
that? People in boxes are not supposed to look
at the play anyhow. They are to be looked at
and they are supposed to have a nice, sociable
time while the play is going on and to be enjoy
ing their conspicuousness between the acts.
AS for me, give me parquet chair about five
rows from the front"
NEW COMIC OPERAS
Five new comic operas have been produced
in this town within ten days, and every ono Of
them was such complete and irredeemable fail
ure that it is unlikely to ever be performed
elsewhere. An old manager computes that the
aggregate Of loss in these SO unfortunate VEN
lures is fully $4,000. Such q succession of
tascos is enough to discourage theatrical
capitalists. Concurrently, however, clever
fellow, somewhat on the dude pattern, scored
a hit as an auditor Mt a comic opera the other
night. He was among the expectant youths of
the front row who gaze and gaze through
out an evening, hearing none Of the
music and only an occasional joke. in
the vain hope that the priIna donna will
turn her dusky orbs upon them and confess
her infRtuation. Ii the prima donna is little
choice with her dusky orbs, then a smile from
soubrette. or even a chorus girl, will be CRATE
fully accepted. This particular youth had GER
tainly not charmed the prima donna, but posi-
bly, the soubrette, who danced moro or less
nlmbly after her songs, cast sparkling glance
In his direction between steps. At any rate he
thought she did, and wondered all through the
first act how it would be possible for him to
meet her. The second act came and the SOU
brette proceeded to execute another dance the
third since the opera began.
THE DUDES OPPORTUNITY.
1t was rather wild dance, requirnga wreck
less use Of the heels, and as the young woman
was giving a special kick at the finish her Slip
per detached itself from her foot and SKINNED
like bird over the heads OF the players in the
orchestra and fell among the Young men in the
front row. The whole audience laughed and
applauded and the little soubrette paIpably de-
lighted, looked coquettishly down at the Young
man and extended her hands to indicate that
she wanted the slipper back again. But il WAS
not forthcoming and the dancer was compelled
to retire without it. The third act came and
the soubrette, supplied with new slippers,
proceeded with a fourth dance. When she had
finished and was bowling to the applause the
young man in the front row stood up and
threw the lost slipper over the footlights. 1t
fell on the stage at the actress feet. Since
the previous act it had been filled with flowers,
and from its silver buckle was suspended q
card. There was u hiss from tile back of the
theater, but the good-natured people laughed
and cheered and the young man who created
the disturbance rose and bowed with great
ceremony to the audience at large. He had
exhibited O certain quality of brilliancy and
courage and his reward was swift In fact he
supped with the dainty dancer that night after
the show.
IN THE HANDS OF THE TINKER.
When play fails, as a good many plays do at
about this time Of year, the people interested
put their heads together and argue the question
Of keeping the play in spite of its cold recep-
ton. If it is decided to tight the thing out
then the manuscript Of the play is taken to what
is known as theatrical tinker who patches
up the imperfect vessel for reasonable remun-
GRAFTON and very possibly changes it to an ex-
tent that makes it worthy Of praise. A play
that recently secured from the newspaper crit
les share OF cOndemnation that came very near
sweeping 1t out OF existence at once was taken
to tinker the day after its failure
and left for him to examine. This tinker is
literary man of more than ordinary ability, but
he occupies a very modest position in his pro-
fession today. owing to a weakness for drink
ing, which attacks him periodically and units
him entirely for employment for several days.
He will work steadily for six months at a time
and then start on spree for a week. He had
been especially steady OF late, in fact had not
surrendered to his thirst in more than seven
months. The unsuccessful play was taken to
him on Wednesday morning.
sLvERE CRITICISM.
That night his friends found him sitting in
pale, disordered state of intoxication at table
in Broadway bar room. He was muttering
to himself between his gulps of liquor, and
occasionally he started convulsively and
grasped at invisible objects in the air. He was
like man ON the verge of delirium. His
| friends sat down with him silently. He looked
| in a dazed way from one to another. Then
| some one asked him why he had forgotten
himself again. He turned his wild eyes upon
| the speaker.
They brought --t to me this morning
pered. II read the play this afternoon" The
| tears came into his eyes he spoke and he
shook his head as though to suggest that life
| was too hard, much too hard. Then he
| bounded to his feet though shot from a gun
and, bringing his fist down upon the table,
| screamed: Whisky? Bring more whisky"
1t was very severe criticism upon that un-
successful play.