The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-06-10
"BAB'S" PERIODICAL GOSSIP
ACTORS, ACTRESSES AND coRsE1s.
Rudsnsss Of New York Audienoes-Mans-
fields New Plny-Hiring oil ActOrs-Fan-
ME DaveBport and Mrs. Kendall
A Chapter on COrsets.

without exception, the New York audi
ence is the rudest one in the world. Peo-
pie who buy tickets for the theater buy
them to see and hear the play. They do
not buy them to form conversation cliques,
TO talk out very loud. nor is it supposed
that q sheriff is after every man and
woman at the theater, and for that reason
1t Is necessary for them to rush out before
the curtain is fully down. There is no
exception to this last custom. Yes, there
is; there's one. You 90 to the extreme
east or west side, and you will find that
tho audience remains in their seats until
the very last word Is said, and are pre-
pared TO cheer the hero and hiss the
villain, as every well meaning person
should do. But the 400 and 1000 attached
20 them and all the rest of the people who
90 to the other theaters have about as
much sense as to what decent behavior to
an actor means as gentleman cat has of
the beauties of the moon.
This sounds as if l were very indignant,
and 1 ara. The other night Richard Mans
field brought out his new play, "Don
Juan" a wonderful piece OF acting was
done by Mr.. Mansfield in the last act, and
everybody who admired the combination
of industry and genius wanted to applaud
him and make him understand how good
they thought it was. And they eventually
did, but before that troop of idiots had
made it almost impossible for half the
audience TO hear his last few lines, because
they were 80 eager TO get into their be-
longings and out. l teel much better now
that have relieved myself on this sub
ject and I want you TO remember that 1
am not trying It on anything, Pm Just
saying what / have 10 TO people who L am
sure will sympathize with me.
Is "Don Juan" good? Richard Mans
field does nothing badly. The play is
full of good lines, the scenery is beautiful,
and in the last act Mr.. Mansfield does
most perfect piece OF acting IL isnt't the
t'Don Juan" you knew; it isn't the Don
Juan" we thought it would be, but it is
original and interesting. Did you ever get
tired of hearing fault found with people?
Didn't il ever dawn on you that the COM
planners in this world are very many, and
usually the people who talk the most
about being lily treated deserve it? This
is apropOs OF Mr.. Mansfield. | have read
stories about his stern laws. j have heard
how he even told women they weren't
acting we'll 1t has been said to me that
he objected to people declining to come
70 rehearsal, and all this has been &C
CON panied by q wall as if Mr. Mansfield
had not perfect right to do all this. The
mystery to me is that the actor-manager
doesn't take half the people who come in
by their threats and fire them out
The hiring of actors of either sex ought
go much for certain services-he demands
that the services shall be good. He also
demands certain number of rehearsals
and promptness at these rehearsals. Ii
the actor doesn't like these laws he can
throw up the engagement, but just as long
as che or he remains in the company il is
right and proper that the laws OF that
company should be strictly adhered to. 1t
is just as easy TO be five minutes before re-
hearssl as 1t is to be fifteen minutes late
"But," somebody says, IAN accident may
happen" Yes, it may occasionally, and
when that is the reason the actor-man-
ager usually knows that il is so, and be-
cause OF the good record of the actor, ac-
cepts his explanation. This sounds hard?
No, it don't. When you or are paid GER
tain sums by people to do certain things it
Is a case of master and servant. The ser
proper respect and even when the play
time comes there must be nothing that
would cast shadow on the name OF the
master. do you think you could do all
this2" asks a little soubrette. l don't
know, my friend, but could try
All this little preach has come from the
nanca of Richard Man sfield, and it is given
because 1 believe word should be said in
his favor. He is ia and away ahead OF
the average actor, an1 one does not hear
OF him in bar-room fights and newspaper
scandals. And so L believe that when
genius and gentle manners are combined
credit should be given where it is due.
Men who drink all night and do their
work badly. who lack originality and who
see nothing better on the stage than the
opportunity to exploit themselves, are for
gotten in a season, but as a people we are
not positive enough about giving our adj
miration to men who think out what is
best on the stage, who do their best and
who show that after all genius need not
be a disheveed, ill-mannered man, but
can be gentleman.
Not long ago lady was talking to me
about Mrs. Mackey, and she said TO me
you American women are very ungrate-
full TO one who has really made for herself
the best social position in London. She
has done much Tor her cOmpatrlOts, and
she is by birth and education a gentle
woman. The daughter of a physician in
the navy and a niece Of the poet Bryant,
Mrs. Mackey's position is as good as that
Of any woman in the country. She has
been fortunate, or unfortunate enough, as
you NAV call il, to have a great deal of
money, and that is one thing you Ameri-
can women don't seem to forgive each
other. She is kind and generous and her
charities reach very often to that class
which needs help so much--the shabby
genteel. For my own part, / am surprised
continually not to have American women
ask me if / don't admire Mrs. Mackey,
and If Ihave not been flattered by my in
vitation to her house"
This story, true or untrue, is told of her
It is said that Mrs. Mackey has a marvel
Gus memory for faces, and although she
receives so much, seldom forgets person
whom she has once invited to her house
A cad among men, who was anxious to 20
to one OF her very gorgeous functions,
announced at his club that he should be
there whether he got an invitation or not.
The night came, and so did the man. He
passed up to where his hostess was and
greeted her; spoke to the ladies who were
receiving with her, passed on and Joined
some men whom be knew. Mrs. Mackey
looked at him, but could not remember
n