The record-union., 1891-03-15
MUSIC And DRAMA.
How the People of New York Are
Being Entertained.
The Greatest Actor of tho New World
and the Greatest Actress of the Old
The Tittell sisters-General Stage
Notes.

| ing from New York on the 9th, SAYS:
Alone in newness this week is "The
| Prodigal Son." produced at Daly's. "The
Prodigal Son'' is dramatic pantomime
that has been surprise to Paris for the
last year, and Paris is not easily sur
prised. In this case pantomime does not
imply the sort of farce in which clowns,
harlequins and ballet dancers take part,
but pantomime in which the action, ac-
companled by music, makes either q
comedy or tragedy. 1t must be under
stood that in this play there is not q
word spoken. In the first act a young
| fellow, who, in the French, is Peirrot,
loves girl, and is opposed in his love by
MS parents, and having fallen in love
with Partisan coeotte, steals from his
| fathers safe to run off to Paris with her.
In the second act the boy finds the girl
he has loved, and has stolen for, looks for
nothing more than money, and that his
infatuation for her is met by purely COM
| merclal reciprocity, as our Canadian
| friends would say. When he has resolved
to cast tho hazard Of his fortunes upon
cards, she meets stranger, who has
bank notes by the thousand, and so she
abandonS her new-fledged love and takes
to the newer. He goes back, successful
at gambling, to deposit his winnings in
her lap. She is gone with another love
and curtain. In the last act, broken
| hearted, he returns to the home of his father
and mother. The mother receives him
| him there. The father discovers the con-
| cealment; he repudeates and forswears the
| repentant boy. He begs for forgiveness.
No. The sounds of 1.-THE Marseillaise" are
heard. He seizes the flag and goes to the
war as the only restitution that he can
make. AS he does so the father bIesses
him. 1t is a question whether 1.-The
! Prodigal Son" Will catch New York as it
did Paris. The new worlds greatest
actor and the old worlds greatest actress
have this week appeared: Edwin Booth
as Shylock, at the Broadway, and Sarah
| Bernhardt as Fedora at the Garden, and
nothing new can be said of either. At
the Windsor, r. d. MacLean was seen for
the first time here as Hermachis, and
Marie Prescott as Cleopatra, in Rider
which has been dramatized by Miss Pres
colt. 1t has some of the charm and
weirdnesS of the original story, and the
play is strong in climax and dialogue.
Antony's part is subordinated to that of
Hermachis, son of the last Pharoah, but
although handsome actor, Mr.. MacLean
! did not make a deep impression. Miss
Prescott made good Cleopatra, although
at times too stacy in gestures. All the
| play-houses have done fairly well this
| week, if Palmer's and the Madison Square
| Theaters be excepted.
STAGE NOTES.
| "O'Dowd's Neighbors'' will begin its
| season Marcn 2Itl.
Stuart Robson has added ''She Stoops
to Conquer" to his repertoire.
Sims Reeves viii sing his last song in
public in London on May 11th.
Jay Rial has left the Cora Tanner and
Joined the Rose Coghlan company.
''Noah's Ark" has stranded, and is
tucked away in the spacious storeroom at
| Niblo's Garden.
The Gossoon'' is a new Irish play by
Il. +. kldder, in which Carroll johnson
Will star next season.
Harry Meredith has been engaged by
| VIM A. Brady to play the part of Old
Tom in After Dark
Lila Vane,s legs in tights are being
| doomed at Herrmann's as among "All
| the Comforts of Home"
The Dazzler'' has caught Boston, and
Lydia Thompson received an old-time
welcome in the Bean City.
In Nellie McHenry's new play, by II.
Grafton Donnelly, she will appear in a
dual role, circus rider and q governess.
The seats for the Bernhardt engage
ment in Boston were sold at auction.
The sum of $50 was paid for the first
choice.
Thou Shalt Not'' promises to sheolize
the already sulphurous atmosphere of the
stage, and will. no doubt, get blue blazes
when produced.
|
lish actor, is collaborating with Stepniak,
the Russian Nihilist, ON play the scenes
of which are laid in Russia
Sport McAllister" is the title OF
Bobby Gaylor's new farce-comedy,
which is to be produced next season
under the direction of VIM. A. Brady.
| ''Thermidor" is to be undertaken in
Paris again. When recently INTERRUPTED
there was cash advance sale of nearly
Sl0O,0G0, all of which had to be refunded.
Robert Hilliard does not appear in
Thou Shalt Not" He claimed that his
wife objected to his playing the part, and
Manager brady released him from his
| contract. Negotiations are now in pro-
gress with Eben Plympton and Frederick
Bryton to assume the leading role.
! .. b. Sheppard, the millionaire Toronto
| manager, and Geo. w. Sammis have
bought the exclusive right for 90 Dr. BILL,
Ihey have also bought all the scenery
and equipments, and propose putting it
on the road in the same manner it was
done at the Garden Theater. A great
many OF the present company are to re-
| main.
Robert Graham is making extensive
preparations for the production of Larry
the Lord" which he will give on grand
scale next season. This, however, does
not interfere with the splendid work he
| is doing in 1.-The Sea King" The man.
agement has offered him large induce
meuts 10 pay Ine part next season, but
BOD says he has sure thing.
Edith Murilla, ''the dashing and CAV
soubrette" of the ''Ship Ahoy'' company,
has received enough adulation in Boston
to turn the head OF a less sensible actress.
| Ladies do not often worship at the shrine
of their own sex, but Miss Murilla has
proved pleasing exception. She is a
central hgure at the Lenten diversion
given by the Hubs fairest, bespectacled
danes.
George Backus has added the qualifica-
ton of author to his other numerous tai
ents. His one-act play, sin the Gloapl-
ing" has been played in Memphis and
| Louisville by the Aunt Jack" company.
where II received the heartiest ofrwefcome
from the critics of those cities. The Iitfie
play fairly bristleS with action, and has
sufficient plot to be extended into four
act eomedy-drama.
The three Tittell sisters, Charlotte. Essia
and Minnie, like Athos, Portbos and
Aramls, are power of strength with
their varied accomplishments 1t is NOT
often that three children of tho same
| family inherit almost an equal amount of
talent, yet in this instance the excent;o,,
has proved the rule. Charlotte TYtfeIi
who has already won praise in New York
and her sister, Essie, are both leading
| ladies' OF undoubted merit. Minnie the
youngest sister, is equally versatile in the
role OF an lngenue, OF Song-and-da nco
soubrette.
| HIS Money was Orthodox.
The tender spot and open purse that
John ID. Rockefeller, the ,niliionajre oil
King, always has for RELIGIONS and .bar;