The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-25
THE PLAYERS IN LONDON
Divorce Law Gossip Anent the Ma
rlon Manola and John Mason
Wedding.
Comic Opera With All the Cele-
brated American Stars in
the CAST.
JsAn r. Rogers, Once "Yeurs Merrily." Al
ter His Beloved Minnie with but
Poor Success.

Especial Correspondence of H INDEPENDENT.
LONDON, May "a marriage that was
made in Heaven, but performed in London
last week, and which you ave heard all
about, was that of Marion Manola and
John Mason. / only mention it because it
has been 30 much talked about in connec-
tion with the American divorce laws. The
English can scarcely grasp the fact that a
person can leave London by one steamer
and return by the other, obtain a divorce
and get married again. all in the space of a
month or a day or two over. Hero six
months at least have to intervene before
The decree nisi is pronounced, and then
thore il \ nasty, disagreeabls person, in
the shape Of a queen's proctor who can, and
very often does, intervene If he suspects
that il is a case of the pot calling the kettle
black, or that there is collision of any
kind. There is pretty sure to be an alter
alton in the divorce laws of England short
IL. This does not come properly under the
head of theatrical news, but it will be OF
interest to a great many theatrical people.
London was never fuller than it ia at
present Of American theatrical stars. Walk
inc along the shady side of Pail Mall the
Ouu0I udy WAO uoaAA L OuU tI0
Sadie Martinez, looking younger and hand
somer than ever. She was only stopping
over in London en- route to Paris, where
her ambition is to sing in French at one of
the Partisan theatres. About five minutes
after leaving Sadie Martinez I ran against
Isabelle Urquhart and Sylvia Gerrish, who
are in town for a week or two. Then there
are Marie Halton, Attalie Clsire, and Zelie
de Lussan, all of whom can be met any day
IN the Park and P~iccadilly, SO that if
America is Greater Ireland, We might with
Justice call London the Little Union
Square.
leading lights of comic opera in London
Just now, it has occurred to the enterpris-
ing mind of Mr.. Edward Michael, the
rising young American manager of the
Globe, that it would not be a bad plan to
produce comic opera in LOudon with all
She principal American stars, just to show
them here how it could be done. Mr..
Michael has now a proposal on the tapis to
produce Nanon, with Sadie Martinez, !sa-
belle Urquhart, Sylvia Gerrish, Marion
Manola. Geraldine Ulmar and Marie Hal |
ton in the cast. OF course all the above
could not be there, as there are not parts
for them, but he could have the pick of
them. This would be = team with ven |
cence, and would draw London.
London wants to be drawn" very badly
Just now. Whether it is the fault of the
plays put on, or because the general tinan-
cial depression is affecting everybody, de-
ponent knoweth not, but it is a fact that, |
with the possible exception of The Idler,
L'Enfant Prologue, and Joan of Are, there
is not a theater in London paying more
than expenses, and the great majority are
not doing that. If this is the case now
what will it be in the months to come, when
they have to compete with the Naval exhi-
h;<iop and %ho EovmoD ayh{hJticp opd oil |
the numerous summer outdoor attractions?
"A play, in my opinion, will have to be sup
erlatively and superfnely attractive to
make the outgoings and the incomings bal
ance, and such a play is not, at present, on
the London boards.
Another American actor-he is an Eng
lishman. ] believe, by birth. but is more
closely identified with the American stage
whom I met the other day was Louis de
LANCE. He talks of going to Australia. but
has had several offers from London mana
gers. Charley Dandy goes to Australia
with the Gaiety troupe, 60 there is an open
ing for another comedian in the same line.
We had still another arrival last week in
the person of an old favorite-Minnie
Palmer, TO boot. On the same day, but by
another steamer. yours, once msrrily, John
r.. Rogers, put in an appearance, and regis
tered at the Victoria, where the fair Min
ME had also inscribed her name ON the
books. John entered the Victoria r., and
Minnie at once made her exit. Friends here
have interviewed, l understand, with the
view of bringing these two together
again-a somewhat impossible task.
They are of the opinion, and rightly
too, that together they are a great team,
but divided they fall, and are not worth q
cent from a managerial point of view.
John r. Rogers and Hustler Kelley did
mere te '.liven APP English managers aa to
how to advertise their stars than any Amer
leans who have ever visited these shores.
In fact, they have revolutionized the art of
theatrical Advertising.
Edwin Cleary, who last year tool an
opera troup to South America, and made a
success of it, takes out another company to
tho same quarter of the globe next week.