The record-union., 1892-10-20
music And THE DRAMA.
People of the Stage and Some
thing About Them.
salvinI's suberb Portrayals of Old
Time Heroes-New and Old Plays
Movements of Actors and Troupes-
Illness of Lotta Crabtree-Comin
Attractions-Some Personal Notes.

Dunlop's Stage Ne1Cs of the 18th says:
At the Garden Nine. Helena Modjeska
employed a role new TO her, and one
which had not been acted in New York
by anybody since 1874. This was
Katharine of ArragOn in Shakespeare's
very dull play "Klng Henry WILL" a
part associated in theatrical history WIN
materially powerful actresses, Ike
Fanny Kemble and Charlotte Cushman.
There was a special curiosity 10 see
whether Modjeska's lack of physical
force would prevent her from achieving
an artistic success, but she did. The SUB
tlety and sureness of her acting suinced
OF course, her otherwise faultless elocu-
ton was greatly marred by her foreign
accent, and listeners had TO be intent 10
get the full meanings OF her utterances.
She gave complete expression, however,
to the sorrows of the wronged queen,
and her performance was'one more trl-
unph in her career Of triumphs.
Lillian Lewis new play, Lady ILL.,"
is a fair specimen of a drama of action, Of
hustle, of incident ana panoramic stage
pictures. There is the departure Of the
army ready for action, the laying OF the
1aith-curer, the ministering of the Sisters
of Mercy on the battlefield, the trial,
conviction, sentence and execution OF the
spy, the establishment of a field tele-
graph during action, the vivid battle de-
scription of Lady Lii, and the heroic
clings to his post and falls dead on duty.
Then comes the circus amphitheater,
with its acrobats and clowns, its spangIes
and its tights, Lillian herself as a bare
back rider, the man eating tiger KaJah
and the eating of Hassan by the beast. If
this is not enough action, hustle and Incl
dent for one play, playwrights had better
pack up and close shop.
The Boston Heraid says: "a lack of
virility is one of the most marked char
acteristics OF the acting of too many OF the
modern leading men, and the authors
have pandered TO a taste for Iackadaisical
work. 1t is refreshing to find an actor
wirA plenty Of ginger in him a man who
is not afraid TO give full play to his
muscles, and who can be graceful even
while he gives expression to manly
strength; a man who has powerful voice
and is not afraid to use it, and who has
the skill to do so without rantlng." ms
was said with reference to Alexander
Salvini, but it Will apply to quite
number of rising young actors OF the
vigorous school.
Alexander Salvini's tour for this sea-
son, under the direction Of w. NJ. VIII
lzinson, has started very auspiclously.
He is now playing in San Francisco and
the press is echoing the sentiments OF
those in the East regarding his superb
pOrtrayals of the old-ume heroes OF ro-
nance and his perspicacity in selecting
the romantic drama as a field for his am
bitiOn. His magnificent scenic produc-
tions of Don Caesar de Bazan" and The
Three Guardsmen" meet with as much
enthusiasm as they did at the Boston
Theater. His excellent supporting COM
pany, headed by William Redmund, be-
gets unstinted praise on all sides.
Paderewski, the great pianist, is COM
ing to Sacramento about \ NOVember 10Th.
He will give bat one concert here, but
that will be sufficient, for very naturally
the charges for admission will be high.
The Boston Herald said recently of one OF
PadereWSkl's long and eXactlng pro-
grammes: "Such a test of physical en-
durance was well calculated to exhaust the
PLAYER, but this marvellous man showed
lire and abandon in the final rhapsody
down for the day as though 1t were an in
troductory number, and throughout the
programme he displayed command and
control of his energies that was fairly
amazing"
Acting is as truly an art as is either
painting or sculpture, and though, unlike
them, it cannot leave tangible or visible
record, yet in its exhibition 1t has the
power to win and hold more general at
tention and sympathy than either ofthem.
The painter and the sculptor may pre-
sent the linear poses Of the passions them
selves; he stands their embodiment. He
not only arouses passion, but he iInparts
motion to the sympathy he awakens and
compels an immediate demonstration of
approval or disapproval.-A. z. Dunlop.
Rudolph Gott, the brilliant young
pianist, who prophecy viii electrify the
musical world when he makes his ap-
pearance next month, began studying
music when only years old, under the
direction of his father, the well-known
Bandmaster Gott. Since he has been
studying with Otto Bendix,s. s.Liszt's best
much like Paderewski and is quite his
equal as an artist.
Dunlop's NeicS has this item: 'Phdbe
Davies and Joseph r. Grismer are COM
ing East this season to try their luck in
New FORK in their new play. The New
South by Clay NJ. Greene. \ San Fran
cisco journal says they will go East
backed by the best wishes of thousands
of friends l hope that they have back
ing of a more financial order, for the
metropolis is cold, oh so cold"
Charles Hoyt made his farewell speech
to an audience that packed the Chicago
Grand Opera-house last week. The
''goOd-by'' spoken by the clever farce
writer was couched in graceful words
that his promise of a speedy return to the
town that does always evidence its ap-
probation of his plays, on a golden basis,
awakened enthusiastic plaudits.
Ouida says: 1.-The quality of the acting
and the unintelligence of the audience
have kept writers of eminence off the
English stage ever since the first Lord
Ivtton." Madame Louisa lie la Rame
shouldn't have said so, but she comes
pretty near being correct. We want
playwrightS, not writers OF eminence to
build our plays.
c. ?. Hall has retired from the manage
ment of the Bush-street Theater. San
Francisco. He is not in the best Of
health, his eyes troubling him very
much. The San Francisco press gives
him very kind words on his taking leave
Of management there. George II. Broad
hurst, late OF Chicago, succeeds Mr.. Hall
at the Bush.
The musical gem of "AIi Baba," at the
Chicago Opera-house, is a moonlight
serenade sung by Bertha Ricci in the last
act. The air, which is deliciously catchy
and. sweet (being tinged with lust the
7,roper shade OF melancholy for a sighinp-
lovers plaint) is the work Of w. Ii.
Bachelor.
Fears are entertained that Lotta may
not recover from the operation recently
1erforned upon her, as her condition
continues very serious; ohe IS at sani-
tarium and no one iSallowed to see her;
while her brother George, who is in Eu-
rope, has been cabled Tor
1.-The Family Circle" Alexandra Bis
sons and Sydney Rosenfeld s new COM
edv. has made a hit at the American
Academy, Brooklyn, n. y. In addition
to the clever comedy, Miss Lottie Collins
appears and Loves Young Dream
serves as a curtain-raiser.
The Boston papers say that Miss Lulu
Klein as Mrs. Barkley in Miss Annie
Pixley's new play showed definite
ability, being the very essence OF trust
fuluPSS and OrivinO a few moments of