The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-13
NYM CRINKLES LETTER
New York People Amuse Them.
selves in Public Places.
DANCES AND DOGS VS.. DIyAS.
Loio Fulicr's scrpentinc swiris Set
Broadway In fintter. While inc
Canine Convention Eiated the Liite'
Operate Impresarios and Artists All
ufnsafisfed.


demonstration took place at the ,''si"o Wv
other night, where they have oeen pi"I
ing foolish vaudeville, Uncle 'eieS,i".
This jinglng farce had been pauue 1, o y,
by such specially features as coulu "
snapped up at the moment anu alnons
them was Ioie Fuller, young "oinan
who began her career with opera an" ~"
rnr,ds n mn with skirt dance. she was
engaged TO come in somewhere az 'he gag
of the vaudeville and CITRATE IN new form
of posturing called a serpentine dance.
The MANAGEMENT thought Uncle Ce'
lestin" had caught the popular fancy, for
the about town contingent was out IN
force But one night Loie Fuller rushed
I'm TO the management and announced that
her head was swelling. she was sure OF
r. and could not possibly go on unless
they raised her salary from $50 a week
10 $50. The Casino managers requested
time 10 hunt up a new partner with
fresh capital. but Miss Fuller would hot
compromise. and did not appear that
night. Then occurred the scene. When
the audience found out that there was TO
be no skirt dance it demanded its money
back. 1t hooted, yelled and swore, and
gave the upper Broadway cheer; "Whoop,
siss, bang-Fullerl L-OI-E."
So il turns out that the skirt dance kept
"Uncle Celestin" alive, and the upper
Broadway public may be said to have
served notice that If Fuller is not replaced
it will not tolerate the rest of the fun or
appreciate the music.
Our swell friend, Mr. Richard Mansfield,
who never travels without reporter and
q new play in his reportory, has come TO
town with a version of Warren's "Ten
Thousand Year" in which he plays the
part of Titmouse. Why he should have
done this only those voluminous common
tators who are deep in his internal con-
seriousness can tell. The play is not good
one in any possible aspect, and Mr.. Mans
field had to make an apology for it on the
first night
Miss Emma Sheridan, who is said to
have prepared this ragout Of the novel, is
a member of Mr.. ManSfield's company, and
has shown literary facility in newspaper
work Her father is the well known Gen
eral George Sheridan, orator and lecturer,
and year or two ago christened DE
fender of the Faith" for his able reply TO
Colonel Bob Ingcrsoll. But Miss Sheri-
dams success in literature was little too
sudden to last. These girls who 60 up like
q rocket are not apt TO come down like
Mercury, hewitt upon heaven kissing
hill. At all events in this play she was
hanpered by Mr.. Mansfeld's tape line. |
] don't think she was trying TO write
good play so much as q good vehicle. The
problem, as usual, was how to manipulate
literature so as to get Mr.. Mansfield on all
the time. In solving the problem, how
ever, both literature and Mansfield have
suffered, for whenever Mansfield is on the
literature is off, aud when the literature is
on Mr.. Mansfield is off-way off.
say this with well preserved respect
for Mr.. Mansfeld's abilities-which Of
late have needed exercise. The public go
to his first nights expectantly, and some
times do not go again. because Mr.. Mans
fields material was not worthy of him
This is especially the case in 'Tcn Thou
sand Year" Titmouse is sufficiently
indicated by the name, and for this kind
of grotesque frivolity Mr. Mansfield has
not the airy and pervasive humor Mr.
John Sleeper Clarke would have lifted 1t
with inimitable righteousness TO Hogar-
THAN type. Mr.. Crane would have wal
lowed in it joyously, and everybody would
have been drunken with his low Gomez
spirits. Mr.. Mansfield builds it sire
ously like lay figure and you are in so
doubt when he gets through whether he
OF his dresser deserves the most credit.
/ am sorry 10 see an actor of sterling
worth depend upon makeup plays, and |
am amused TO observe that the voluminous
commentators of Mr. Mansfield call this "a
play Of character.
should like to hear Titmouse's charac
ter scheduled. The fact is Titmouse is a
characterless person. and it was as a mega
ton that he was put forward in the book.
Does Mr.. Mansfield suppose that particu-
Iarity in dress consummate mannerisms and
facile trickery of department constitute
character9
Undoubtedly not, but some of his over,
jealous critics do.
simultaneously with this play there was
produced at the Bijou three act farce
called "Incog" which is from the pen OF
woman, and which exhibited the very
merits which "Ten Thousand Year"
lacked. Mrs. Pacheco constructed gen
uine intrigue, tied everything up in knot
and then like a magician Strengthened 1t
all out. should advise Miss Sheridan 10
study Nine. Pacheco's method.
'Incog" is one of the most hilarious alb
surdities ever saw. but it is the absurdity
OF situation Before the play was over no
body could tell who was who, until the
arthoress Gained the laughter and
smoothed out matters. This was frank
advertisement, and not Juggling with
clothes to simulate character.
Mr.. Mansfield is an actor who needs a
worthy play. The trouble with him is that
he goes TO the wrong sources, and then
handcaps his constructive agent with fool
ish Mansfield conditions. This is Harry
Lacyism, which always remarks when a
new actor is announced, Il wonder where
he got his horses."
The dog show at the Madison Square
garden was this year of unusual proper
tions and interest No one who did not
see the string of private vehicles at the
entrances and the crowds of richly dressed
visitors can form an idea of the popular
character of this exhibition. Even the
horse show, which is always as swell an
affair as the Patriarchs' ball. has never ap-
pealed TO the fashionable class as did this
canine convention.
The attendance was largely made up Of
wonderland not horsey women, either.
They never tired of going around the cir.
Gle of kennels and distributing their adj
miration unfortunately. What may be
called the dog sentiment has grown TO
enormous proportions under the fostering
care Of the Westminster Kennel club.