The record-union., 1892-03-26
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
Four Bad Plays Before New York
Audiences.

What the Ultra-Fashionables are SAT-
fsfied With-The Proposed Visit of
the United States Marine Band
Richard MansfeId-General Stage
Notes.
A. P. Dunlop, writing from New York
under date of March 18th, says
"tour new plays, ore of them by Eng
laho's poet laureate, is the burden OF my
tale this week. AS Mr.. DAILY will not
produce his lordship's comedy until
thursday | will have to carry the dainty
verse until then, but as the love Of Robin
Hood and Maid Marian is rather ancient
III Will keep. So far his lordship has been
rather weak in play writing and those
that remember his gloomy tragedies best
DO so with regret. Anything from his
pen, however, Is sure OF respectful atten-
ton, and Mr.. DAILY deserves praise for his
boIdness in paying for a play which, II
reports speak truly was written first for
Ellen Terry and then for Mary Ander-
son, but which neither had time to pro-
duce.
The Kendals began their last week at
Palmer's on Monday with Kate kava-
naugh,' somber play by Mrs. Oscar
BerInger, an actresS-manager, and Cio
Groves, both of London. 1t has been
tested both in st. Louis and Chicago.
1 he theme is uninterruptedly unpleasant
and the prologue offensive. Considerable
skill is, however, revealed III the con-
struction Of the improbable story, which
Is that of an English woman driven to
crime by unkind fate. In the prologue
she is the decoy Tor gambling hell, and
then she becomes the wife OF wealthy
and stately country Englishman. Later
Of ho loH and
about to divulge the story, when his
college 'fag' prevails upon him to keep
still. Mrs. Kendall was overweighed
with the part, and was artificial and often
STACY, but Mr.. Kendall did excellently
ana achieved almost a triumph. This is
supposed to be the last time The kendalS
viii be seen in New Y orK, and there are
plenty of people to be found who say they
are glad of it. Those who are not need
not worry. The kendals are sure enough
TO come back for more American dollars
as soon as they have invested the large
sums they have made here. In England
they do not draw one-tenth as well, and
their farewell is Of the usual theatrical
kind.
1.-The Lyceum Theater is in some re-
spects the queerest of all the New ork
theaters. 1t is out of the way. People
Talk OF it seldom and the artists employed
IN ii are, to a certain extent, out OF the
4 WlIl. SIll1 lis 1lGllG IL
narrow pair of stairs at that's nightly
filled with ultra fashionable audiences,
quite satisfied with the namby- pamby
things offered, and any play, no matter
what, is good enough for run. Merry
Gotham brought out there on Monday,
makes a slight change, however, in its
conservative management The French
original is that Paris Fin de Steele
which made somewhat OF stir two years
ago in France, ana which Miss Elizabeth
MarDury has adapted and rechriStened
Tor American use. 1t hasn't much plot
To speak OF and no situations or strong
scenes. The costumes and scenery are
regarded as the features; one scene is in a
cafe, another riverside restaurant and
tue last ballroom. Merry Gotham
possesses neither dramatic form nor
dramatic interest. 1t is a very curious
Thing altogether and too ephemeral and
fantastic tor thoughtful consideration.
still it viii do for its fashionable patrons
who are either in sackeloth and ashes for
Lent, or merrily celebrating MordecaPs
triumph over Ahasuerus by the aid Of
Queen Esther in their feast OF Purim.
Augustus Pitou has been clever
enough TO Withdraw his adaptation Of
'iArticle DBL which was not a good
play, and introduced his excellent com
pany on Monday III revised version of
Clyde Fitch's latest work, "A Modern
and unnatural. The principal figure is a
woman who is utterly destitute of all the
liner elements OF her sex, and the sur
rounding characters are merely puppets
without flesh, blood or. reasonableness.
The admirable performance of Miss Min
nie Seligman in the character Of the hero
Inc alone makes this feveriSh and dis
torted depletion of human nature worthy
OF comment. This admirable actress is
called upon to portray woman wholly
devoid OF the instinct of virtue and The
sense Of modesty. 1t is a character
founded upon, and even more shameless,
than the infamous LA in The Clemenceau
Case MIR. Pitou is sure of losing a pot
OF money during the run of his stock
company at the Union Square"
THE MARINE BAND.
The following correspondence will be
read with interest by those who hope to
have the pleasure of hearing the Marine
Band this summer:
The National League of Musicians. F."
now in session in New York, on the 18th
sent the following telegram to the Secre-
tary of the Navy:
$50 BerGamin Z. Tracy, Secretary of
the NdUy Of the United Suites The Ma
tional League of Musicians of the United
States, in convention assembled, repre-
senting profession of $4,000 members.
do hereby protest in most emphatic terms
against the granting of leave OF absence
TO the bandmaster and members of the
Marine Band for a concert tour of said
band through the United States, as being
not only detrimental to the civilian
musician, by encouraging SPECTATORS.
but also a bad precedent to the Govern
ment bands who might desire to emulate
the example by travelling under the man
agement of speculative contractors. and
unless this request is acceded to. the mu-
sirians of the United States, with their
friends and supporters. will make an
issue of the matter in question at the
coming fall election"
D. Blazely felt himself called upon to
reply To this telegram, which he did in
the following language:
40 tie National League Of l{ltaciq132
marlborough Hotel, Ne1c York-GEN
MEN: viii you pardon me for saying
r that | think you are misinforned regard
ing the proposed tour of the Marine Band.
which inspired your telegram of yester-
day to the Secretary OF the Navy. In 10
respect does this tour bring the Marine
Band into competition with any other
band or any other musicians. 1t is
undertaken in response 10 many letters
and petitions of prominent citizens
throughout the country addressed to the
Secretary OF the Navy, requesting that
the people might have such an oppor-
tunity as short tour would afford to
listen to the music of the Government
band. The tour extends from Washing
ton to California, consists almost wholly
of single stands. and The time is so short
within which the tour is undertaken.
that there will be the Unprecedented
average of 200 miles of travel per day.
There is no engagement with expositions
or other like organizations, and there is
no chance OF competition of any kind
with any other bapdS