The herald., 1893-09-03


last Thursday night.
He surprised even his warm admirers
by his success, it is true, and l was glad
to be able conscientiously to write a
note OF the performance which exten'
sively mentioned most of its excellencies
and epitomized its faults in the remark
that it was Hamlet that could be inn
proved.
He played in manner that compared
favorably with the great ones who have
become famous in the part, but to say
that he equalled any of them is to be
unkindly kind. By hard study, and
with a competent company and proper
scenic and property paraphernaEa, Mr..
Mantell will undoubtedly III time make
his record as a great Hamlet. He is
satisfactory, surprisingly so now, but he
is wise enough to be sure OF himself be-
fore he bids farewell to cheap and profit
able melodrama.
| learned authoritatively that next
season he intends to feature both HAM
let and Othello. and contine himself to
these and the more classical melo-
dramas, euch as the Corsican Brothers,
Monbars and Parrhasius.
ga
And Mre. John Drew is to head an
old comedy company, which will be
here next week. 1t is a peculiar coinci-
dsnce that George Drew Barry more, her
daughter, died on this coast but short
time ago, and almost Immediately alter
wards her son-in-law, Maurice Barry
more played here, and now she comes.
All three have appeared in California at
III fTavant tfmaa hut naver rl0ea IN
gether.
Henry Irving and Ellen Terry are not
to be in Los Angeles, which is their
loss. Their management would have
had them come if they had been given
q surety of $4,000 performance, which
would have necessitated a charge of So
q seat. Mr.. Irving seems to have for
gotten that Mr.. Henry Dixey played
him here. What more does he think
we want?
Robert Mantell played week before
last in San Diego, and Madame Helena
Modjeska was an occupant, with her
husband, the Count Bozenta, of box
at each performance. In 1878, or about
that time. Mr.. Mantell had been
member of Madame Modjeska's COM
Between the acts the Madame and the
count visited Mr.. Mantell in his dress
ing room, where "reminiscences of the
past were recalled which elected shouts
of laughter from the party. Said the
Madame, "MiesIer Msnteel, do you re-
member Petou p Whereupon very
amusing incident was recalled. When
in this city one evening Mr.. Mantell
was in reminiscent mood and told to
HUPAI n Yapraeautat tive ANNA fI1npv
periences he had while member of
Modjeska's company, Saip he, "In
1873, while playing in England, was 80
fortunate as to attract the attention of q
gentleman who was engaging people for
Madame Modjeska's company, prepara-
tory to tour in America. l was en-
gagged for 'responsibles.' Under studying
leads +"
"We opened in Albany, N. Y, and
the first part given me was Tybalt, in
Romeo and Juliet Tybalt being vii
lain, it had become recognized as the
proper costume for him to dress in col
ors in which crimson prevailed-red
tights, crimson coat and hat. fierce black
mustachios and goatee, etc., etc.,-a
sort of Mephistopheles makeup.
II made departure, and made him
him up in dress l had especially de-
the most delicate blue, with a salmon
coored cloak, and blonde wig that was
dream OF beauty, and would have set
q damsel who longed for sunny locks
crazy with envy.
I'm this makeup | came down to the
green room, where in those days the
whole company were won't to assemble
and try the effect of the colors in their
costumes. AS / entered, Madame
Modjeska threw up her hands and ex-
claimed in that charming Polish-aceent-
ed English that has been accepted as
one of the charms of this talented wom-
ans genius: "Who ees dees? Why it
ees Miester Manteel 1t ees Ty ybalt !
And he ees keeled in the second act. OF
course Tybalt must be keeled, but it will
nevaire do to keel Mr.. Manteel. He ees
stunnaire. Look at heem! lent he
stunnaire %
''Tell us the story that seems 30 anus
ing to Madame Modjeska when she asked
you if you remembered Pitou," said
George Headelman.
"Ah," eaid Mr.. Mantell, "that was
very amusing experience. "Pitou is a
small character part in Frou-Frou. l
was cast for the part. Pitou is supposed
to be stage manager, and it is his busi-
ness to teach the other players how to
properly play their part. In one scene
1t is Pitou's business to instruct Frou-
Frou how to sing song. In doing this
he goes to the piano and sings the song
accompanying himself upon the instru.
ment. Now / can sing little, but l
know absolutely nothing of the art of
performing upon the piano. This was
one of the cases that you are constantly
meeting if you are an actor, where you
must become what you are not, and in
doing this in our profession, many in
genious methods commonly known as
fakes are resorted to.
ITO enable me to strike the chords
upon the piano with which to accom-
pany myself in the song, the leader OF
the orchestra would fix the keys of the
piano by pasting bits of colored paper
upon the keys; for instance, red for the
first chord, blue for the second, white
for the third, etc. l was enabled by
close attention to the marks upon the
keys to play the proper chords to &C.
company the cong.
Zone night, either the leader, or some
wag in the company moved the bits of
paper. When the time came for me to
seat myself at the piano and give Frou-