The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-28
MONARCHS AT THE PLAY.
Some Who Are Fond Of Theatrical
Entertainments
Queen Victoria Has Private Performances
at Windsor and Emperor William
Likes to Act as Dra-
matte Critic.

Nothing is more remarkable than
the pronounced fondness OF the
crowned heads Of Europe for the
drama. Even Queen Victoria, who
from the death of the prince consort up
to a year or two ago was believed to
regard theatergoing in the light of a
sin and the drama as a device of the
devil, has now blossomed forth into an
enthusiastic patron of the stage. In
deed, in proportion as her British
majesty grows older in years she APP
pears to become more youthful in her
tastes, and there are few things more
strange than the extraordinary inter
est which this septuagenarian sover-
eign has suddenly and at so late a
period in life developed for theatrical
affairs.
One of the London companies after
another has been called upon to trans
port itself bag and baggage to Wind
sor for the purpose of giving perform
ances in the presence of the queen and
her court on temporary but yet elab-
crate stage erected for the occasion in
the superb hall known as the Waterloo
gallery. The queen, according to the
New York World, has even gone so far
as to order one of the metropolitan
troops up to Balmoral at an enormous
expense for single performance.
In the early days of her married life
the queen was quite familiar figure at
the various leading thcaters and was
especially fond of the opera, which she
would attend with considerable
amount of state, yeomen of the guard,
or beef eaters" arrayed in their pic
turesque medieval costume, being sta
toned not only at the entrance of the
royal box, but also on the stage in
front of the latter. The lords and gen.
tlemen in waiting in attendance on
the queen and her husband on such oc-
casions as these were arrayed in uni
form and were required to remain
standing in the rear of the royal box
throughout the entire performance.
The queen witnesses these perform
ances with every possible comfort
to herself. She usually enters the
hall where the stage has been set
up after all the others have taken
their places and sits in a comfor ia
BILE crimson velvet and gilt armchair
slightly in advance Of the remainder of
the audience, with a small ia BILE by her
side, on which are placed her pink satin
and gold lettered programme, her fan,
her handkerchief, etc. The orchestra
is almost concealed by bank of flow
ers and foliage. Flowers indeed
abound everywhere. No applause is
permitted save when initiated and led
by the queen, who is, however, very
liberal in her manifestations of appreci-
alton, as well as generous in her gifts
of jewelry to the artists who have
especially pleased her.
Queen Victoria is the only European
sovereign now living except the sultan
of Turkey who adopts this method of
having the theater brought to her at
comparatively large expense instead Of
going to it. The Turkish monarch
household an entire troupe of French
and Belgian actors, whose principal
duty is to perform the farces and
dramas composed by the sultan. He
does not write them himself, it is true,
but contents himself with commitment
ing his ideas Of the projected piece and
the character of the plot-if there is
one-to the chief of the troupe, who
thereupon writes the play in accord
ance with his imperial masters instruc-
tions. 1t is on the strength of this that
the present commander of the faith
full lays claim to be considered as
quite a remarka BILE playwright
Emperor William, of Germany, on
the other hand, who is quite as pas
sionately fond of the drama as his fell
low monarchs, is a frequent visitor to
the various theaters of his capital
The manager usually only receives no.
tice of his coming a few hours before
hand The emperor is very demonstra-
tive in his manifestations of applause,
as well as of dissatisfaction, and makes
practice of summoning the actors to
the royal box between the acts for the
purpose of communicating to them
his criticism of the performance and
his instructions as to how they should
act their parts. Another feature of
Emperor Williams visits to the theater
is the supper which he invaria bly, par
takes of during the wait previous to
the last act
The emperor of Austria is likewise a
constant attendant at the Niennese
thesters and rarely makes use of the
royal box, preferring in lieu thereof
one of the lower stage boxes. King
Humbert of Italy is seldom seen at the
theaters; his wife. Queen Marguerite.
attends dramatic performances at least
two or three times a week during the
Roman season. The car is exceeding
" fond OF French vaudevilles He, too,
prefers going to the theater instead Of
having the latter brought to him in the
shape of dramatic performances at the
palace.
A Squirrel Ratter.
A young man living in the outskirts
Of Portland caught 4 squirrel recently
and started in to tame it, and he had