The sun., 1893-02-05
NEWS OF THE THEATRES.


Days" by William Gillette. and Lady Win
derm ere's Fan" By Oscar Wilde. Several post
ponements Of the Gillette work Mt the Broad
way have made clear the extent OF the prep
arations for what. We may safely expect vii
bo q very large spectacular show as well as q
drama Mr. Gillette wrote the FIRST successful
war play. Held by the Enemy" and fortune
as we'll as fame rewarded him. He has shown
his skill also In several ada p. stations OF for
eign comic pieces. In the present case he
has employed his pen in an attempt to
combine dramatic interest with pictorial Illus
tration. He provides both the brain and the
money for this enterprise. and tho Indications
are that he has expended them freely In de-
yising and carrying out stage sights that will
make us open our eyes. Tho play sets forth
the adventures OF q baseball enthusiast and a
venturesome girl. Americans who 60 abroad
and encounter novel experiences in several
lands. There arc forty speaking characters.
including important parts assigned to Byron
Douglas Agnes Miller. Il. ]. Dunstan. Fred
Sidney, and Kate Denim Wilson. The roll OF
persons employed In Ninety Days" In one
way or another. numbers over two hundred.
and includes u large ballet.
The first New York representation OF Lady
windermere's Fam signaliaes the return OF
A. NJ ralmcr's long absent company. or Oscar
WilJe's play. with its biting satire OF London
eSe.
already through accounts OF its London sue
cess. The Palmer actors have had two weeks
OF undoubted acceptance with 1t In Boston,
and. therefore. come to us thoroughly pre.
parod to do credit to themselves and the COM
edy. How the 4, everly and carefully eccentric
posing as II social irsthete. encount.ring ridi-
ali that was over he turned upon the English
aristocrnts with this comedy. in which
their fUibles and immoralitieS are mer.
CilpsSly attacked, matters Ot recent
rs sS Ssks S wN,d It notess s9uHS aaa sud
tors alert to its meanings. That there VIII TO
people on both sides s Of the ioptiights at
The company. as It will be e,mployed tom
row nisn nsIudcs hdwHrd sxii. e MaI5co
Juln Arthur. Mrs. d. 7. Bowers. Marie Hen
Seward. Miss Annurhart. May Brooklyn. and
Zenuide Nisaire.
The return Of A. VI. Palmer's players to his
theatre com mpletes the quartet Of stock COM
panies at homo. 1t Is fair prediction that
LADY windermere's Fan" will last long
time at Palmer's. Days company will be em-
ployed to tho end OF the season in weekly or
Sein: NH "rhe '' tanning ',d Of ' tho shrsw." next
Tuescay night. with Ada lschan in what may
BE- II e neS, tn", the
lyceum is not sure Of having anything else to
do this season than rcpetitions or Americans
delicacy. and potency not easy to excel in the
playinG OF lightly humorous and sentimental
duced ii In Paris next September under the title
OF Les kiches:" tho name WHICH sardou
company and its permanent quarters, the
Empire. ar. receiving an amount OF fashion.
regard OF our most discriminating people foc
stock organizations OF SUITABLY line char
n, Sh a
Broauway and fortieth street are blocked with
carriages. every night. and the audiences are
snsed IS :fht fho Gr Left Beh,n H Mes Eve %o
which may De properly regarded as a stock
COMPANY. since It IL to remain with US almost
Comednns during its three years Of existence.
beGinn!nE with it's season with Nj Wilkin-
on its way across the continent from San Fran
cisco. an! IN VII M appear At the Standar'l a week
will ensue ut the Stuadard to the end OF tho
season, 1t was planned to divide the time ut
now occupying that theatre. but possession
seems to 10 more than nine points In the case
man mas acquired tne stage OF tho Garden Tor
the ilrst i'uit q next season un to the begin,
the Empire will be lott to the company now
term ut the Standard. VIII go to the Garden.
1t is commonly said OF m actor that lie ''cre.
Ates " the character which he impersonates in
the first production of a play. That is to say.
the credit Of creating is accorded to the inter-
prster OF the role. and no. to the author who
wrote H. Bronson Howard. in speech on the
opening night OF "Aristocracy." took occasion
TO praise the players Of his piece. and in doin.
30 ne said that he had left the parts to them.
to do with about as they chose. That seemed
singular assert ion ior an author OF Mr. How
fh la al
asked him ABOUT it. " can only say further"
Mr.. Howard replied. 'tnat expect an actor to
Its histrio:ic sense That Is his profession. do
not WISH an actor IN one OF my plays who can
not do It, and l Interfere with his artistic
creation only to be sure thar it is correct
and bears its proper relation to tho remainder
aud explain what mean with great care. but
the hlstrionic creation Is none the less his ut
the end on this account
1t seemed worth wnile to get the views OF |
some Other playwrlghts. and the reporter |
chose for that purpose three Americans VINO
he,asco William Gillette. and Augustus
Thomas. He picked out thos" three ior the
additional reason that they .wero acors before |
they became authors. AR. Be!asco WAS on tho |
stage AS player in california. ut first during |
lie uegan to wlite plays: but his pen T has e been
50 prosperous as to leave no time. IL he had |
mo incination. to do any acting. My an
swcf 10 your question as TO what liberty / am |
DISPOSED toallow to actors in the delincnton OF
characters in my plays" he said. is very simple:
tndeavor to preserve uniformity and consis-
trncy in the Individuality OF each parsonage. |
leave morning to chance. but shape and 1T |
my material 10 form as nearly rs possible u |
@ true ana perfect rdlllce. not a mere anshacke
CONGO OF various sizes and shapes. deny |
h' rlght ot any exponent OF my ideas. Tor |
which alone AN responsible TO the public. to
insert anything OF ms own without urst sub |
mlttinG IT to my judgment. An actor usually |
Gsees ms own role through macniIyin: glasses. |
ANA Is. therefore. incapable u Justly balancing
the various PARTS oi the structure SO AS to prs-
serve an harmonious whole; aud. il permitted
would MAKE II play mere mUnologue with
supporthg hints IRON the otner characters
NcverthecSs. 1 am always anxious to receive
advice. OF listen to the experience OF Othurs
and II l lind tnoy harmuniZe with my own de-
sign gratefully accept them. \ play is not a
crazy quilt. Gomposed OF shrcds and tclies.
but u well.digestcd. carefully conceived and
thoroughly worked out plan, in which each
part. while Individual in itseli. must bring out
the salient points OF the drama. Like ali good
work. 1t must he the result of thought, imagi.
nation. experience. and hard labor. We're an
architect. n musical com poser. or II painter to
accept every chance opinion or suggestion his
work would ho u hod.epodge not n we'll do
yeloped composition. And: therefore. while
thankful for hints to be worked out. prefer t.
keep that working out in my own hands"