The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-04-01
M1HE 'PROMPTS|D[. ("
The Craze for Novel Stage Dancing AMI
What Il Has Come To.
Two LEGS PER WOMAN NOYENOUGH
May Robson's Strange Patent-Edwin
Booth May Return to the stage-An
Attack on Hoyrs Plays General Cos
Sip Of the Stage Folks Everywhere.


spicuous part In affairs theatrical since
the day when Lydia Thompson Of re-
vered memory set New York pulsating
with a new sensation and afforded the
pulpit chance to advertise gratis
an entertainment which quickly ac-
quired popularity that set at defiance
all that the ultra-moral could devise.
The sensation died out before long, as
ali sensations do, and OF late years the
display OF the human figure diapn-
onously veiled In tights has become
matter OF such common occurrence
that The theat re-going public never gives
the matter "a thought There are those,
IL Is true, who would not attenl per-
formance Of the g Black Crook" for
there fingers in their minds a recollec-
tion that this, the first of the spectacular
productions partially, IL not mainly, de-
pendent FOR their success upon the dis
play of anatomy, was years ago hailed as
beyond the pale of respectabilty. But
+. these same people, or many OF them. wit
ness without hesitation such productions
AS "Around the World in Eighty Days"
"Jalma," "Adonis," the many ex-
trava2anzas Of the American Extrava-
comic operas They see the same wall
paper costumes, but the vehicle for
their presentation bears another caption
than BLACK Crook" aud it is all right.
-.
1t is some years since the pulpit trou-
bled itself 10 declaim against this order
of entertainment, and has devoted itself
10 the annibilatton OF the poster, litho-
graph representations of the aforesaid
corps dc ballet, leaving the originals to
care for themselves On the theory.
doubtless, and a good one, perhaps, that
no one is forced TO attend "A performance
of this description while the bill-boards
and window hangers" stare you in the
face whether or no. The anti-poster
crusade has helped this order OF show
somewhat, but not much. Managers
have found that without the condiment
OF forbidden fruit this class OF entertain
ment has, in a great measure, lost its
SAVIOR. The result has been that minds
managerial and minds saltatorlal have
been constantly busted In inventing new
sensations. The results of this laudable
effort have incl uded the cloudy skirt
oance. the calcium-lit serpentine, and
" hat not
But these did not suffice. Something
more more attractive snM;.n py & reason OF novelty
Was baffied; IL seemed after the suppress
sion Of The Clemenceau Case" +" aud its
iailure TO receive public approval, that
the limit had been reached. rhen arose
a new genius It was .Iay Robson. Miss
Robson IN "A talented member OF the
forces controlled by Manager Frohman OF
New YORK. Sne is not only a clever char
acter actress but has won fame as a
lainter, as designer o. souvenirs aud
as the organizer OF the Twelfth Night
club. Here was woman of genius to
whom might we'll be ascribed the ability
TO create a new sensation. and she did it.
a..
With a mathematical trend OF mind
she decided that IL dancing woman
with two legs would draw a house a
thfaA WOnlH
cent, more To the box Office receipts. So |
she had mechanical limb constructed |
and fourished il before jaded public |
for the first time at the Fark theatre,
Philadelphia, this week. With this |
artificial limb, il we are to believe the |
reports. she does some astonishin things. |
such putting her toe behind her ear |
and otherwise dislocating herself. Thea
after 1t Is all over she raises laugh by |
displaying her feet by birth and show
ing now she fooled her audience which
likes To be humbugged as we'll as it ever
did in the days of Barnum. Her idea
made bit apd rival managers are hun
cry for it. But she has protected her
tertiary appendage and proposes to fight
Tor it, IL rests with the courts whether
we shall be afflicted with an nundation
Of three-legged dancing wonders May
they take pity on US.
-.
The telegraph wire is respon sible for
the following story of James Whit comb
Riley, the poet, humorst and lecturer.
lie registered at the Mt. Vernon hotel in
Baltimore and asked for "A good room.
Front ~ shouted the clerk. A diminu-
live darky, afflicted with strabismus, re-
sponded: SHOW Mr.. Riley to room 13."
"WhatP' almost yelled the poet, "a
cross-eyed coon show me- to room 1877
Not much. / must have another boy and
another room" The clerk tried TO ex-
PLAN that 13 was the best In the house,
but Mr. Riley was fem. He was shown
up to No 32 by another boy. A tn eatrl-
cal friend OF mine had a similar ex peri
ence. He resisted the attempt to corral
him in the unlucky No. l3 and was sho vn
10 another room. "rhe landlord diel In
this room night before last" said the bell
boy. Take me back TO No. 49," said my
friend.
The average quart I is about the most
wooden aggregation OF humanity that /
know of. The quartet in "Blue Jeans"
Is no exception. They represent work
men in mill in one scene. and cheer and
reply in concert To certain remarks made
TO them. They do it as If they were four
puppe' S, with the rrompter in the wings
pulling the string.
We came pretty near having the |
Theatre OF Arts and Letters company
with us this week, but Boston held out
such strong Inducements that the season
at the Hollis Street theatre was pro- |
lJnged. "Blue Jeans" was sent here i'm.
stead at the expense of the New York |
literary-dramatic enterprise. But we
may see the Theatre of Arts and Letters
productions later.
-.
"If you see IL in the Sun it's So"
Then we must disdain the evidence of
our senses and declare that Keith's opera
house in this city gives "alI-day variety
performances.
-.
Stuart Robson went directly from
Providence To Washington where he ad
the honor OF appearing In Married
Life" before a distinguished audience
which included Mrs. Cleveland and sew
eral members Of tue ctbinet
-.
IL will delight ali lovers of fine dra-
matte art TO learn that Edwin Booth is
an a. mol ffs.p cal H.. l.. l..