The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-06
NEW YORK'S Dbl PLAY
"Hannelle," a Tragedy That Is
Exciting Much Discussion.
A Morbid, Yet Poetic Affair-Two New
Vaudeville Performers-The Profess
sional Women's Leagues Work.
10 tha Tndiananolis .Tournaf.

OF the town. in a theatrical sense, this week
Is "Hannele." which was produced after a
large ami varied lot of obstacles at the
Fffth-avenre Theater on Monday night.
Unless the work OF elimination has been
wholesale in the transfer from the German
70 the English language there really does
not seem to be much of anything about it
to make such a fuss over. 1t is, however,
quite probable that the manuscript was cut
all to pieces in making IL ready for Ameri-
can digestion. The curtain did not ring
up until a quarter to ., and at five minutes
before 10 the audience was filing out of the
theater. Naturally it would have TO be a
pretty strong play that could draw money
and last only an hour and ten minutes.
"Hannele' Is an odd thing, but it is not
odd enough to prove a financial success of
any great proportions. There is nothing
sacrllegious or revolving about it, and be-
yond the atmosphere Of extreme squalor
that pervades the play there is nothing
that is even unpleasant Hannele is a poor
and frail little child OF q drunken and bru-
tai father. who has beaten her and driven
her from the house. She has tried to COM
NIT suicide by drowning herself, but Is
rescued by the schcolmaster, whom she
loves and reveres for all he has taught her.
When he brings the half drowned child TO
the almshouse she becomes delirious, and
In her delirium the various personages and
scenes OF the play rise up before her imagi-
nation. First the father appears and
terrorizes the little waif. Then the spirit
OF her dead mother comes to communicate
with her. and after that three angels clad
In white come in upon the scene to bear
her off with them. Upon this the first part
OF the play ends.
IN the second, death approaches the
child, and then, as the long line of mourn
ers surrounds her couch, she Is clothed by
angels in beautiful robes and is laid out
IN a crystal casket. The schoolmaster
enters, dressed in black, and the brutal
father comes on, to meet with the re-
proaches OF the neighbours for having prac-
tically murdered his child. He is so wrought
upon by the scene, that he rushes off to
hang himself. and then the schoolmaster
takes on white robes, and lifting up little
Hannele, bids her go with him. The scene
opens showing a stairway leading up to the
open gates Of heaven, and hand in hand,
Hannele and her protector ascend, the
angels singing as they go. The stage is
darkened, and we return to the couch
where Hennele has first been shown to us.
The physician, standing by the bedside
tells US she is dead, and the curtain falls.
1t is a strange and wterd sort of play, and
II awakened almost no end Of discussion.
Some people insist that ii is immoral, while
others ~ferYsntly declare that It teaches a
great pious lesson. Personally, 1 do cot think
either description applies to it particular
~. 1t is. to my belief. simply a morbid,
though somewhat poetic play that serves
no particular purpose. but will do no par
ticular harm. Four or five people left the
theater on Tuesday evening, during the
progress or the performance. But the vast
majority remained. -applauded with great
and called everybody before the
curtain at the end.
Among the vaudeville players two female
stars giving widely differing performances,
nave set the town talking. One of these is
Nesta I1lley, a little English woman whose
work on the stage is described as descrip-
tive singing, and who has made the taIlest
Kind OF a hit at Tony Pastors. She is
choek fuIl OF ginger and life, and she car
Ties her audience along with her at a break
neck pace of jOllity. Up at Roster e Biaps
there is a wire walker who is billed as the
Beautiful ~Jessica, and who certainly justifes
the term She Is about the lOveliest thing
10 look at that has lately been seen in this
metropolis, and the dudes and Johnnies are
DAFT about her. The act she does on the
slack wire - very fine. Roster Il Bal. by
the way, have postponed their production
Oh living pictures until next week. They
nays been making elaborate and careful
preparations, and something extraordinary
Is looked for.
Willie" the new comedy by Charles
Klein. in which Charles p. Dickson is pIay-
ing at the BijOu Opera House, has turned
out TO be not a money maker, and will.
therefore, come off at the end of this week.
"lncog' next season. Willie will be sue
ceeded next Monday night by a piece which
has been renamed "Charley's Uncle" with
the obvious idea of initiating the successful
"Charley's Aunt" This latest piece was
originally played in London under the title
-Ine Noble Art" 1t was by no means a
EEF1 EIamnEE Il -
Charles Mendum. who was the manager
OF Airs. Langtry during several of that
ladys most successful tours of the United
states Is seing to revive the old Callen-
ders Georgia MinstreIs, and ultimately
take them to Europe. where they made a
great furOre on n former visit. Mr. Men
dunn some years ago retired from the theat-
r1cal business and bought for himself \
big farm near Boston That kind of life.
q man or his energetic disposition, and he
nnaIy gave up the attempt to content
Mr. Henri - Abbey has a q r ISiih in Sickle
Tor the theatrical ticket Spectator and
those managers of New York theaters who
stand in with them. He has suggested 70
Mayor Gilroy the adoption of a city or
ulnance: making II a misdemeanor for any
sidewalk SPECTATOR to ply his trade within
one hundred feet of the entrance TO any
theater without having in his possession
the written consent OF the manager. If this
law Is passed IL will have the effect OF
making the managers go on record beyond
the possibility of lodging the issue. AT the
maj night or the opera in this city street
specuiato-S exacted as high as $50 apiece
for seats. h imposition was a little
more than Mr.. Abbey could stand with
anything like equaninity, particularly as
many C~nthinking people voiced the impress
sion that he authorized the speculation.
The Professional WOman'S League Is con-
templating a line OF action that NAV make
things uncomfortable for those theatrical
managers who neglect 20 pay their sala-
ries- They are getting up a fund to be de-
voted TO securing the services or lawyers
10 prosecute the cases OF members of the
league who are cheated out of their wages.
The women who have organized this leaeue
have done a heap OF good during their COM
paratively short period Of existence. and
but for their timely aid many an unfortu-
nate actress would have come mighty near
70 starvation in the hard winter that has
just passed
Charles r. Evans will undertake to make
q comedy theater OF the New Park. which
he has leased for a term OF four yea rs
duration and the name of which he has
changed 10 the Herald Square Theater. He
Is going 10 expend $4,000 In remodeiing and
peautifylng the house and putting M y new
'front.' on Broadway II Mr.. Evans succeeds
IA getting exclusive control Of a certain
play. which he is after he Will put il on ar
the beginning OF next season for an indef-
mite run. The formal dissolution OF partner
snip between himself and 'OId HosS" Hoev
occurred last Saturday night in a Harlem
tneater- There were great dOings. At the
enc OF the play they did not ring the err
tam down ar all, and both OF the stars had