The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-25
THE NEW YORK STAGE
Interesting Gossip About Players
and Plays in the East.
MOdjeska in New Play at the Grand
This Week-At the Other
Houses.

ent generation OF playgoers, to-wit, that
the constant cry of degeneracy against the
theater of to-day is not warranted by the
chronicles Of the past Twenty players of
our time might be named who are doing
more for the purity and elevation of dra-
matte art than the earlier actors ever
tried to do since the days of Shakespeare
himself. The present writer remembers
meeting. several years ago. Lawrence Bar
rett and General Sherman in Mr.. Robson's
dressing room in a Washington theater az
time when the comedian was giving a
rather unpretentious performance Of THE
Comedy of Errors" The General remarked
that the audience seemed charmed with
the play, and were particularly lavish in
their applause. Robson replied:
"You should have been in front last
night General; they were as cold as icicles.
We had plenty Of big wigs but great
people have a peculiar knack sometimes
OF showing their appreciation of great
things. The wittiest lines of the divine mas
ter received very little attention, but in
the second act, when the little negro boy,
about ten years old. appeared as page.
his funny black face wreathed in smiles.
grave Senators leaped to their feet and
fairly shouted with laughter. Shakespeare
was forgotten. and pair OF Supreme Court
judges assisted the cheering audience in
bringing the little fellow in front of the
curtain"
THAT reminds me-" said Lawrence Bar
rett, "of what Miss Ellen Terry told me
OF the first time she played in Romeo
and Juliet" She met the Earl of Beacons-
field after the performance and asked him
how he liked her Juliet. He replied that
he was sure she was very good. but
he thought the best thing in the play was
where that old druggist sold the poison to
Romeo"
II can ring down the curtain on some
thing quite as strong as that" said Mr..
Robson. 81 remember meeting at dinner
given me in Boston a prominent minister
a mild-mannered, kindly divine Of the old
school. 1 was the first actor he had ever
met. and had quite a little talk. When
was about to leave he patted me on the
back and said: My dear friend, you are
nearing my age. You appear TO be good
man and a clever one, but how sad it is
to think that you have wasted all these
years as circus rider. didn't correct
the stage was little mixed, and he re-
garded the whole show business in the
light OF a circus performance"
''But hasn't a decided change come over
the people of late in regard to the dignity
Of the actors calling?" queried General
Decidedly" answered the comedian.
1.-The church has no longer the power to
brand the theater as the hOtbed of iniquity,
and the voice of the chattering idiot who
proclaimed that Shakespeare spelled ruin is
hushed forever. The great fortunes of the
stage are In the pockets of the players of
the legitimate drama Lotta is, of course,
an exception to this rule, and there are
doubtless some others, but they are born
actors of extraordinary ability and I'M
bounded popularity.
With an agreeable recollection OF this in
ance with Mr.. Robson at Abbey's Theater
a few nights ago after the fall of the cur
tain on '%rhe Comedy OF Errors" and in the
course of pleasant conversation asked
him why he had spent such a lot of money
play which drew we'll when he had
presented IL in a more modest FORM The
comedian replied, NO successful actor has
a right to die until he has done, something
good for his art, and when 1 commenced
management some seventeen years ago L
determined that as soon as , my purse per-
Errors with a competent cast, regardless
Of cost, and in a manner as near perfec-
allow. The result of that determination is
seen in this production" When [ left the
room smilingly recalled Bill NyeS opinion
OF this most charming man. These are his
words: Robson is the carnation and in
carration OF comedy, and yet he is a bust
ness man his genius mas not Slapped his
sagacity. When he tells of the juicy past.
and bites his forefngers, and lights his
eighty-first cigar, and spits on the prayer
rug in his room, he grows in my affections
like Peri. Did you ever become real :nti-
mate with Peri? People who know about
II say the Peri is hard to beat"
CLOSED ON HOLY WEEK.
There are two important New York thea
ters which are closed for the entire week.
One of them is conducted by T. Henry
French. who is not supposed to be
actly a religious man, while the other is
actively managed by Mr.. George w. Led
erer. who is an Israelite and who, there
fore may be expected TO view the rfgors of
Holy week more from a commercial than
sentimental standpoint Palmers and
Daiiey's theaters will both be closed on
Good Friday night, in accordance with a
custom long established in those two houses.
The town, meanwhile, is full of the mem
bers Of travelling companies laying of''
this week. and, all told, it appears to be a
rather well established fact that there is
a growing dread of poor business among
theatrical managers for this particular
week Of the dramatic year. The custom of
closing up on Good Friday night was first
established, | believe, by Mary Anderson,
be a good custom commercially as well as
religiOuSly.
Charles Frohman has purchased the lat
est of the London comedy successes, which
IS. according 10 all reports from the other
than was "Charley's Aunt in the earlier
days OF that comedy. THE New Boy" is
the title of this latest production, and the
big hit in 1t has been made by Weldon
GrosSmith, who, a number of years ago,
was a strong success in this country as the
leading comedian OF ROSina NokesS COM
pany. 1.-The New Boy tells of the wild
acts of a couple OF incorrigible young peo-
PIE, a boy and girl and it seems to have
taken all London by storm Mr.. Frohman
will not present it in New York until next
season. He has his hands full of successes at
present. The latest of his presentations the
revival of THE Girl L Left Behind Me-
Is playing TO the utmost capacity of the
house at the big Academy of Music, where
last Saturday night the receipts exceeded
$500
The Casino Club, undertaken by the
ArOnson Brothers, has run against a stump.
The proprietors of this scheme had
an option on the lower floor of
the Casino building at a rental of
$4,000 for the period between March
10 and September l. They failed to mater
ialize with their first payment the other
day. and Canary and LedeTer refused TO
extend the term of the option. 1t seems
to be practically assured in consequence
that If there is to be a Casino Club at all
IL Will have to be conducted somewhere
else than at the CasinO-which will be some
thing like the play of Hamlet with Ham
let left out.
William Hoey. after a period of indecis-
ion, has finally concluded to go starring by
himself next season, and his route is now
being booked by w. ID. Mann. who has for
number OF years managed the prosperous
affairs of Evans a HOey. The new piece
chosen for this undertaking is called 1.-The
Fiams,'' and is from the literary work
shop Of Harry and Edward Paulton, who,
4 Harr