The evening world., 1894-03-31
The LONDON STAGE.
Soon to Contribute a New and
Advanced Play to America.
HEROES the Order OF the Times in
the Music Halls.
Mrs. Langtry to Reappear New
Operetta for Nine. Calve.


very highly OF the new play by Miss
Fletcher George Fleming. which is in
rehearsal at the Garrick Theatre for pro-
duction when Caste" is withdrawn. The
play is one Of the most advanced type
and from a literary standpoint Is Of high
merit. but in regard to certain mino
matters OF construction the prentice
hand is said to be apparent. Miss
FIetcher's play was submitted to many
West End managers before 1t was finally
offered to Miss Elizabeth Robins. who
was then playing at the Trafalgar Thea
tire In lbsen's Master Builder Miss
Robins's arrangements did not permit
her to produce it, owing to her brief ten
ancy OF that theatre. bu: she was so
much struck with the power and orig
lnAlity of the play that she submitted 1t
TO John Hare. who completely indorsed
her judgment and accepted It without
hesitation.
AS might naturally be expected from
the first dramatic work of a lady novel;
list. the play is essentially a woman's
play. the parts to be taken by Mr.. Hare
and Mr. Forbes Robertson being Of far
less Importance than those allotted to
Miss Kate Rorke and Miss Robins. This
$500 '''S ''N Scl cell IAtu. dllTOuRn
Mrs. Leosingham" miss Robins's char
actSr) and The Second Chance have
both been mooted.
Part of the American rights are vested
In Miss Robins. who, in the event OF Mr..
Hare deciding not to visit America for
the present, Will herself take the play
across the Atlantic. playing. OF course,
her original character. In this event she
VIII also appear in those of Ibsen's char
acters which she has made peculiarly
her own-the heroines of the Master
Builder" "Hedda Gabler' and Brand"
The date at present fixed for the ap-
pearance of James j. Corbett, the prize
fighter and actor. at Drury Lane In
Gentleman jack is April q.
No decision has yet been arrived at
in regard to the American rights of
the New Boy" which is taking the
town at Terry's Theatre. Should Wei
don Grossmith retain them himself,
there is not much chance of Mr.. Laws
play being seen in America for the next
eighteen months, or whereabouts.
One OF the latest actresses to desert
the theatrical for the music-hall stage
is Mile. lane May, of "L'Enfant Pro-
digue" fame, who enters upon an en-
gagement at the Tivoli on April 9. She
will appear in a pantomime sketch last
Ing about ten minutes, after which she
Will sing a couple Of chansonettes.
An era of patriotism and worship Of
heroic deeds has set IN at the music halls.
The appearance OF a red coat upon the
stage has an electr,iying effect upon the
audience, and Charles Godfrey is nightly
| l.. ,nI 20 Tho anhn f1- hi, ntfa.
of Major Wilson. OF Matabele renown, In
The Last Shot" At nearly all the halls
the heroic element is more or less proml-
nent in the programme. Not to be be-
hindhand in this respect, the Alhambra
management has just produced The
New Victoria Cross" consisting Of five
popular pictures or tableaux ~vivants. OF
"England's heroes toiling day by day."
by Clement Scott. The tableaux have
been painted and arranged by Mr.. T. S.
Ryan. and are as original as they are
beautiful. Mr.. Scott's verses. which have
been copyrighted for America and canno
be sung without permission Of the
authors agents. are extremely happy
n spirited. They are acclaimed by
Sydney Valentine through illustrative
music especially composed by Walter
Slaughter. The following chorus Is sung
after each verse by Mr.. Valentine and
the audience, who join in with the great
est verve:
These are the men who can do or die. these arc
the boys who save.
Heroes. some on our dear old land, some on Its
circling wave.
Thinking how little OF life and love-nothing o,
profit and loss,
Ask OF our Queen. She will grant 1t. lads, a new
Victoria Cross.
The idea of the ode, 1t will be seen, Is
to ask the Queen to give an order for
civilian heroes of equal Importance &c
the Military and Naval Victoria Cross.
The character of Mr.. SCOTS verses
may be judged from the titles: THE
Miners Dream" The Lay OF the Mar
in Blue THE Fireman's Song THE
Engine Drivers Story" and THE Tai,
of the Lifeboat Man"
Mrs. Langtry is likely soon to reap
pear on the London stage. The role OF
the heroine in the Cotton King" now
being played at the Adelphi Theatre,
was offered to her, but the negotiations
fell through. Robert Buchanan has now
engaged her for a new venture he has
in hand. DESTROYS of becoming a man.
ager on his W account. he has taken
the Opera Comique Theatre with the
intention of producing an adaptation OF
one of his own novels and also a new
work by David Christie Murray, the
novelist. Mrs. Langtry will play in
these pieces.
The coming opera season at Coven'
Garden will bring some new works OF
the modern French school before tht
London public. Sir Augustus Harri;
propose to present, in its original form
NJ. Bruneau's opera ''L'Attaque du Mou
: lin which has been favorably r~eceivet
: In Paris.
This work is based upon a dramatic in
cident during the FrancO-German war o
1870, but for political reasons, when pre-
scented in Paris, the action was trans
fcrred 10 an earlier period. This objec
ton Will, OF course, not apply here.
Another novelty will be a one-act op
era, which NJ. Massenet has written es
pecially for Mime. Calye, entitled "LG
!. Navarraise." Mime. Calves role will
/ be that of a modern Judith. the Holo
forncs Of the story being a Spanish Gen