The Washington times., 1894-09-03
LONDON PLAYSAND PLAYERS
Henry Irving Apprehensiye as to the
Future Of English Drama.
STATE RECOGNITION IS NEEDED
Gladstone Agrees with Him and Thinks It
Will Como Before Very Long-Irving's
Production Of King Arthur
man Will Elevate the Stage on Bicycle.
[copyrIghted. 1saa. by the Assoclated Pre.s.1

copyrighted, 1894, by the Associated Press.l
LONDON, Sept. 2-The theatrical week has
been chiefly noticeable by the return TO town
Of the last vacation stragglers. the reopening
of Terry's Theater and the Comedy Thea
ter and the sensational announcement
of the marriage on Wednesday last, at
Edinburgh, Of Justin Huntley McCar-
thy, the son Of Justin Mccarthy, NJ P, to
Cissy Lotus, the rising young actress who
has already made quite a name for herself as
an impersonator of leading actresses.
Henry Irving confesses himself respondent
as to the future of English drama. He says:
''The music halls are unduly overlapping the
theaters and many theaterS are taking on the
vulgar ways of the halls During his now
finished vacation at Gairloch Mr.. Irving un-
bosomed himself on this subject. What is
wanted. he thinks, is estate or municipal aid
and recognition. The theater is, or might be,
a great educatiye and moral power and in dii-
ferent senses it stands greatly in need Of mu-
nicipal recognition"
Mr.. Irving has repeatedly discussed this
proposition with Mr.. Gladstone who has often
sat with him in the wings OF the Lyceum stage
whilst the play proceeded. Ten years ago
Mr.. Gladstone did notthink the British nation
would ever grant such recognition to the
drama, but quite recently, before the present
calamity overlook him, the eX-PremIer eX-
pressed the view that the mind of the English
electorate was undergoing great change in
regard to the theater and that ''sooner than
some thought il might become a national in
ing to this end. Mr.. Irving thinks, among
them being growing taste for the drama
and dramatic literature and a fear. possibly.
in the minds of thoughtful men that il pure
eieyating plays are not encouraged, some
thing of a very different kind may usurp their
place, for the public. it is claimed, must have
its halls of amusement.
coMYSs CARR's KING ARTHUR"
Henry Irving's usual autumn tour begins
shortly in Edinburgh, and viii occupy his
time pretty well up to Christmas. In Janu-
ary he opens the Lyceum season with Comyns
Carr's dramatic version of King Arthur"
which, with its wealth OF incident and strik-
ing ''dramatics persona" will, Mr.. irving
expects, prove great success. Sir Arthur
Sullivan is still at work on the incidental
music, and the scenery is being designed by
Burne Jones. "King Arthur will be followed
each evening by little piece from the pen Of
Conan Doyle, in which the principal part
will be taken by Irving.
He will depict an old Waterloo veteran
who fought with Wellington and who many
years after Wellington's death. still thinks OF
nothing but Waterloo and the Duke.
Last Thursday Messrs. LestOcq and Robson
produced ''The Founding at Terry Theater,
practically opening the autumn season. The
Founding, persOnated BY Mr.. Sydney
Brough, becoming engaged 20 young lady
very particular upon the subject OF parents.
exacting that everything il this direction
must be formal and regular is obliged. being
a foundling, TO undertake TO find his long lost
progenitors. His ups and downs while en-
gagged in this quest furnish the fun. which is
clearly farcical and which immensely amused
a first night audience. Charles Groves played
the part Of an excitable Major; Susie Vaughan
was the Majors vile, and Emmeline Oxford
provided the music hall flavor, without which
farce comedy nowadays seems TO be impossi-
ole, appearing as the tricky little May-bUd, y
a variety artist. ''The Founding" was pre-
ceded by trife entitled 1.-The Flowers Grew
Fairer, by Sutton Yane.
PLAY FOR THE "BIKE."
London papers report that A. A. thinner
man, the American cyclist, will follow the ex-
ample of James J. Corbett and make a stage
appearance, having ordered a four-act comedy
to be written around his bike" The great
scene is to represent a race track. wheneupon
Zimmerman is to beat his cycling rival, the
william OF the piece.
So far London has got on very well without
its promenade concerts. This is the more re-
markable because the musical, unlike the
dramatic season. is exceedingly UNMARRIED in
its opening and closing. nothing now being
expected until October. Many Londoners
will go down for the Birmingham triennial
festival which begins Tuesday. October ?, and
which closes on the Friday following.
DIR. Hans Richter will conduct. with an
orchestra of 12S pieces and chorus of 36S
voices. The soloists include Marie Brema
Madame Albani, Mrs. Henschel, Anna Will
Jams, Hilda Wilson, Madame Marion Mcken-
zie. and Edward Lloyd. Iver Mckay, Andrew
Black, Eugene Oudin. BrOcton, and Hen
schel. Among the pieces de resistance" Will
be DIR. Hubert Parry's king SAUL GOring
Thomas posthumous cantata ''The Swan and
the Skylark, "Eliiah. ''The Messiah" Pale
strina's "Stabat Mater, 'Berlioz's ''Te Deum, -
Mendelssohn's "Hymn of Praise" the third
part of Schumann's ''Faust." and Beethoven 5
choral symphony. The first performance OF
Henschefs mass in d minor, the Tannhaeuser
overture, Dvoraks ''Husitska" overture, and
DIR. A. c.. Mackenzie's nautical overture
britannia" will also be included in the pro-
gramme.
Signor Mancinelli. who will conduct during
Mr.. Abbey's season IN America, has been
commissioned to write work for the next
Norwich festival. and has chosen the subject
of Hero and Leander. for which Signor BorIo
will furnish the libretto.
Capt. Jack Crawford, the ''Poet Scout" is
attracting much attention in London. He
has been taken up by the newspapers and IS
becoming somewhat of n socIety lion. On
Monday next, under tho auspices of Canon
Wilberforce, Capt. Crawford is TO address an
audience in the parish hall, Westminster.
Nihilist Press Discovered.
ST. PETERsBURG, Sept 2.-The police at
Kalooga, capital Of the government of that
mama ninetr-fiva miles southwest of 1Inscn1v