Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-02-08

count OF Abbey & Gran 70 yne exssnt ~. s tl.s
MAS expected. The Wa9ner element ~
shown by is absence that it rssenn the
sli1ht but upon its idol ~ the. mAna&e-
me,lt which. it must be admitted. has not
oiven the works of 1.-The Shakespeare OF
Mns;c,, the attention to which most per
-. consider they are entitled. THIS de.
fection from the comparatively limited
ranks Of the lovers of grand opera mas NAT.
nraliv injured business and has marred
sc,rsvhat the bfilliancy and enthusiasm OF
the season. But when it is necessary to
f;lI the opera house to the very doors 'Car-
men y with Calve in the titular role, is an
nonnced. The result is never in doubt. Ono
would think that Bixet's master work had
been heard by every one in New York 20
often has it been repeated. This is very
nearly the case too. Still it does not appear
to affect the attendance. as there are lots of
people who have been to hear it several
times, and who will probably 60 again.
If Dame Rumor speak truly, and she
sometimes does, Henry E. Abbey's impor-
tant enterprises in this country are not meet
ing this year with anything like the success
to which their excellence entities them. 1t
is no secret that during several weeks of
his engagement here Henry Irving played
to anything but large audiences. and
Coouelin and Hading's business ut Abbey 8
new theater is by no means phenomenal.
This is incomprehensible, but it is true new
ertheless. In theease of Coquelin the poor
attendance is doubtless due to the fact that
very few people comparatively in this city
understand French sufficiently to follow
the lines of the plays Understandings. At
any rate do not think that the great Pa
risian histrionic lion will be apt to visit
America again very soon.
There is no satisfactory explanation of it.,
but it is certain that since the first of the
year theatrical business generally has pick
ed up wonderfully not only in this city,
but all over the country, and contrary to
the usual practice u number of excellent at
fractions will be put on the road during
this month and March. One manager who
has several shows on the rOad-none O.!
them of q particularly high grade-told me
the other day that his average nightly tax
inxs since New Years day had been nearly
Is per cent heavier than before that time.
While this has been a particularly disas.
trous season, the nature of the manager is
so irrepressibly hopeful that several o lem
have already predicted that next year will
be the best theatrical men have known since
1880. These assertions are not based upon
any actual condition which would warrant
one in believing them. 1t is simply u case
of the wish being father to the thought.
Poor Rosina Vokes! Death upset plan
of hers which was in thorough keeping with
her sweet nature. heard the other day
that when she was Obliged to abandon hel
tour on account of illness she was firmly
convinced that a trip to England would
speedily restore her TO health. No one could
make her believe that she had consump
ton, and she was wont to pooh pooh the
suggestion that her lie was in danger So
firmly convinced was she that she would
return to America that she had declared
that she should reengage every member OF
her company for two seasons at an advance
of 50 per cent upon their salaries Thus she
hoped to reimburse them for the loss sus-
tanned by reason of the abandonment of her
tour. 1t would have been just like Rosina
Vokes to have paid her people for the whole
tour, despite the two weeks clause in their
contracts, before sailing for England, but
those in position to know say that she
was not pecuniarily able to do it.
Divorces, pugilists, ex-highwaymen, bur-
glars and safe crackers are the eXcrescences
of the theatrical profession, hut most o.
them make money while mo.e legitimate
attractions do not. The airy manner in
which these people refer to the ''ex' por-
ton of their careers is something incom-
prehensible In fact, they seem to be proud
of their past achievements. For example:
"If Kid had the Bank of England at his
back, he'd be broke in a year." said Spike
Hennessey, the ex-crook, now in The
Stowaway'' company, recently. Hennessey
was deploring the wanton extravaganza CT
his iliustrious pal, Kid Mccoy, who. to