The Washington times., 1894-08-20
Lillian Russell Rehearsing In Special
Salon Carriage.
SYLVIA GREY's JEWELS STOLEN
Berlin Publishing Houses Selling Music by
the Pound -Tolstoi's Poetic Endeavor to
Cure the Moujik Of His Love for vodki-
Theosophy Utilized for Stage Purposes.

has been almost barren Of matters worth re-
vaded by Country Cousins" who patronizt
the popular farces and the music halls which
are doing capital business, but the theatri-
cal attractions are few in number. As ex-
pected, Lady Henry Somerset's attack upon
the so-called Living Pictures" has spread
the craze for that sort of thing and tableau
| vivants Of all descriptions ard Of the most un-
blushing nature arc 10 be seen even in the
suburban halls.
The perennial farce "Hot Water" was re-
vived on Wednesday last, and serves to I'LL
the Criterion nightly. George Hawtrey as
sumes the role associated with Charles wynd-
ham twenty years ago.
At the Gaiety there has been this week a
not over successful premiere revival of Jack
Shepherd" but the traditions of Nellie Far
rem and Fred Leslie were too strong for the
new comers.
Lillian Russell stays with Henry E. Abbey
In spite of the law courts. Mr.. Abbey paying
$4,000 forfeit, it is said: Rehearsals of
''The Queen of Brilliants' are being pushed
actively and the prompter and accompanist
have gone to Queenstown in a especial salon
and bring the singers, expected to be on
board Of her, to London. ehearsals will
take place in the special car while en- route
from Queenstown to Dublin, and while tray-
cling between Holyhead and London. Nine.
Amadi has been engaged in the place Of
Laura Joyce.
Solm on. the composer. is following in the
footsteps of Corney. Grain and Grossmith,
and starts his own show in the autumn, do
ing monologues and dialogues with George
Hawtrey.
PLENTY OF THEATERs BUILDING.
The theatrical center of London has long
been as distinctly restricted as is the political
center of London. Between ST. James street
and the law courts are situated all the thea
ters that count for anything save the Court
and the Princesses. The Grand, at Islington,
is considered in the pr ovinces; the Elephant
and Castle and Surrey are lover the water"
the Britannia and the Pavilion are in that
terra incognita the East End.
But all this Is to be changed. Before the
year is out two theaters now building will
open. Another Is in the architects Office.
These Three are going 10 produce plays OF the
first-class and serve the people in the quarter
where they live. The Brixton Theater the
walls of which are now ready for the roof,
will seat 2, 800 people. and Is TO be opened by
Henry Irving on December l with .Ihe
Bells" The second week will probably be
given up to "olivia." Mr.. Irving is to be
followed by the Kendals for two weeks. and
they Will be succeeded by pantomime for the
usual run. Prices will be somewhat lower
than in the Middlesex OF the Thames. The
Camberwell Theater, which will open at the
end OF September, will seat about 800 per-
sons. and a theater of similar size is TO be
begun at once in Kensingtop.
II will not be long, therefore, before the
exclusive ring fence which has long
inclosed that sacred land. only within
BILE to build a theater. will have been thrown
down for ever. and soon thereafter it will be
possible for Mr.. Irving to undertake twelve
weeks tour within five miles OF the Lyceum.
JAPANo-CHINEsE WAR on THE BOARDS.
The Japano-Chinese war has already been
heard of in theater-land. Mr.. Charles Lauri
has invented "fantastical, demoniacal
Japanese pantomime," which is, announced
at the Paragon Musical Hall, and Hoyt's "a
Trip to Chinatown" will be seen at Toole's
Theatre, produced by an American company.
under the management OF Mr.. William
TERMS.
That old stand by OF the weary funny man
paragrapher-au actress diamonds-has
bobbed up serenely once more. Sylvia Grey
(AIrs. Fenwick). the charming Gaiety dancer,
W
other day found that two Of her servants had
levanted to the United States with the pro-
ceeds of $4,000 worth of Sylvia's precious
stones, mainly diamond rings and brooches,
and all of them the tribute that her
twinkling feet won from front row
"mashers." The jewelry was pawned;
a suit has been begun for its recov-
cry. and the laws laZy hands are now
stretched out to capture the thieves.
Every little while some Polonius of the
press slips behind the curtain and discovers
something marvellous in the lives of the peo-
pie Of playland. We are now told that Mr..
George R. Sims before he learned the art of
studied carpentering and con-
struction in wholesale furniture shop. AL
bert Chevalier. the ''Costers'' laureate, was
brought up with the idea of becoming Cath
olic priest. it seems This may account, per-
haps, for the fact that his hobby is the study
OF oriental religions.
LADY DUFFERIS A DRAMArIsT.
From Lord Dufferin's delightful biography
of his mother we lesrn-what the world at
large had certainly forgotter-that Helen,
Lady Dufferin, whose Lament OF the Irish
Emig rant and whose tender ballad, begin
ming
'oh, bay of Dublin. how my heart you're trou-
Your beauty hsunts me like fever dream"
are known the world around, was not only
poet but dramatist, and a successful drama
tist. Her play was a comedy called "Finesse;
or Spy and Counter-Spy, and it was produced
on May 16, 1868, at the Haymarket Theater.
Messrs. Blackstone, Alfred Wigan. Howe, Chit
fendale, W. Farren, Braid and Gordon. and
Mesdames Alfred Wigan, Wilkins. Angel. and
F. Wright were in the cast. "Finesse" en-
joyed successful run during the season of
1868, and was revived with success in the au-
tumn Of that year. .
The production of the new piece at the
Prince of Wales Theater in which George
Grossmith is to have apart will prevent that
gentleman's return to the American amuse-
ment platform until 1896.
A Berlin publishing house has just intro
duced a new idea in the sale of songs, soma
tas. and symphonies by the weight. The
music, whether for two or four hands. is
little more costly and symphonies are priced
at so cents per pound. The system does not
admit Of discount. Hereafter the specific
gravity Of composers will introduce novelty
into the causerie of musical circles.
ToLsToI WRITING LIBRETTos.
Another novel idea has come from Paris.
The manager of the Theatre d'Ejazet an
that 100 seats will be given gratis to
the first hundred people who present them
selves Mt the doors of his house at every per-
formance of ''La Villa Beaumigard." Rather
than return home most Of those from u dis
lance remain aud pay.
Tolstoi has written an operatic libretto with
4 moral, entitled 1.-THE Distiller," the object
being to cure the Russian peasant OF his fond
ness for yOdki and other forms of ardent