The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-10
GOSSIP OF THE STAGE
THINGS You DID NOT KNOW, PER-
HAPs, or LIBRETTIsT GILBERT.
The Great Humorisf at Home and His
Collaboration with suliivan-Lo-
cal Drama This Week.


is well informed on London dramatic
events, and especially chatty about Sir Ar
thur Sullivan's quondam partner in the
comic opera business, has sent over an eni
pertaining and valuable letter about the.
great humorist Gilbert, which follows:
Gilbert, the dramatic author and libret-
fist, Is big, athletic man, and, what is un-
usual in a large framed person, quick in
his movements, rapid in speech. sudden in
ideas and hasty in temper He is a nine
teenth century example of the human cleo
trio machine, which is apparently co-equal
in age with the telephone. the incandescent
light, and the electric train, which is run
by engine many miles away from it.
When Gilbert says goodbye there is no
lingering; he gets out of the room with such
dispatch that he reminds one of the magi-
clans vanishing lady," In going upstairs
he is not satisfied with taking two steps
at time, but generally takes three. When
he picks up anything the action resembles
sleight-of-hand. An accident or an incl
dent happens half a mile away and he is
sure to see it; in fact, nothing, far or near,
escapes his alert detective eyesight. He
smokes his cigar like a steam engine puff
ing at full speed. He can eat his dinner in
fifteen minutes and will walk mile while
you are putting on your overcoat. He is
peaceable man ordinarily but If you are
eager for opposition, or want more worlds
to conquer, attack him, and it is likely you
will be kept active for the time being. In
other words, it may as well be allowed
that he is something of testy wit. He
has for thirty years knocked about the
world, first being educated for the army
during the Crimea, in which his parents,
believing that the war would last some
time longer, hoped he would win glory as
an officer, but by the time his military edu-
cation was completed the war was flag
ging, and soon after drew to an end. He
served sixteen years in the Royal Aber-
deenshire Highlanders "a militia regiment)
During this later period he also studied and
practiced law. But his own account of
his legal life is most amusing, for, although
he was in earnest, and was admitted to
the bar, laboring diligently, a series of ri
diculous incidents seemed to pursue him
through the better part of his career as a
lawyer.
Besides being soldier and a lawyer.
Gilbert became yachtsman, home farm
er, cattle fancier. sportsman of the
hunting field, an amateur actor and bal
lad writer, as well as an author of plays
and librettos. Mr. Gilbert has parrot, as
remarkable bird as was ever blessed with
coat of fantastic feathers. This parrot
Is a sailor genuine old sea dog-not
common sailor, but a true British tar, with
not an HI to his name. When Mr.. Gill
bert Is writing his parrot snuggles up I'M
him by chance and Gilbert gets up to greet
you, at that moment the parrot looks out
from under his coat and roars out in pro-
digious, husky, bass voice, zip. 'ip 'oorah''
For twenty years one or more of Gilbert's
plays or operas were perpetually the
stage of London, nor was the spell broken
until about two years ago, soon after the
severance of the partnership between him
and Sir Arthur Sullivan.
Sir Arthur Sullivan who has returned to
England-unfortunatel not SO much bene-
flied by his trip as he had hoped.is writ,
which has been doing most excellent bust
ness, in spite of the recent bad weather
and reRrettable illness of D'Oyley Carte.
Sir Arthur is also planning and working on
the new opera for the Savoy, which, while
not needed for some time to come. will
doubtless be put in rehearsal before the
summer is over.
Gilbert gives droll account of his first
meeting with Sullivan. 1t was during re-
hearsal of one of his own pieces entitled
ages Ago." At that time he was engaged
upon 1.-THE Palace of TRUTH One of the
characters Zoram-is a musical impostor.
Gilbert, by the way, is unable to whistle an
air in tune. In telling the story himself,
he said: 81 was obliged to make Zoram ex-
press his musical ideas in technical Ian
guage, so 1 took up my Encyclopedia Brit
annica, and, turning to the word harmony
selected a sentence and changed it into
sounding blank verse. Curious to know
whether this would pass muster with a mu-
stefan, said to Sullivan (who happened to
be present at the rehearsaD. am pleased
to meet you, Mr. Sullivan, because you will
be able to settle question which has just
arisen between Mr. Clay and myself My
question is whether, when a musician who
is master OF many Instruments has a mu-
steal theme to express, it is as perfect
upon the simple tetrachord of Mercury, in
which there are. as we all know, no dia-
elaborate disdiapason, with the familiar
chords and the, redundant note. which.
need not remind you embrace all the sin
gle. double and inverted chords Sullivan
reflected for a moment then asked me to
oblige him by repeating my question. did
point, and he would like to think it over
before giving a. definite answer. That took
place about twenty years ago, and I be-
lieve he is still engaged in hammering it
OUT
When Gilbert writes he never leans over
a desk, but sits in a long leather chair,
props his feet up on a stool, and writes on
a pad. The number and variety of his
maon He used to psnd
most of his time at his house in Kensing-
mostly at Graemes Dyke-his country house,
which is near Harrow, sand about nine miles
out of London. The place is an old one, but
the house some years before Mr.. Gilbert
bought it. 1t stands on terrace, and is a
signs by Mr.! Norman Shaw, r. A. From
every point of view it is fine piece of
e with and some feeen If Or
Elizabethan windows, set in huge stone
frames. The Dyke, which is spanned by
several ancient arched bridges, has flowed
through the rusheS and tall watergrass for
two thousand years, having been cut by the
Romans. A massive stone wall runs along
one margin of the Dyke, and is reflected in
it's waters. The house overlookS this wall
and the Dyke beyond it. 1t is surrounded
by q hundred and ten acres. This land is
laid out in a park that is full of picturesque
corners and pools of water, small forests
and romantic hooks. From one point can
be seen the fine old chapel and buildings OF
Elton College, and beyond, Windsor Castle,
rearing its ancient battlements high into
the sky. The space between spreads out in
many colored fields. cut up in squares and
triangles by green hedges, giving the pros
pect resemblance to a New England
patchwork quilt
The following question was asked Mr.. Gill
bert a few months ago: "How is it. Mr.
Gilbert, that you have been SO universally
successful for so many years? but one
pauses in asking this question, because an
author might naturally think, succeed
because my plays and librettos are clever
yet not care to say so himself" This is
Mr.. Gilbert's answer: "A reply in my case
to what you ask need by no means make
one appear conceited- On the contrary,