The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-08

New York Is 10 be thanked.
The Herald says:
Ncssrs. Coverley and Hughes ''sstri-
cal comedy opera" was produced by
Manager +. &. whitney Tor the nrst
,sme in this city I'm Representative Hen
~, q rfiner's Fifth Avenue Theatre on
Monday night and was 70 have re-
,,atucd th.rc two weeks. Manager WHIT
nov and Representative Miner met cary
Nfondav morning ana al the rest OF the
dav each gentleman was doing his best
10 imuress upon his acquaintances. that
he was the first TO cry Enough.
In any event. the theatre was dark
last evening. and The Bathing Girr' has
closed her season indefinitely.
Did YOU hear about IT, exclaimed
tr Miner as soon as l saw him, 'Oh, II
was too bad-a complete lalluie'
couldn't let such a piece remain IN my
theatre II would have ruined the repu-
tation Of the house y
"Ohi" said Mr. Whitney, whom met
a little iater Il decided Monday night
10 take II or II was a failure and l
DON'T believe IN forcing anything on
the public The authors agreed with me.
They wanted q chance 10 rewriie II. l
don't Think. though, it will be present
&C again this season.
me niece was tried last season in Den
YER. where. Mr. Whitney said. II had
fair success. and in San Francisco,
u,bere n fell fat II stll, ] couldn't
tell about that, you know" he ADDED,
.'bocause there was no scenery .or cos
tunes for IT, Ii rehearsed wonderfully
we'll"
New York last week admitted that
sothern had scored a decided success In
Anthony Hopes Prisoner of Zenda.'
After commenting upon the piece in gen
eral. one of New Nork's best critics Soes
on to say;
Aside from the fact that ne has not
the necessary physical bulk that we asso-
ciate both with the head of the house
of the Elphenbcrgs, as wen as with RC-
Golf Rasendyll, Mr.. Sothern WIS in cvscy
other respect delightfully."- natural and
convincing I'm both assumptions. We
have no comedian that has a lighter
touch or one who speaks his words with
such an utter absence OF ancctatiOn.
Moreover, he IS serious 10 all he at
tInpts. for which reason. as much as
for any other, he succeeds in so many
things where others fail. His heart Is
in his work, and therefore is he always
sympathetic and never uninteresting.
Mr.. Blackstone surprised rs all. Per-
haps II was his makeup, a la Bismarck.
which made his impcrsonation carry 50
much weight and dignity with 1t. But
why look behind the coulisses? lie was
martial figure 20 the fingers tips, was this
Sapt. Antoinctte de Mauban, not the
Princess Flavla, Is made the central fe-
male figure OF the play. and with COM
mendable energy did Miss ShOtwell carry
through her part. Miss Grace Kimball
was girlish. trusting. and clinging enough
as Flavia. but not sufficiently high-bred,
and Just a trihe mOnotonous
The Herald says Of The Great Dia-
mond Robbery.
IL was given Wednesday evening its
first production at the American Theatre,
when that house was opened for the
season. The play was written by Messrs
y. VI. Alfrienl and A. G. Wheeler. They
have put together a series Of Incidents
that will please the great public, which Is
mover over-crtcaL # pleased the au-
dience immensely thanks 10 some very
good acting and the localisms with which
the play abounded. The scenes were laid
all over the city, from the Battery TO
Central Park. IL might not be under
stood in another city so well.
The following amusing incidents rela-
tive TO the stage are told by the critic OF
the New York sun, and Will doub.lessly
prove amusing:
An actor is almost always acting, on
the stage and off. at home and abroad.
Monday nights audience at the Garrlck
was treated to a scene not IN the play.
1t came at the end of the second act,
which had strengthened the good i'm
preston made by e. first one, and nad
passed off so ent, ttainingly that success
Tor authors and actors seemed assured.
IN response TO applause the curtain was
raised and lowered twice. With the hol-
land brothers bowling their acknowleig-
mcnts. The curtain lifted again. Ine
brothers stood where they mad been
seen a moment before. hui we're shaking
hands with hearty enthr D. The IN
dicat,ons were that the as almost
bone-cracking. There W "a amusing
lack of theatric manner "a IT, ana also III
their about-face upon seeing that troy
were revealed 10 the audience. NOW,
was that impromptu, or was 1t prear-
rapged?'
Eleanor Caiey and Efiie Shannon nave
an emotional scene together at the ell
max of the second act Of The CITY OF
Pleasure" at the Empire, as a distracted
mother and d frightened daughter. Inc
curtain falls ON the climax of their dia-
lcgue In the first performance all went
well until near the end. Miss carey
PLAYED in an effectively melodramauc
style, and Miss Shannon was dehbhiiuily
ingenious. a point was reached WheIe
the agCnized mother exclaimed TO the
kneeling daughter, Get upl' Nobods
could guess why Miss Carey suddenly
dfcLpcd her tragic tone and spoke those
words exactly Ike q Get up! 10
horse, but she did IT, Instantly some
lcdy in the audience chirruped, every
body else laughed, the curtain fel on
an accidental fasco. and when 1t rose
10 a recall Miss Carey was taking ener-
Cetcally TO Miss shannon. Perhaps Trey
were disputng the question OF blame.
ANY way, the incident showed how mar
row IS the separation between melo-
drama and burlesque
when the curtain fell on the second act
Of the new comedy at Hoyts, the au-
diencc. which was not large. but 5sTy
friendly. applauded until Mr.. Hi-iard
MAIZE q short speech. 1t was Dflef
enough not 20 deeerve repro1ch, and ne
corcluded by saying that the authors
of the play were in the front OF me
hCuse and would undoubtedly be will
ing TO show themselves # the audience
would applaud enough go let them So,
that their appearance was desired. Jhere
was nothing left TO do but 10 aPriald,
and the curtain remained down 'ons
enough to- let the authors get around
from the audience to the stage. ibis
vas not long The curtain rose prompt
l.. and Mr.. billiard led out two sim
young men who were white with ner-
Vousness. They shuiiled of the stase
with some difficulty, and then the actor
stepped again TO the fOOtlights. Il want
10 thank The author of the first piece
for his kindrsss i'm allowing me 10 use
his story with only the change OF f,"