The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-09-21


Of everything and stand by that which Is
good, while they will see that which Is
mediocre go TO the wall without regret.
am glad 10 say, too, that i believe the
time IL coming when the American will
drive the European dramatist out OF this
market. The reason Is very simple We
are not getting as much material nor as
good. This Is particularly the case IN light
opera. What have Strauss, Milloecker,
Lecocq. Audran and Sullivan given US Of
late that will draw And the results That
we must begin TO depend ON American
composers.
Vaudeville In this country has reached
as high plane ~ II ever will. With q
certain GLASS of people 10 will always hold
its own. But it can never attain the place
1t has In London and Paris. The condi-
tions here are totally different from those
In the foreign capitals Barmaids are an
Important factor In the success Of vaude-
Vile abroad, TO say nothing of the free and
easy character of the music halls"
Manager Brady's Opinions.
Who has not heard Of William A. Brady,
the "boy manager, who, though 80 years
old, might readily pass for 1Sf IT'S said
of him that he grows, In appearance, a
takes rather q hopeful view OF the theat-
rical situation. He thinks the outlook for
superior attractions Is as good as ever. Be
ing a close observer, his opinion Is worth
quoting: "Residents Of the one night
stands are more In touch with what Is GO
ing on In the cities than formerly. You
cannot now fool them as was once the case.
The day Of successful poor attrastions and
stars is therefore past People quickly find
out whether patent medicine possesses
merit, and Shey are beginning to apply the
same commercial instinct In appraising
tho value of theatrical company. The
cheap continuous performance" is in a
measure responsible for this favorable turn
of affairs.
"My experience tells me that the high
GLASS melodrama Is more In demand than
other forms Of entertainment, though
most anything win GO where you give
the public the worth of It's money. boz
lieve farce comedy, however, once SO po-
tent factor In theatricals, 20 be dead.
Again, you see the effect of the 'continu-
ous performance, which gives its patrons
practically two or three farce comedies
for the price of one ticket Within very
few years predict that the success of the
foreign play will be thing OF the past
Americans can write just as good plays as
anybody, and managers are beginning to
find this out. "
"what about bicycless"
"Bicycles have cut the regular average
season down from 95 or 40 TO 90 weeks
There Is no doubt about this Companies
from now on will go out about Oct. 1 and
close March 10. intend 10 work on this
principle, because / realize that the so
called bicycle craze has come TO stay. 1t
is no passing fad. OF course, purely
melodramatic production is not so much
affected, because many of its patrons have
not enough money to go into bicycle rid
ing as pastime."
McConnell's Ideas.
One of the brig gtest wits and keenest
managers is Wvliam A. Mcdonnell, who
watches the destinies Of Roster d. Balls,
though IL Is not many years ago that he
had theater OF his own. Politics is al
ways a disturbing factor In theatricals, +"
Mr. Mcconnell said land there can be no
denying the fact that the theater will be
hurt during October. But good plays and
good attractions always succeed. Stars
like John Drew and Melha pack thearers
before election and before the holidays, for
the city and country both are full of fad
dists II they go to the opera, they want
their Calves; II they go to music halls, it
must be Loie Fuller or Chevalier. Moth
Ing but the best will suit them.
docs the public want vaudeville, you
aska Most assuredly 1t does, as the success
Of the two last named performers exempli-
fes. AS for the legitimate drama--the
Shakespearean--it has fallen into disuse
because we have no great actors like our
Booths. Barretts, FORESTS and Davenports.
Foreign plays will continue to be brought
over here and 70 succeed or fail on their
merits because we haven't the authors in
America to give us sufficient good material
20 keep our actors busy. In the Uncle
Tom and Ten Nights In a Barroom'