The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-10-24


Chant IN London his subscription OF sl0o
for LADY Somerset snd Miss Francis Will
lard's American fund. in the success Of
which Mr. Keith is dsepiy interested.
sThs one-act play accepted by Sir Henry
Irving from.u. Bernard Shaw has for its
principal characters Napoleon and en- un-
known lady who met him in an inn at
Favazzaono and endeavored to secure
from. MIN some important letters. The
duel OF wits between the two makes up
the play.
j. T.. Dodson recalls an amusing Incl
dent that happen ed while he was playing
Valentine, in "Faust," in small Lam
cashire town. After the duel Marguerite
rushed on the stage and raised his head,
exclaiming, "Oh. what shall do?"
There was a death-like stiffness in the
house, when ansolo woman in the gallery
shouted, "Unbutton his weskit, ye
stoopid"
Mary Hampton is to succeed Grace Kim.
ball as the leading actress in Il. IL.
Sothern's company. Miss Kimball, who
| is friendly with Mr.. Sothern personally,
felt that she would not agree with him as
TO the performance OF a heroine's part
in mis- present play. Miss Hampton joins
the company as soor as Miss Harmed is
needed by A. M. Palmer for bic Chicago
enterprise.
| John G.. Sparks, the Irish comedian,
| tells a funny story about a couple of
lrishmen who were standing on the
corner trying to fx a meeting place for
the following day. They finally agreed
upon plan. "Mike," says Pat, "In
meet you there at six, and If get there
| first I'll place stone on the curb, so
that you'll know I've been there" "And
II get there before you DO" replied
Nike, "why, I'll push 1t off."
OF oil the melodrsmas produced in New
! York last season only one or two achieved
genuine success. "The Last stroke'' q
play dealing with Cuba's fight for free
dom, won more praise, perhaps. than any
other, because of its vigor, Its freshness
and real dramatic strength. Ii is elab-
orately staged and it possesses well told
story, abounding in scenes of thrilling
| interest. il comes direct from success-
fUl engagement at the Boston Theater.
Sarah Bernhardt has been having her
| troubles lately in Paris. She has quar-
relied with Porto Richie, who was writing
for her theater play called ."The Past"
and will not accept his drama. Rejene
was applauded more than she was at the
entertainment mt given for the Car at Ver-
ssilles and Bernhardt went away in rage
| before tie performance was concluded.
Bernhardt has no fondness for Rejene,
and made that clear when she was here
last winter.
Mr.. Joseph Brooks, the well-known
| manager of the firm OF Minor a. Brooks,
whose several enterprises this season en-
viron the T.. M. q Joseph Holland Com
psny, the new musical comedy, "Lost,
Strayed or Stoien," now runni ng at the
Fifth Avenue Theater, New York city,
and the William ii. Crane Company, is
Just recovering from a serious illness.
His doctors have ordered him to Florida,
where ne goes this week and where,
under the sunny skies of that far-away
southern State, it is hoped be may thor
oughly regain mis- health.
-.
Son eb )dy must have been spreading z
the report in Italy that New York was
eager for Italian music. In addition to
Colonel Maplesons' cohorts, Emile Duerer,
an Italian Impressario, has just arrived
in this country to make arrangements for
the advent here OF Pietro Mascagni, the
composer OF "Cavalleria Rusticana," and
other operas not SO well known. Herr
Duerer says that the composer is ready
TO come to New York at the end OF this
month or early in Novemher il the proper
arrangements for his visit can be made.
The death of Henry Il. Abbey can make
no difference in the plans of the opera
materially felt In the administration. 1t
was probably not expected when the new
company was formed that Mr.. Abbey
would take any active part in the man
sgement, for he was sicS at the time,
snd all persons interested knew that he
was not likely to recover. Some of the
artists contracts were signed by him
personally, and that was about all his
share in the seasons work would have
been.
The formula OF farce comedy seems to
be invaris bIe, and that popular class Of
entertain ent remains today just about
what 1t was 10 years ago when 1t first
began to be liked. 1t 10 the same form
less mixture which can be interrupted
anywhere and everywhere with any ir-
relevant matter which, 80 long as 1t is