The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-04

tertainers. Elwyn A. Barron. in n let
ter to the Chicago Times Herald upon
the same subject. explains the reason.
THE trouble" he says, lis the revolt
of the public from problem plays. There
has been nauseous surfeit Of the lb-
senish delving into morbid seXualities.
The woman In rebellion to convention
who imagines that she has mission to
reform the world before she has learned
how to govern her own iniirmities. moral
and other, has become extensively OBJ
trusive as the only dramatic heroine.
She was interesting US Il novelty, but
she has become a dreadful bore as q
commonplace. The Intelligent public
heaven forfend that should be Thought
to mean that curious company which
imagines that acceptance of Ibsen Is q
test Of intellect-but sane creatures,
with good red corpuscles in their veins
and orderly activity in their gray mat
ter. have grown aweary OF your Noras.
and Heddas. and Paulas and all that
lot Of hypertrophied and lymphatic cat
tie. They have served notice on the
preachers of social pessimism in n re-
volt from the grossly prurient sexual
drama that has only been defamatory
OF woman by enthrOning types of NOR
ally bilious women, and are now giving
their patronage to forms Of entertain
ment that, II frivolous, are at least not
apOtheoses of nymphomania. Hence
the music halls are crowded nightly by
audiences of fashionable distinction.
and the Haymarket. where 'Trilby' Is
playing. Is sold out a week In advance.
while the theaters that entered into a
rivalry of abandonment to sex ques-
tions that refinement long ago excluded
from public discussion before mixed as
semblies are paying the penalty OF their
mercenary shortsightedness."
During the run Of Frank Mayo's dra-
matizatiOn OF Mark Twain's "Pudd'n-
head Wilson" in New York. when Mr..
Mayo was appearing in the title role.
and his Interpretation of the quantity
| humorous old Missourian, Pudd'nhead
| Wilson, was the Broadway sensation,
| he learned something about fame, says
| the Chicago Record. One day. while
| Mayo was walking down Broadway. he
| met friend. With this friend was n
| young actor who has some reputation
on the stage.
Said Mayo's friend. Mr.. Mayo, allow
me to introduce you to Mr.. -"
Excuse me-" said the young actor,
but did not quite catch the name"
Mayo. this is Frank Mayo" said
| the friend.
"Ah. Mr.. Mayo, are you in our pro-
| fession?"
He was not trying to be sarcastic or
funny. He simply didn't know.
H H II
Richard Mansfield made a character
| istic speech on the occasion of the last
performance of "ROdion" at the Garrick
| theater in New York. Here are few
extracts from 1t.
II had imagined that the graceful
| bows which you have seen me make had
| shown my grateful sense Of the deep
honor you have done me tonight. But
1t seems my bows were not graceful
enough or elegant enough to make my
meaning clear. Ere long ! shall be
leaving this delightful city-I always
call the place happen to be acting in
delightfuL--for other equally delightful
cities. II was borne In upon me gently
that II / remained here very long l
might be left without the means of get
ting food and drink, which are, 1t seems.
not unessential to an actor. When
Paderewski-Mr. Paderewski--plays the
plano he usually rakes In about $4,000 at
time. When l play--as l think l
sometimes do on your emotions-I make
rather less. ] find. to my regret, that
l shall have to leave you for a time to
earn a livelihood in what you are, be-
lieve. pleased to call the provinces. Be-
fore go beg to thank you once again
for all your kindness"
Il u
Marion Manola- Mason. whose recent
debut on the vaudeville stage has at
tracted much attention. has passion
for babies which. ordinarily, Is not lin
tied by color. condition or cleanliness.
but few seasons ago, while starring
with her husband through the West,
she had an experience that she will not
soon forget.
For change bill Mr. and Mrs. Mason
We're playing Caste" and, contrary to
the usual custom, the property man
had instructions to see that real live"
baby was always on hand for the per
fOrmance. Strange as II may seem,
considering the supply, this Is not such
an easy thing to get In every small
town and the property man was often
in a sore strait to meet the exacting
wishes of the stars.
One night Mr.. and Mrs. Mason. arriv-
ing rather late at the theater and plac
ing implicit confidence in the intelli-
gence Of eheir aforementioned props"
did not have the usual examination of
the necessary infant The effect may
be better imagined than described when
Mrs. Mason, as Esther. the young wife.
held up to the view Of the audience.
MY Georges own blessed boy. born
while he was in India" baby black as
the proverbial ace of spades with boil
on the side of its neck
u Il i
Frederick Warde tells of an expert
ence which he had with Louis James in
Butte: I'VE had played 'Nirginus' to
packed house." he said, "and there
had been much enthusiasm on the part
Of the gallery boys. After the final cur
tain and recalls / went to my dressing
room and began disrobing. But the
crowd refused to disperse and kept in
sisting on speech. TO satisfy them
finally snatched up sheet. threw 1t
around me. toga fashion, and thus cos
TUNED strode before the curtain. Said
1: My friends. how can you reason
ably insist on a speech? Virginius is
dead, Appius Claudius ~ dead, Icilius is
dead and l am dead Then came n
shrill voice from the gods, saying:
What have you done with the other
idiot?' That was too much for me.
fed precipitately."
il Il /
Regarding the production Of "The
Fencing Master" at the Academy of
Music this evening an engagement of
especial interest is expected 1t will
introduce Miss Katherine Germaine as
Francesca. the strong priina donna role,
which affords such rare opportunities
for an artistic to show her talents. and
made Marie Tempest famous. The
company is we'll balanced throughout.
many of the cast being the same as
those that supported Miss Tempest In
the opera, which is the strongest, work
Of De Koven and Smiths numerous
successes and far NOR durable in the
public ear than either Robin Hood
or Rob Roy" The musical conduc-
tors chair is occupied by Signor A.
Tomasi, who directed for eight years
with Nine. Emma Abbott. and led 1.-THE
Fencing Master" when Marie Tempest