The sun., 1896-10-26
TOPICS OF THE THEATRE.
FIGRT For A FARCE BETWEEN
MIR. FROHMiN AND Mr.. BRIDF.
Alexander sAiv,nr. Epthu.,n.uO Audiences

"A New ENhtbit In the Eden MuSeo
| Chnmbrr OF Horrors-Engiish Actors
sent Flowers to Mr.. Abbey's Funeral.
II an American play is not performed in Eng
land prior to its use on the stage hero II cannot
be protected against pirates In that country. 1t
10 usual therefore, before producing such \
piece In New York to have 1t purfunctorily acted
in London. A cheap theatre is hired for an af
ternoou. second-rate &C tors are engaged to mem
orize the parts. the doors are opened To the pub
lie. and the representa- alton required by law for
copyright purposes is given. This was not done
with My Friend from India" however and
the unexpected value developed by that farce
made a prize for English grabbers. To forestall
them two Of our managers each obtained a copy
of the play, and IN authorization TO take 1t to
the British metropolis, and they are racing
across the Atlantic TO see which shall get II on
the stage there frat. Charles Frohman bought
the moral right from Mr.. Du Chachet. and VIM.
A. Brady made the same sort OF purchase from
Smyth & Rice. the managers, who own the play
| for America. Mr.. Frohman sent his stage man
ager Mr.. Humphreys. to London with his cory,
and arranged by cable to bring it out in hurry,
with w. 5. Penlsy leading the company. MIR.
| Brady telegraphed to n London manager to pre-
pare quickly to produce it. The rival agents
| probably reached London with the manuscripts
| yesterday. Thus 1t seems likely that there will
be two productions OF the farce over there, ne
Mr. fTOnnihn anu MT. Brauy nave money anu
facilities in plenty and neither is likely to back
down. The einterestng contest will he as to which
can can KHs .hn s m t & as ne rs. II
there should be one. " My Friend from India"
might not make EnGlishmen laugh at all. In
| the meanwhile, the author Is enjoying a success
| in celebrity but not in money. The work which
managers are now fighting for they would not
touch when IT was an uhtrrd manuscript, anI
| 30 1t was sold outright for moderate sum. aud
yields NO royalties to the writer.
nav and el.horet, pruducer of poose 1esh
has just been added to the Eden MusGe " Cham
ber OF Horrors" 1t 10 a group of nine figures
illustrating the manner Of punishment by tho
Spanish lnquisition. The central object Is n
male prisoner drawn up BY the wrists till hts
feet are clear of the floor. To them is attached
q heavy weight, and both wrists and ankles
bleed from the snackles, the latter so freely
that the blood drps to the floor In dark red
pool. His chest is bare and his face shows that
he isn't having pleasant time. One of the at
tendants is pulling at the rope that lifts this
man and at the other side of him is another
man engaged In toastng branding irons. At his
other side woman kueels with her hands up
masked masked judges. Beyond her stands her ; ss;
| ho will try upon her us soon as the
toasted irons have been cooled as per the
judges decree. The woman's face is sSonized
and her captors who do not look Ike agreeable
company for dark evening, srern to be enjoy
ing the show as much a. II they had paid to see
| pliance Of torture called the Iron Girl Va
hollow wooden figure in the snape of woman,
| hinged At one side to open at the other. BIG
spikes point Inward from its & SIDES; ana VII
| the figure. Other Instruments OF torture are
scattered about. just TO make things look pleas
| ant. all OF them genuine relics, once used IN
pris ners crossed by bright beams q! wt!te
light. so 10 bring them out conspicnously, but
the re.t ot the alcoNe IN which the group stands
Il dimy lit BY the red glow from the furnace
The whole exhibit is intensely grewsomc.
Alexander Salvni, who is reported as mortal
| ly I'll at his fathers house in Florence. Italy,
was always sure OF u cordial greeting here when
he produced new play appeared in new
role To attend on one of his first nights was to
be almost convinced that he could stay in this
city FOR half of the theatrica. season. though
the fact WAS that he found hardly any profit
with New Workers. lie formerly visited the
Star. where the behavior of the opening au-
dience was unfailngly remarkable. As the
theatre gradully hlied it would become apparent
to the close observer that almost every one in
the house knew many others in the gathering.
and. especially among the women. there was =
great to-Io OF nodding and smiling as wraps
were removed. These socially inclined persons
had not the air of first niShters, even of fire.
Quent visitors to play houses. and when one OF
them WAS seated in a box there was invariably
u mighty show OF pushing that chair away out
less favored acquaintance. In the greeting of
the actor the same newue,s was apparent and
1t seemed as IL he had attracted theatre full of
those who favored the drama only when hs
was its chief exponent. At hs frat entrance
there was a round OF hand -clarp!ng, ard at
every excussble point thereafter the approving
demonstration was repeated. II, as DOn CdSdr
or Ruv Bias he touched HIS sword hiIt. swaG-
Eered toward the footlights and gave tongue
to heroics. 1t was the signal for general ap-
plause. and as most % his piays abounded IN
references to his trusty blade, the racket was
well-nigh continual 1t did not. however, in
terrupt the speaker nor interfere seriously
with the progress Of the play, nnd It bore the
marks of genuincness. Transferred To The
Manhattan Opera House. now Roster & BaIs
the same degree of cordiaity met linl: so the
cause was not in the unfnIlihgly receptive mood
OF the stars frst n sht audiences AZ that time.
but in tho actor himself. There is no doubt that
his fathers fame helped him much, ana tho
lingering reminder in his speech OF strange
tongue stood for persistence and helped him
also. But. more than all. he was a big, hand
some fellow, whose manner and bearing were
especially well suited to tue rOHIantG charaC-
ter. he assumed. The oyerdrAmn incidents of
UArt1gdn'S career in some way took on at least
n spmblRnco Of probability ut Saivinls hsEds,
and between the rags of that characters downs
and the gayly picturesque attire % his ups there
was contrast that undoubtedly eudrared hrn
to the women OF his audiences. 1HE SuS long
ago pointed out that no actor Of Ike ability WAS
bo sure OF q rOusing greeting in this city.
In regard to the neglect OF some OF the foreign
actors who had been brought TO America under
the management OF the late Henry L. Abbey to
send expressions of SORROW at HIS death. Thomas
+. Calvin writes from Boston that as u florist,
he received orders by cable from John Hare.
Wilson Barrett. l5ecrbohm Tree. and Mrs. Tree
to send flowers 10 the funeral with words of
affectlonate remembrance attached.
The cheer which Burr Mcintosh melted his
fellow coliegians to give in the Princeton pa
rade. One, two three, four. five. sixteen 10 one
--nil!" is to be used extensively. it ~ said. in
next saturdays big sound money procession.
Eben PlymptUn /, the latest legitimate actor
to listen TO the jingle OF vaudeville dollars lilo
and Agnes Proctor are 10 play At kelth's soon IN
"Old Love Letters which bronson Howard
will coEdense n little for that purpose.
Charles Barnard, the play wright, has pre- pared
what hs calls u picture story" OF the Chau-
tauQua Assembly, and with words and views
will depict what goes on at that summer resort
OF knowledge. He il to give IT at the l04th
street Methodist church tomorrow night.
Nathaniel HartwIg, Il handsome aud vivid
actor. who has been two sea.0ns with Marie
aifk. rilylt hut ia nj vat kyal Nan,