Birmingham state herald., 1896-11-01
GOSSIP OF THE STAGE.

" of modern times, and when the dominant figure of the Corsican conqueror throws it's glamor over the fancy of the reading world, it is perhaps especially appro- priate that such a play as Josephine, Empress of the French" should be brought to the attention of the communi- ty. It vivifies the thing. It gives entities, distinct characters to the story. What the picture in illustration attempts to ac- complish Is far better shown on the stage, where the figures move and speak and are living reality. And in play so carefully built up, so conscientiously true, even to details, what help we find it to the Napoleon literature. Here IS Talleyrand, subtle and unprincipled, ex- hibited in all his personality, his little traits carefully studied and reproduced, his manner neatly initiated; here is the magnificence of Murat and his knightly dash and loyalty here is the sweetness and exceeding womanhood of Josephine. the brute force and foxy cunning or Frouche; the gayety and lovelness or Hortense, and the intensity, the passion, the compelling might of Napoleon him. self. Thus Rhea and her excellent com pany will present Josephine, Empress or the French" at the Wednesday matinee,
 which is given especially that the ladies may see her in this most absorbing char acter. The engagement is only for one day, and on Wednesday night she Will present Schillers version of the life or the famous woman known to history as Mary Queen of Scots." Beautiful be- yond compare, learned, and at all times
 remarkably fascinating, yet she fell a
 prey to the envy and ambition or Ellza-
 beth, and after nineteen years Of lmpfls-
 onment was beheaded at FotherlnghaV.
 The play is familiar to all lovers Of hlS-
 torical subjects and has been interpreted
 by many of the leading artists or the
 world. Rhea, like many of her predeces-
 sors, does not believe in the guilt of Mary
 Stuart of the many crimes charged
 against her. She has made deep study
 of this woman and has anyalyzed most carefully and infinitely everything in her life which has been written. In her DOT
 trayal of the character, she presents a
 woman-a queen-in whom much su1ler- ing and many prosecutions have not been
 able to extinguiSh the strength Of mlnd
 that enabled her to bear the atflict1ons
 which beset her through life, yet who,
 withal, never forgot the dignity due to
 her rank, nor lost the faith which enapled
 her to bear so heroically the hand of God
 in the heavy afflictions of her later days'
 HARRY WILLIAMS "A BOWERY GIRL"
 simple everyday succession of events and a series of pictures of New York lire make up the ingredients employed by Ada Lee Bascom in her play, "A Bowery Girl" Yet there is so much that IS real istic and genuine, so much that takes hold of the realities of life in great clty, that it appeals to everyone. What coun- try boy has not heard of New York. the metropolis of America, and who has not pictured in his mind the famous Bowery of that city, probably the best known street in any city of the world, where all classes and characters congregate? Ihe play aims at once to be realistic ana
 melodramatic, with a mixture of comedy.
 It is built around characters who repre- sent the old region of what is identlhed with the history of New York city. Last
 season "A Bowery Girl' was great sue cess in New York, Boston, Chicago,
 Philadelphia, and all the large cities, and
 will undoubtedly continue to prove one of the best attractions as a melodrama for many years to come. "A BoWery Girl" with all it's scenic and mechanical effects. and the entire metropolitan com pany, headed by the clever comedienne, Florrie West, will be produced at the opera house Thursday night next
 PLAYED TO GREAT BUSINESS. The following telegram to the state Herald tells of the greeting accorded Ro-
 land Reed, who will appear at U brien s
 next Saturday: oo
 Savannah, Ga, Oct. 30.
 To State Herald, Birmingham. Ala:
 The largest house of the season greeted Roland Reed tonight. The Wrong MT.
 Wright" proved the greatest hit or years
 and received repeated curtain calls.
 T. D. MURPHY,
 Editor Press.
 Mo storbas ever appeared in New York
 that has met with such favorable criti- cisms from the press and public as Mag pie Cline has the past week at the Grand opera house. where she made her metro
 politan debut as star in "On Broad-
 way" The receipts for the week from
 the opening night steadily increased, and
 standing room only was displayed at eV- cry performance, and we are creditably informed that her receipts at the Grand opera house were by far the largest the house has had this season. Indeed so great was her success that Managers Will Hams and Pitou tried to buy off other attractions and keep her at the Grand opera house for run, but so many at- l fractions were booked at the Grand that | it was impossible to make the change. Miss Cline will appear again in this city soon. and she will undoubtedly test the seating capacity of the house where she plays, Maggie Clne's success as a star | Is firmly esta blished, and she will be one l of the big drawing cards on the road this season, as her reputation is not connned
 to New York, but is national.
 Thousands upon thousands of people have laughed at the pictures of Brownies drawn by Palmer Cox. They are known ably the funniest characters ever origi- mated. If they have heretofore been run nv on paper, think how much funnier | they must be on the stage. In the big c. B. Jefferson, Klaw & Erlanger spec tacniar production, Palmer Coxs | Brownies" which will be seen at the op- era house soon. the dude, Chinaman, po- l liceman, Indian, Dutchman and some l thirty other Brownie types are shown. Their very looks, to say nothing of their | comical antics, send the audience into | convulsions of laughter. In the play they are shipwrecked and huge bird seizess l the Brownie dude by his trousers seat and carries him high up into the air. They l also experience the dangers of an earth quake and volcano, the latter of which !! they attempt to extinguish with an old l fashioned fire engine "The Brownies 1 ran for 15O nights in New York, and the crowds the gorgeous spectacle drew were 1 enormous. It was the talk of the whole metropolis In Chicago. Boston and Phil l adelphia it also created a sensation. The c. B. Jefferson, Klaw & Erlanger produc- | tion is full of beautiful women, charming pallets, novel specialties, etc, with every thing to delight the eye and ear, and it is the finest spectacular production that has vet been made in America. Seats for the great attraction are now on sale.