The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-04
Special Correspondence of Tho Tribune.

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Jones has adopted for his new Lyceum
play the curious and not very tasteful
or tactful title of Michael and His
Lost Angel" In spite of the suggested
pun on 4 very solemn feast day in sew
eral churches, namely Sept. 20, dedi-
Gated to st. Michael and all Angels"
am told that the play is not q farce,
but very serious and solemn drama.
The hero's part, played OF course py
Mr.. Forbes Robertson, just done with
Romeo and Juliet" is obviously called
Michael, and the Lost Angel is the
character Of the heroine. which will be
acted in spite Of all statements to the
contrary, by Mrs. Patrick Campbell.
The new play, which is said to be the
masterpiece of its gifted author. will be
produced by Mr.. Daniel Frohman in
New York almost simultaneously with
the Lyceum performance. and in order
to secure the copyright in America the
whole of the piece has been phono-
Eraphed in London and dispatched to
America. Should there be any mis-
takes in transmission it may be hoped
that there viii be found some error in
the title, for it couldn't be worse.
Michael might drop out and the Angel
remain.
Dear Mr.. George Alexander's next
venture is to be a dramatization Of
Anthony Hopes delightful story, "The
Prisoner of Zenda," by Alfred Rose. Il
prominent playwright. Mr.. Alexander.
of course. win again play hero, and the
rest OF the cast will be up to his excel
lent standard.
The Duke of York's theater comes to
the front also after Christmas with Il
marital play called Tommy Atkins" :"
successfully at Drury Lane. Tommy
Atkins" at the Duke of York's. and
''The Prisoner of Zenda' at ST. James
it is not likely that we shall Jack for ro-
mantle and wholesome plays. The
whispers that | hear about these three
from those that know whereof they
speak, tell me that they are of the sort
to stir up all the feelings OF natriotic
pride in their country that Englishmen
possess; and now that the flower of
their army is off again, killing and get
ting killed In Ashanti. these plays are
expected to fall very pat
The Ibcn Fad Dying Ont.
1t is a fact for remark that the real
lists and Ibtenists do not seem to he
getting much of finger in the dramatic
fire this season. The misery Of real life
has Withdrawn Itself from tho boards
for good while let us hope-and we are
to be regaled with a bit of healthy SEN
timent and romance as reward for our
too long endurance of the unhealthy
realist plays. Life itself is about the
most real thing there is. and to some
the most miserable. and these go to
plays To lose themselves for the nonce
in something more beautiful and lovely
than their own selves and surroundings.
Theatres, then. We're not built to make
the morbid still more so, and the happy
miserable, and the tendency for the
present seems to be to return TO the
hero who saves the leading lady just in
the nick Of time, and the heavy villain
who meets with the dire destruction
which he deserved and all that i'm
proved, modernized and beautitied
as eXtravagantly as only the managers
of today can do it.
The Decline Of Sims Reeves.
Sims Reeves is singing az Music
hall. and not the best of Music halls.
either, but at the Empire, where was
once the promenade against which Mrs.
Ormistor Chant waged such long and
bitter, but at last successful war. OF
all English tenors, doubt if there has
been one who has reigned in the hearts
of the bsllad-loving Englishmen so
long as this relict of Old times For
Sims Reeves is old, much too old to sing
well anymore, and it appears that If he
cannot be listened to anymore in con-
cert, he will betake his septuagenarian
voice on the variety stage He doesn't
need it, but like dozens of other rich
old artists, he will not give up. | see
by the papers too that nineteen-year-
old Mrs. Sims Reeves is TO make her
debut there also tomorrow l suppose
they do not sing so very well, but | do
know that am quite right in supposinS
that they receive an enormous amount
of money for singing there. Juli-t
might well ask whats in q name?' If
she had only asked me, l could have
told her that money Is in some names.
Supposing l had PATHS name now!
NY very palms itch to think of it and
nv purse. lying on the table before me,
opens of itself and yawns at me hun
grily.
Advice to Voeaiisis.
Apropos of music halls. a musical
paper. which is both respected and fear
less. gives today some frank and excel
lent advice to vOcalists. 1t pregses upon
them the claims of the music hall.
There is no more money in concerts,
writes the editor, land the sooner young
artists arc convinced of this plain truth
the better for them. OF the thousands
who wish to make a living out of their
musical education some may exc out
small pittance by laboriOus teaching:
some may get well paid by musical hall
singing, and the remainder will soon
be dis-ilusionized about making their
fortune by oratCrio or concert singing,
of whom not one in thousand is ever
paid anything more than the expenses.
Poor vocalsts, clinging still to q cruel
inhcspitable IDEAL! How many cap
able singer = starving in mute pride in
these days. for whom the concert room
has no charity and the music hall no
charm! How long will 1t be before
these ambitious and n,isled beings real
ize their hopeless fate? Today there
are $3.50 students at the Guildhal!
school alone; there are at the very low
est estimate at least $4,000 in London.
Some Of these are learning an instru-
ment, may be, but what a residue! And
year by year these huge numbers, Ike
hordes Of Goths. swoOp down upon the
profession and living becomes harder
and harder and terms cheaper and
cheaper.
Let them be brave and cast off this
empty PRIDE tnat Keeps the CUPBOARD
bare. Even a successful singer seldom
gets. over here, more than El0 week
on the concert stage; and out of this
there come all sorts Of expenses. There
would be better pay and more applause
upon the variety stage; and then these
asprants would join in an excellent and
desirable work, the clearing out Of idle
and ignorant and foolish persorages
who figure there at present from very
lack of better talent. and take no more
heed about giving artistic or faithful
service than the planet Saturn on the
nebula of Ursa Major! I am rot lover
of the varitey stage, nor should | wish
to go upon it myself. but there are
thousands OF other singers who would
not have any scruples In the matter.
and who no doubt would be better fitted
for such work also. and who would do
it well. For that, after all, is the ideal
~ hR lot CT