The sun., 1896-10-05
NOTES OF THE STAGE.
THEdERIlL DANCERS ACCOMPLISH
DIFFICULT FEAT WELL.

from time to time unsuccessfuily tried on oui
| stage eau be seen now at the Olympia in sur.
/ prisinRly complete and expert form. Aeria
/ ballets have been tried here more than once bu
| they have always failed. There was an attempt
| at one several years ago In another music hall
| and the desperate expressions on tho faces OF
| the disconnected women who were yankcd into
| the air by n wire and then allowed TO swing
! in any direction have never been forgotten by
the spectators who happened IT, be present
at their frat and only appearance. Their expe-
rienoe showed plainly the difficulties in the
effort. They were able to get Off their feet and
so long as they squarely faced the audience
could look pleasant; but the moment they be-
gan to swing and swing they would-there was
apparently no power that could ever again get
them into the positions they ought to have GO
cupied. No amount Of effort on their parts
could bring them around in way that put
them where they ought to have been: and when
they finally did succeed 1t was only heeting
view Of their frightened, troubled faces
which the audience saw. The same thing
had been much better done ten years or more
before by little English woman named Lillian
Lancaster. who came over in burlesquc com
pnny sent to Wallack's old theatre by George
Conquest. She got through the air on the end
OF wire with considerable grace and selt-pos-
session. But even her efforts were not COM
plete success. for one night the wire broke and
she received such serious IN iuries TINT her nan
In the days OF the ole "Black Crook women
used to be let UP and down On wires but there
was never any attempt to create the illusion OF
flying through thc mir.
But the troupe at the Olympia presents this
particular form OF ballet in what Is practically
perfect form. Tho women move through the
air with entire ease; little or no mechanism
Is Visible, rand and their poses are Ernsefnl ard arc
posed and their actions Rre quite free from
Lhs jerkiness usually attending such efforts.
t1,rH IA kn. Ia IL Nta
straint rs birds. and no higher compliment
could be paid To any one who attempts to fly or
ballet Mt the Olympia quite deserves it. for the
performance is exceptionally beautiful aud
seems to Oe the nrst complete success In diff
Ing so attractive in its line has been seen in New
York for many day. The women pose grace
Eeniously devised. In the air they are astonish.
ing
Whenever fashion decides that womens
headgear shall assume unusually large proper
tiOns there is an immediate Outcry against hats
In the theatre, and the present agitation in
favor OF uersuading women that they ought to
be satisfied to sit barcheaded in the playhouses
is not nearly so active TO date as others in the
past have BEEN nor is there any more proba
bility OF its accomplishing any permanent re-
suit. About ten years ago there was vigorous
ana rabid di cusslon of the subject. which died
that she owed it to her fellow creatures
to sit without hat in the theatre. At the
Lyceum Theatre, which was then under the
control Of Helen Dauvray, a rule was passed
requiring women 70 leave their hats in the
dressing ro pm provided, or. at least. that neces.
s!ty was urged upon them as cmphatically AS
printed and exigent signs could do it. y sutfI-
cientIy large force of maids was on hand to help
on the good work, but the scheme failed entire
~, just as Il alwsy: VIII fail here. Even at the
opera. which Is attended by audiences more
a N n hn
Ftill wear bonnets, and it is not likely that
mex; season WIN bring forth any change
ley Lyceum German society gave the
fret OF series OF invitation performances. and
nounced that 1t would be necessary for tho
women present TO remove their hats. Most OF
them objected and one OF the officers of thv So
ciety made an effort by personal persuasion to
get OF the offending hats. hut many OF the
women refused either to take them OF or to
should leave the building. The Vice President
of the club Threatened, and caioied The
women's escorts pleaded with them and it
looked for while as though there might be a
deadlock and the performance never go
and the play Was given before Ss spec1a,"r. 1s who
were as bedeckeI as The average audience is. II
Is usually tn n New York theatre regarded as
sign that she comes from another town when u
woman takes her ha; of. and those that do 1t
generally wear such smal hats that il would do
needs big hat to destroy utterly mans en-
toyment of the theatre. One aigrette can
Women 90 TO most OF the Pur.s theatres with
their hats on. although in some OF item certain
sections OF the house are reserved for the hnt.
les. ones. In the German theatres. the rule |.
strictly enforced. and it s d fticult matter tor
a woman to escape the vgilnuc" Of the door
Keepers. Sometimes the Americans succeed in
doing Il, but rarely. There the rule is applied
almost as vigorously To men, who nre compelled
afterTard is a lite intense. but the general
result Is an Increase In comfort. Men
there do not need their hats as every
nj flsir
tion between the acts is provided IN tho
building, IN london wher" Tie people who "c-
fu, evening dress. there are OF course no mats,
aud probably any woman who attempted 10
very little likelihood that the proporcd reform.
c!, ll2ed, reasonable and convenient AS II Is
viii be introduced here American women
dress better than any others at the theatre, md
n great many Of them dress little bit better at
the theatre than they do anywhere else and
such an Important point Of the dress as the hat
Is not likely to be surrendered without a struG-
gle. II 1t ever he surrendered at oil.
BESSIE Bcllwood. who died recently in London,
was born in Ireland. in Monkstown. near tho
city of Cork, and her real name was Eliznbeth
Ann Catherine Mahony. Although most of
her life had been passed in London. she WAS
proud Of her Irish birth. and always apDlOgiHed
for the fact that she had cockney accen, In.
stead Of an Irish brogue. Shc claimed as ono
Of her great uncles Father Prout. aud one OF
her uncles was James Mahony. an artist who
worked with CruikShRuk ON his illustrations
OF DtcXens's works. Patrick Mahony. we'll
known English war correspondent was another
ana the most valued of ner pOshessons WAS an
old teapot with the SKlbbcreen Eagle for
a spout and the harp OF Ireland for u
hnUdle, Which she PFoulIy claimed was an heir
loom tnat Lad descendcdtto nor from An irish
SHE WAS reared in South I.UuuUnAud
Eer family Was 40 poor that sha was frrqucntIy
Compsl!ed - geek work among the mop pickcrs
in Kent. Size began u sing ia the music halls
at : and appeared al lrst for nothing. although
che Lad DOen through II course OF regular prep
ata.!on for tho business, her hrst .ptciRIty
having been ECGumel.Ia! ballads, II lIue OF work
which she coon abandoned. she appeared as
'' all extra at tho smaller LnnuOn hnlls until
her first regular engagement brought her a
balhrJ OF slQa week Sne found better employ
mrnt shortly afttrwaId, but her reputation
Il I'd not grow untl! she got hold of n comic
soag particularly suted to her powers This
was tNe commencement Of the class of work in
whicn she ultimately became famous. "'E's
got wooden .tg ana n tall white at" was tho
name of the duty. and she sung II for many
years afterward. First in the rung she INTRO |
duCed the conversation between The verses
which became one of Tie most regular features
OF her work, and revealed always he qualities /
Of her personality. Whatever may have been