Birmingham state herald., 1896-10-11

vesper bells. She is beautifully educated
 1 the press.
 Sol Smith Russell has made a hit in "A
 Bachelors Romance" Arthur Forrest, | Bertha Creighton, Beatrice Moreland and 1 Fanny Addison Pitt are in the cast. |
 Louis James is presenting "spartacus. | the Gladiator" and will produce later on
 a new play called My Lord and Two Ladies'" It is laid during the reign of | Queen Anne of England 1 Lillian Russell has met with her usual | success in her latest opera, in which she l makesNher first appearance on the back
 or property elephant, la Wang" 1
 In an interview that Dramatic Mir
 TOT man had with Anna Held, she began l like this:
 Comment me trouvez vous, Mon- sieur?"
 ''Vous avez remparte un suecesfou." "Oui," she said very demurely, "j'apen | beaucup de success. Mais mes chansons sont bein Parislennes. nest ce pas, Mon sieur?"
 Then to economze time and labor, Miss l Held branched out into English, with oc- | casional lapses into French. Did you hear me sing my first night? | Oh, passed une nuit affreusei Je tais si e'mue! But Thursday night-then I was myself, vraimenti | distributed the prizes to the bicycle riders. It was very amusing" T want to ask you an important ques-
 tion. mademoiselle. It is a matter of dispute.
 "Dites?"
 Are you French or English" "Oh, l am Partisan, always. My pa- rents as we'll were Parisian. I do not like people to say I am English or Prus- sian. l am Parsian, monsieur. learned to speak English just for this country so that l might not appear late. I am still under contract to the ies-Bergere and the Scala in Paris. I am engaged there till 1900. But I should like to stay in America. Les Americans cont adorables! And the American hotels they are grand. l am stopping at the Netherlands I have three baths in my suite, one for myself, one for my maid, one for my dog Eh, am Jaime rAmerique I like your music halls. your newspapers, your noyels?"
 Have you read Trilby ?'' "Qu'est-ce que c'est que Trilby?" "C'est un Roman Anglais- "L'antcur?"
 .M Du Maurier'
 'Ah, George Du Maurier! Oh, shall read Trilby. I shall ask MT. ziegfeld to get it for me-"
 La volume de mademolselle, est en bas," announced Miss Held's maid. "Allnns! Now, monsieur you will write something nice about me in the 'The Mirror, mademoiselle." "Oh, the Mirror have read the Mir TOT often in Paris. Our artists think it a very admirable paper. Partonsr 'Bon jour, mademoiselle!" "Au revoir, monsieur!" MT. Louis James, the distinguished tra- gedian, plays an engagement of one night at OBrien'S tomorrow evening. He will present the old Forrest and Mccullough version of "Spartacus, the Gladiator" The role of Spartacus Is one of the most forcible characterizations in MT. James repertoire. We always think of Louis James as Marcus Brutus, Antony or Vir- ginius. and those who are familiar with his genius along these lines are already assured that his portrayal of the gladia- tor of ancient Rome is one of his great est achievements. A character that is l like diamond in the rough; that Is hero- | ic in strength and majestic in action; that has the arena of Rome for background this is the striking figure which Louis James will present to our playgoers MT. James is supported by well select ed compnay. The stage settings will be a faithful reproduction of that period when all Rome ran wild with excitement | over the gladiatorial contests. | MT. James includes in his repertoire this | season Hamlet" "Othello," King Lear," Julius Caesar" and a new play entitled
 My Lord and Two Ladies" | Georgia Cayyan made her first appear | ance as a star the past week at Palmer's | in Mary Pennington, Spinster." It tells l an every day story of a Platonic friend- | ship that was not 0 successful experi- 1 mept.
 William Gillette has just put on a pro- | nounced success at the Garrick. The TO- mance which is from the pen of MT. Gill | lette, is entitled Secret Service" The | scenes are laid in Richmond at the time | the city was threatene by the federal | army. The author has for his heroine young southern girl, who falls in love with a northern officer. He is a member l of the United States secret service, and has been detailed to secure control of the Richmond telegraph office. He enters the | city disguised as a wounded cavalry sol | dier and makes love to this girl, who is the daughter of the commanding general. By playing this part he hopes to be able to send the false dispatch to the Confed- crate general. In the end he finds him. self deeply in love, and refuses the post she has secured him for fear of impli- cat ting her. When his identity is discov- cred there follows the usual court-martial and death sentence. At the last moment he is offered an native-either death or to remain in Richmond and sever his relations with the federal army. The southern girl by his side makes hesitation | impossible and forces us to forgive his unpatriotism. It is said that MT. Gillette has mania for giving his heroes his per- sonal characteristics He Is a young dil- ettante, and has won for himself an ens viabe reputation as a writer of plays. Everybody in New York is still buying tickets to see Anna Held and hear her sing a lot of songs that have been heard all the summer in the music halls of Lon don and Paris. Night after night the foy-
 CTS are thronged with fascinated crowds, the orchestras finger over their melodies, the footlights are fiared and "the plays the thing"
 Universal sorrow has been expressed | in America at the hopeless illness of AL exander Salvini the younger He is at Nagloli, near Siena. There has been for some time the gravest hopes entertained of his recovery, and now the malady has been pronounced incurable. These sad tfdngs from Italy have brought deep sad ness to MT. Salvini's many friends in America. Aside from his ability to rank as histrionic star, this handsome young actor is personally a most genial and de- l lightful companion.
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