The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-06
Salt Lake. June 5.


Dear Hal:
I was not present at the obseouies
of the Wright Huntington company
tonight 1 dropped in at the matinee
this afternoon, to note that there was a
little spirit in the business, but it was,
alas, a spirit that came too late to be
of much service to unfortunate Jay
Rogers and Frank Hatch, on whom the
loss of the Huntington venture falls
1t is said on the rialto that these two
gentlemen, who hire the house from
the owners. pay the orchestra and the
stage hands and foot the advertising
bills, guaranteed Mr. Huntington the
sum of $500 per week. or 81. 400 for the
four weeks Salt Lake season. The
other fixed expenses are $500 a week.
a total of $1,000. and as the receipts
during the whole of the Huntington en-
Ragement have not averaged more than
$500 or $780, il is easy TO see that The
local managers are out from 81, 200 to
81. 600 on their four weeks experiment.
While the result is regrettable il can
not be said that it is anything more
than natural One would suppose that
Jay Rogers. who has served his ap-
premiership in the theatrical trade.
knew enough about the temper and
tastes of Salt Lake audiences to he
measurably certain of what they want
~ anu " nat tAltf QlQil Will Win
this knowledge, it is matter of sur
prise:
First-That the Huntington company
should have been allowed to present
four plays. three of which were not
novelties, and two of which were chest
nuts.
Secondhand the prices should have
been advanced for the matinees, after
they had been kept stationary during
the days Of Frawley. Ingersoll. Ed
wards, Remark, Warren and Bate
man.
Third-That the Huntington company
should have been announced on fiaring
Is sheet stands as the strongest COM
pany ever engaged at this house"
Fourth-That it should have been en-
gagged at all.
This may sound harsh. but is it not
true? Should not a Salt Lake man
3ger, knowing his audience thoroughly,
have been able TO decide after seeing
one performance by the Huntington
company, that the people were not I'D
to the standard of the companies which
had preceded them at the Grand?
When Mr.. Huntington appeared in Salt
Lake before, he left a pleasant impress
sion, 1t is true, but he was PLAYING
then with Miss Bateman, Clarke Cook.
Warde and other popular favorites Mr..
Rogers should have realized that Mr.
Huntington would only be strong as
one of strong assembly, and frankly
speaking, the present assembly does
not MT that description. L was a great
success in Denver we are told, and il
looks little as though Mr. Rogers had /
allowed the glare OF the Denver tri-
umph to blind him to the fact that |
Salt Lake audiences are the hardest on /
earth TO please. For one thing. Salt /
Lake IS over particular on the question
of leading ladies and Miss CHAPMAN (
mas unfortunately not succeeded in !
stepping into the place left vacant by +
either Bateman, Warren or Remark. (
She is an actress of forceful-rather TOO /
forceful-methods. and her style is best
suited to the tragic or the drama of (
medieval days Salt Lake demands /
talent allied with good looks: Miss Val
Ieau had one without the other. Miss
Belgarde had the other without the
one Both failed.
The company. it is said. disbands to-
night Held by the Enemy has at
tracted fair attention. though not all
1t deserved II has been better done
mere both by the old Home club. who
made vastly more Of the bombardment
and the falling wall scene-and by nro-
iesslonal companies. But as done by
the Huntingtons il would have gone
with whirl, but for the altar of chest
nuts scent that hung round it still"
MARGE