The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-14
THEATRES IN HOLY WEEK.
THE ONLY VIEW MATTER PRESENTED
Is IN YAUDEHHLE.

The last CtN ia LChb o. no NV y uUNol VI
dramatic novelty; and yet there is no lack of
Mays at tho theatres. The Monday changes of
nils brought "Pudd'nhoad Wilson" to the Har-
lem Opera House, Sowing the Wind" to the
Grand Opera House. brian Boru" to the Acad-
amy OF Music, and those former Broadway en-
,srtalnments arc being given In excellent fash.
Inn. The weeks pieces are "McCarthy's Mis-
haps" at the Murray Hill, "a Lions Heart" at
the Star, I'm Hogan's Alley" at the Peoples,
and "a BOY Wanted" at tho Columbus, and
zach OF the companies Is headed by n popular
actor. The plays that hold over are Tho Wed.
ding Day" at tho Casino, Under the Red
Robe" 1T The Empire. "Tess OF the D'Urber.
yillcs at the Fifth Avenue. "Never Again - ut
the Garrick, Miss Manhattan" ut wallack's,
"The serenado" at the Knickerbocker "Courted
INTO Court" at tho Bijou, "The Girl from
Paris" at the Herald Square, and "The Tenn
pest" In alienation with "The Geisha" at
Days.
The wane OF the season has no effect on tho
smount Of vaudeville diversion offered. At
Kcith's continuous show there are two innings
Of short farce, besides tho usual roster of special
lists. Frank Bush is at Proctor's Theatre, but
the three-aot farce in which he appears is so like
q variety show that the nature Of the perform
ance Is little changed by its introduction. Pas.
tors leaders are, Harrigan, Maud Raymond.
Hope Booth, and the sidmans: Sunday. per.
will Be- a fine one next Sunday, from which Man.
ager Harry s. Sanderson will benefit.
BaTlssaass that are in greater or less degree
offered at the music halls. ain Gayest Mammal.
tan" the Meers brothers. and Leonidas's cats
the prews and Caron and Herbert are retained
at Weber s Felds's. " In Great New York"
Dan Leno and Charles B. Sweet hold forth at tho
olympia. The Pleasure Palace presents "Tcss
ofthe vaudevilles." Henry Lee and Ballard the
bard. Wax statues of Cuban and Greek patriots
are made conspicuous at the Eden Musee. and a
contest of gum chewing IL on at Huber's Mu-
scum.
"A Pantomime Rehearsal" bears transference
to the continuance shows very we'll. At Keith's
1t at first occupied only about thirty-lve min
utes. and although 1t was entertaining through
out this was considered altogether too long, and
ten minutes were taken from 1t. AS played
here the climax Is an explosion in the wings that
drives the rehearsing amateurs Off the stage in
fright. In the version that Rosina vokes used
more than 800 times the author-stage manager
had his would-be burlesquers grouped In an
effective tableau, and was giving instructions
for an impressive ending when dinner time was
announced and his pupils all deserted him. In all
else the farce seems unchanged, and a good
measure of fun comes from tho blunders OF the
amateurs, whose ambition is based entirely on
vanity, and who will not recognize the slightest
I u " Ill lutIT SttRD manager. a
speciality that comes close after this farce points
the present range OF variety in vaudeville. 1t
falls to Kaoly, an eqpilibrist, who between feats
OF balancing twists his arms out of joint and
performs various tricks that would seem to In
dicate a short career for him. In one Of his exer-
folded. and gets to his feet without touching
hands or arms to the floor and without rolling
over: Again a., he s stands Ssn on a table, bends over
and then lifts himself back to his frst
POSITION. In this. as in some OF his
impressing his watchers with the difficulty
OF his task, and he makes his wrestle with his
own weight as spectacular as possible. A stage
hand, whose face expresses a stern, sclf-sacihcing
devotion to duty. is set to hold down one side OF
the table, When the performer begins TO lift
the gurgle that the gods love to hear from
thrott!ed abductors, foreclosers of mortgages on
ne old farm, and from purloiners of papers
the twirler's face gets where his audience cam
no! see II, his progress toward erectness quick
sweet smile by the time he turns around.
The first number in the bill at Proctor's
Theatre falls to Maym Kelso and Harriet Stir
ling. who have what the programme describes as
"a novelty sketch" 1t was written by Clay VI.
Greene. and is remarkable for including a new
method OF introducing ballad singing. That
song which specialists allude TO as the ono they
used to sing down by the stone wall at the old
home has been every popular ditty that ever
was penned, and SO. too, the long list of favored
songs has been gone over while one specialist
waits for the companion who Is late a-purpose.
BY the Clay N. Greene method the vocalist Is
made TO sing. and the question of salary doesn't
figure in the compelling. The singer is con.
fronted by a woman whom she believes TO be a
c~angerous lunatic. The latter fri9htens the
other almost into Mysteries and then de-
rendered il the vocatist's best manner. The
variety show vocalisn, but the way it is brought
sGopt - the item OF novelty. Liberty is taken
with the cinematographe at Proctor's, and with
curious results. 1t consists OF reversing a view
: taat az the photographed motions are done
s S%Sn" "a The scene is a swimming school; A
t Two dive from high fpringboards into a
ae Diver, AS a5o the picture Is first shown the
ring: When the him is reversed the splash OF
water Is seen first; then the diver rises from tho
twenty feet above. and then runs rapidly back
"a a ~ 10 me point OF his starting. A dozen dives |
s tb thHs done backward. and the reproduction OF
~ "details as was the showing in their natural or
S / !. hesortlng to this dcvice to attain va
ESety may be significant as well as curious.
~ reproduction OF instantaneous photo
SSoapps g came Hs a successor, to the shameless
ago. When these assaults on decency w season as
bbneir height. almost every variety show and
Ce.esdue IN me land having a more or less elab- |
d hSn II slk1ltl OF Inrlr end came |
r. onflesques OF them. done In "l492," tho bur.
ssqug In which the fashion for nastiness was
o nj Inc spread OF the moving photographs was
sune as RAPID as that OF living pictures, and the
TTRPparatu5 Tor displaying them 10 numerous.
in w ehn may DO approaching. Anyway, the
dMNehtor VINO has a device ready TO make anovel
SS,spiay OF a half hour or an hour on the variety |
eager hearing. "NN ~"
me new version OF "Gayest Manhattan" at |
Ao''cF q Balls leaves out most of tho IN |
saGe'uai matter and puts specialties in the place
1N' Inc play starts with the dramatlo re-
neaf'AI In Central Park, as before, but all cohe-
ZION and continuity OF purpose are quickly aban- |
eu"ea'a and tho second act Is composed almost |
s''Se'her OF songs, dances. and marches. ].
sA''r'e Matthews and Harry Bulger are now
sOH'hhht IN tho proceedings. They arc comic
Ss%mneiians, favorably. regarded in the variety
EassSss ana uley Introduce their witty dialogues.
IrSSJi.ueS assuming characterB in the piece. Flo
& ~. Netue Lytord, Merri Osborn and Robert
-TptIaham are also contributors TO The nonsense,
turned natural behavior Of apes in captivity is
f INat would probably be the antics OF any mon.
III under tho circumstances Is made TO look
h., IN rethhrkable training. The specially Is
49, INTO the music halls burlesqlie with lesa
p,etat1ry matter than goes with q wartime