The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-18

uofv weak Wa. observed by al OF the
theatres in town and not Egnt ghm-
u1erei from esther the Seattle theaser nor
ths Third Avenue theater, unless the iop-
ping over OF its engagement OF the Iown
Topics" company for an extra night could
be called an sacroachrnent upon the last
seven days OF the season Of sack cloth and
ashes IN the first line OF the above para
graph the adjective "aif' Is used advss-
ediy, for even south OF the dead line.
where entertainment fourishes during all
OF the months OF the season. the SOUNDS
% the sQueaking fddles and the thinking
of pianos have been hushed In the variety
houses There may not have been any
reason for this except that II occurred so,
but the fact contributed 10 the observance
of holy week and the use OF the word 10
justified. There may, however, have been
something back of IL all. Many perform
ers on the variety stage are Roman
Catholics and many OF the patrons or the
vaudeville houses are or the same rehgious
belief. and, after all method or sincerity
may have prompted the darkenfng or the
windows and the closing OF the doors for
the last week Of Lent.
This week viii find the two uptown
houses pitted against each other; each
with popular price attraction Al the
Seattle theater Ida Fuller, supported by
high-class vaudeville company, comes Tor
four nights, and the Frank ReaGick COM
pany opens tomorrow night at the Third
Avenue for the remainder OF the week,
presenting Monte Cristo" for three
nights and "The Fugitive" for the bal
ance, with the usual Saturday matinee
Seattle does not get Fanny Davenport
after all. and so the talk about the sl.eo
guarantee was simply talk and Seattle is
ne ny rF sufficient imnnrf4nce
as a show town TO justify her coming.
This Is a question that the theater-going
element should consider seriously. 1t
brings up the matter of Mr.. Heiligs prom
ises in the early part of the season. /
have Just looked over the seasons biil-of-
fare with which the public palate was
tempted. when the Cay Parisians form
ally opened the season at the leading play
house. Up to and including Mr.. James \.
HerRes Shore Acres the list furnished
by Mr. Heilig for publication in the Post
Intelligencer named twenty-six attrac-
lions, OF which eleven have appeared in
this city and one OF this eleven appeared
under another manager. OF the fifteen
remaining ones was Alexander Salvini.
who died before his season in this country
commenced. 1t is only fair for US TO
blame death and not Mr.. Heilig for the
non-appearance in this city of that great
romantic actor. But the other fourteen
remain unsccounted for. l quote the
paragraphs that my announcement on
September 10 last included, which Mr..
Heilig authorized as the bills following
Shore Acres: Murray & Mack; "Old
Hoss' Hoey In THE Parlor Match" Mag
gle Cline. the original tough" girl:
Charles Frohman's company, in For Fair
Virginia." Georgia Cayvan, whom we
have not seen for a number of years; Otis
Skinner, who was for years Modjeska's
leading man: Primrose q Vests min
strels: f. NJ. and Joseph Holland. and
Fanny Davenport, ably supported by Mel
borne Mcdowell. in Sardous "Gismonda."
This viii be the last season of Sardou's
past successes, so far as Fanny Davenport
is concerned, and every effort will be made
to make ii a notable success.
"The above list has rarely IL ever been
excelled and does not include all of the
good things that are promised, as Mr..
Heilig is stiil In negotiation with other at
fractions. the dates for which have not
yet been fixed. For those. however. who
can enjoy In anticipation a feast of theat-
rical morsels. the contracts already signed
furnish a bin OF fare that the epicures
may smack their lips over"
Fanny Davenport appears In the above
list as the last positive booking for Seattle
by Mr.. Heilig. and the fact that she plays
with the exception of Saturday night all
the following Monday in Spokane for two
nights, leads TO the belief that the an
nouncements OF attractions that the list
contains preceding her were also made
without any good reason.
Now the funny part OF the Davenport
business is that she is among the heavy
weight attractions that Mr.. Heilig enum-
Grated to me as being against the theatre
cal syndicate. Mr.. Heilig said that he had
allied himself as far as sympathies went,
with the syndicate's opposers. Most OF
these big attractions visit the Pacific
Northwest once In two or three years, and
some OF them have never been here. 9th
ers have Sworn or from the coast and
may never come again. Still this Is the
shabby way Miss Davenport treats Mr..
Heilig's two houses north Of Portland.
She viii not stand by him in his opposition
10 the syndicate and visit the towns
where he Is conducting theaters. This can
be the only reason, as certainly nobody
could accuse Mr.. Heilig OF sighting Seat
tie and Tacoma Intentionally.
About the only things we have TO talk
about M this way Is the syndicate or the
syndicate. The former Mr.. Heilig
has taught US TO believe is the reason
why we don't have attractions at the Sc
attic theater; consequently. we should
hate the syndicate. but what are we to
do when one OF the big bugs OF the ants
comes along and passes by on the other
side? William 4. Brady has eight COM
uanles out: he hires hundreds OF actors
and actresses. musicians. agents and me-
chanics and is one Of the great producers.
He was interviewed in Kansas City few
days ago and declared himself as follows.
''The theatrical syndicate, Why. II VIII
Kill Itself I'm not in IL and don't have 70
be. II owns the earth and makes 10 per
cent sitting on velvet in New York. I'll
tell you how il Will fan down. Because it
shuts out producers. I'm a producer. Next
10 Frohman I have more companies out
than any man in America. Next year I
won't have any. The syndicate VIII freeze
out shows that arn't great winners. hence
no one VIII take the risk 10 try new pro
auctions on don't care. III come here
10 Kansas CITY ard take the Glliss. or
any other old thing. and make SO os0 IN
season. I can make money anywhere"
Tonight Manager ". II. Russell. Of the
Third Avenue theater IS rendered bis an
uual complimentary benefit by his friends
ln this city. and BY many % Seattle's
brightest amateurs "a well AS . long string
% professional performers I have not
had a chance 70 see a copy OF the pro-
vramrne but know some OF its features.
The Frank Readlck company. that comes
for the week VIII open the entertainment
with the fourth act % Monte Cristo, 20 be
followed bv q number OF speCialtles by
both professionals and amateurs. and the
Town Topics" company on tts way east,
Win stop over night and play tas last
Of "a