The herald., 1897-04-04
Edited by Geo. A. Dickinson


time has been the engagement of Geor
gia Cayvan, which terminated last night
Although not patronized by crowded
houses, the fair actress has reason to b'
gratified with the close and intelligent
attention that the audience has, on eacf
occasion. given to her efforts and to those
Of her highly capable company. 1t Ii
not too much to say that when Miss cay
van comes this way again, with more
fortunate heralding of her visit, she will
be. not more warmly, but more numer-
ously welcomed.
Her company contains at least two
people for whom bright future may be
anticipated One of these, Miss Mary
Jerrold. is most charming and intelli-
gent representative of ingenue parts
ard. for one so young, shows marvellous
promise.
Orrin Johnson is also destined, appar-
entity. to make his mark. He has ac-
cepted a profitable engagement to sup
port Sol Smith Russell next season as MS
leading man. The experience ne WIN
thus gain will doubtless be useful, but he
has physical qualities that make him
specially adapted to romantic parts IN
the line followed by Feehter, and later
by young Salvini. Mr.. Johnson is an
enthusiastic, and even an impetuous
student of his art, and gives to every de-
tail of his work an amount OF conscien-
tiuus study that will land him one uay
on the highest walk of his chosen profess
sion.
The town can well afford to support
one cheap priced theater run with
stock company and presenting modern
plays of the lighter kind. The expert
L. .ha. IL fGr ~ q ~ a " g
ment soems to prove that there is a
large family patronage of the most re-
spectable kind for good clean comedies
and plays of domestic interest and even
for melodramas of the Uncle Tom 5
Cabin" order. The demand is, however
chiefly for amusement. and the fact
that plays which will fill this want are
sure of paying houses is evidenced by
the experience at the Burbank during
the first two weeks engagement OF
Harry Corson Clarke, when that delight
full comedian drew excellent houses that
increased in numbers nightly.
Unfortunately the Burbank manager
was under contract for the production
of a couple of melodramas. one of which,
of very pungent kind, has been run
ming during the past week with unsat-
isfactory results so far as the box office
is concerned. The Burbank patrons do
not appear to demand these highly sea-
soned dramas at any rate not to an
extent to make them profitable ventures.
This week the bill will be changed and
after the run of the Galley Slave"
which is a good piece of its kind, Mr..
Clarke will resume his position in the
company as leading comedian and will
have some excellent funmakers to put
upon the stage, in which he will take
the principal characters.
=. H., 4.
profession as one of the most persever-
ing aggressive and successful of ad-
vance agents. His energies are at the
present time devoted to Fanny Daven-
ports interests and in the course of his
historical, archaeological and theatrical
researches he has come upon the facts
given in the very entertaining article be-
low:
Just what implements We're used in
Ehe ancient Athenian theaters from the
time of the founding of Odeon. 500 Il. c.,
about the time when Aeschylus the
Grecian Father of Tragedy" perfected
the drama, and Agathareus invented
perspective scenery, is open TO debate.
Certain it is. however, that almost ev
cry character of weapon has played its
part in the usually solemn and sacred
stage tragedies at Athens.
During the time in which Sardou has
laid his "Gismonda" scenes the bat
tie axe, spear, knife and sword We're
among the most prominent hand weap
Dns, and the opportunity to introduce an
instrument for murder different from
those used in his former plays was prob
ably why the French dramatist select
ed the first named for Gsmonda to sley
Zaccaria. Since then every conceivable
instrument from pistol to a hatpin has
been introduced Shakespeare used a
dagger for Brutus to assassinate Cae-
ear poisoned rapier to kill Hamlet, n
billow to smother Desdemona. Goethe
has Faust run Valentine through with
q sword. Other dramatists have intro
duced the bow ?string. bludgeon, the
steel head band frightened by thumb
screws, bolts of lightning and so OH
down to the delodrama of today, when,
Nor want of other vehicles of death, the
buzz saw and pile driver have assumed
stellar roles.
When Thespis trod the Athenian Rial
TO and was pointed out as the pioneer
theatrical manager, Grecian actors wore
masks representing their characters, in
stead OF making up their faces and this
afforded protection in stage combats
not enjoyed by artists of the present
day. One of the most startling things,
and a feature that mystifies her audi
ences, Is how Fanny Davenport strikes
Zaccaria on the head with a heavy steel
hand axe of medieval pattern, and pro-
6uces that dull, sicky thudI which is so
ferribly realistic, without actually split
ting his skull.
When seen by a reporter during the
run OF "Gismonda" in her dressing room
in New York city, she exhibited the
wicked-looking hatchet, which is not
unlike the pattern shown on BayeuX
tapestry and with which she strikes the
apparently mortal blow. Miss Daven-
port looked wise and smiled knowingly
when asked the secret, but declined an
explanation. A member of her COM
pany, however, suggested that the idea,
well known in minstrelsy, of hatchet
being struck into what appears to be a
comedians skull, but which in reality
ds a block of wood under his wig, aIn,
with which imbedded in the top of lss
head he finishes his act has been adopt
ed and elaborated by her.
This seems. too, the most feasible the
ory, and If Zaccaria does not wear a
skull cap of steel to resist the blow Of
Gismonda's axe, then Miss Davenport's
sleight-of-hand out-Herrmanns Herr
mann.
Next season may find Julia Marlowe
at the head of one company and Robert
raber at the head of another and dis
tnctly separate organization. The
Tabers have long had this change in
contemplation, and Mr.. Taber has re-
Gently received a new play particularly
adapted to himself for starring purposes.
Theodore Bromley, manager for the