The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-02
NEW THEATRICAL THINGS.
AN ORIGINAL OPERETTA AND SOME
DEBUTS IN VAUDEVILLE

DEBUTS IN VAUDEVILLE
old Knickerbocker Life as Illustrated in
"KissinE Bridge" by Lancaster and
Jsnkins-Frederick Bond in n Continu-
Gus ProEramme-Two French Acrobats.
Custom has liked the limit Of time for q play
in a continuous " theatre at twenty minutes.
Kissing Bridge" a new operetta at the Pleas
ure Palace yesterday, was not permitted TO
break that rule. Still Il had an appreciable
amount OF plot and considerable music. A. Z.
Lancaster. its author. had taken up the historic
facts that in colonial days there was a foot
bridge near what is now the corner OF Lexing-
ton avenue and ThiTty-second street, and that
every maiden who permitted a bachelor to
cross 1t with her thereby privileged him to
kiss her. Tho scene OF this piece was mt
that spot. The characters brought into
action were 4 resident Dutchman. a Wis
itinR EnGlishman. and a sister Of each,
thus making q quartet TO sing the airs which
II. o. Jenkins had composed. They constituted
also two couples OF lovers. The Dutchman
knew tho peculiar right which was his whom
the Engllrh girl crossed the bridge with him,
and he exercised L.; but she. being unln-
formed. felt highly insulted because she was
kissed. The EnGlishman walked over with the
Dutch girl. but was unaware Of his osculatory
license. and so he did not take the enjoyment
I AAAN NNho AhS NNSN ~ - ohNN NA1shRSAhNNN oAu
resentful. was very angry indeed because she
was not kissed. Then each maiden told her
brother that she had been grossly in
suited, and the two men fought a duel
on behalf OF their sisters. or began
to. but an explanation prevented bloodshed.
and the MISUNDERSTANDING gave place TO be-
trothals and willing kisses. The work was a
light and agreeable blend Of sentiment and
humor. Mr.. Lancaster had written the libretto
f~ /. ALI -~s-N-
nicely and literary smoothness. and Mr.. Jenk-
mss score was suitably simple. easy and occa-
Ieons jenkins. charles SHIffdessley and Mr..
dramatic INTERPRETATION " have eHe enioreed
the merits OF the book. but. as it was, the piece
was an appreciated novelty in a vaudeville pro-
gramme.
Three acrobats newly imported from Europe
appeared ut Keith's yesterday. Two were
Frenchmen and the other was a French poodle.
The men were clowns Of the kind called knock
about, a tall thin one and q short thick one. aud
they were comic in ways which were familiar
in general. though some OF the details Of slap
ping. spanking. tripping and falling were orig
inal. The men were named Paoli. The dog
had no name that the audience knew OF. Never
theless. he was the important member of the
troupe. If either Of the Paolis should die q
substitute could be hired In an hour or SO. but
the death OF the dog would mean the breakup
Of the triumvirate. He performed his part like
a little man in feats common to circus human.
OF his companions, became the top-sawyer in
pyramids. and did ground and lofty tum bling
m MAN ha ENJOY enjoyn SnH' Of f the e e9ercise. only O' MS
The title OF " Her First Appearance" was new
n A mather IN ie the sh3r, f arcs SO II M8 Wa sS acted P by Ar 3.
thur Dunn. who is gT6tesQue. and Mamie Gil
roy. WHO is eomeiy; This Mas their first asso-
Stunning bellboy. and Miss Gilrny an actress
lodging in the house. They had a string Of
and the humor was sufficiently fresh and
unctuous to make the audience laugh. Next
the 6sIIbGy and the s,iq actress got on si99siPl
farce ended with Mr. Dunn,s familiar bur
l so%i. Of sbl RsdeFG sSd his Nj 5r5 DqaP Ia has sI.s som (
Gus fault of making free with his and!epce: 4
jests to raise a laugh, Such a rule enforced
PEELED Miss Gilroy 10 aid and abet his offence.
OF that sort. She Is a shapely creature with
E gSEs' ser fs toe i hFd a to ~SS dr. s siEaEs and I her P poS
bspI2 ion might vel J., have Vet taken e q lesson Ss% from
b EasslHs ,@ Which chi was nsI efyen With ii "a ali N tSs n nsaa!
S5d BG 2bs aS Of q soImE med y at the Su lSSeeum' an'
1t was as q stage manager that Frederick
Bond made his debut in vaudeville at Proctor,
Theatre yesterday. His choice OF a playlct wa
Willard Holcomb's Her Last Rehearsal" II
which he was the instructor OF a hopelessly In
competent aspirant for stage houors in tn,
parting scene from d" Romeo and Juliet" Sh
and the leading actor were averse TO the stag
managers choice OF that passage. and it wa
clear that there were sentimental reasons 70
their disapproval. But the director was in~sistent
and the rehearsal began with the. two mimi
lovers actually in love with each other. neithe
knowing the others feeling. and with the man
ager wholly in the dark as to the situation
Thus the actress was naturally at he
worst, and her companions genuine sympath,
for her made him an Indifferent Romeo. Mr.
Bond gave the right infections. gestures. an
poses, and tore his hair over the woman'S bat
limitations. She was timid about her head oil
RomeO's bosom. She objected to his sinGl
kiss, asking Il II might not be upon her cheel
rector's views were equally practical. Even IL
soothing his pupil. whom he had made tearful
he sh9wed q hnStLing desire 70 get ahead; H
that there should be a rug for her 70 faint upon
1t was by saying that tho cracker box used Il
TSesSss pSrf s691ld have w Selsk sHe had Sn i ra IN ts.
mother he assured the actor that if h
/ p ES4!& Eiss AS as SSs he Rad done On 'h at H n
rehearsal. every woman in the audience woul
yearn to play Juliet to his Romeo. Then he re
: automatically engaged the two players reache,
an understanding On an embrace which wa
no acting, the, stage manager reentercd an
plaudlng. but had one moro cause to tear hi
l hair when the actor announced that the be
Rtnner would not go on, having joiped his com
pany for life. John Terriss and May sergen
quite as difficult q task as his. The beginner
awkwnrdness and the veterans cold practical
: ity were what counted for laughter. and wit
b satisfactory strength.
MAN AND WIFE FIGHT A MOB.
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