Evening star., 1898-12-10

No attraction this week has been suffi-
cient to fill the theater at which it held
forth. Nine. MoJi.skn. although she at
tracted good audiences, did not reach the
business that she has done on previous Wis
its to this city. The Lilputians have
emustd large number of persons. hut the
Royal Italian Opera Company has not met
with its deserts. for it contains some ad-
mirahle singers.
Next week will see a new play. a
Stranger in a Strange Land at the Co
lumbia: the Joseph jefferson Comedy Com
pany at the National, but without the orig
inaI Joseph jefferson: The Sign of the
Cross at the Lafayette; a melodrama, en-
titled Tempest Tossed" at the Academy,
and vaudeville at the Lyceum.
A funny story is told Of how "A Stranger
IN a Strange Land came TO be produced.
Manager Wilkison was sitting In his once
one day Congratulating himself that he had
IOthing on his mind, was absolutely 1ree
from cares of business troubles. and that
In another ten days or so he would go TO
Paris and London and look over Iht Ihe-
ptrical field for a novelty of some klnG 10
bring over here and spring on the unSuS-
pecting, but ever-ready, American public
when a knock at the door aroused hlm
from his reverie. and in walked Messrs-
Vincent and Wilmer, with play Whlch
they wished to read to him. Now, II theft
Is anything on earth that a manager an
hors II is to be forced to sit and listen to
the reading Of play. He tired ms best
20 put the two men aside. but they wouldn't
have it. They were persistent and inslStcnt,
and he finally agreed to take the play nome
and read it himsef: he would not allow
them to read it to him there. Nilkison
took the manuscript home. and one RAINY
night when he was tired seeing IL lay
around his room he picked It up when there
was nothing else to do and half mechan-
Ically began To read. In few moments.
hearing himself laugh, he woke up Il" the
fact that he must be reading some lhlnS
funny He. looked carefully over what he
had read and remarked. By Jove. this IS
original He became thoroughly interest
ed read it through. and before he retired
that night made uD his mind that he had
found the lOoked-fOr novelty. ana that ne
didn't have to 20 to Paris or London to get
It, He has never regretted his decision
this queer world ours says Irene
Rookie. For the last few years the popu-
lar idea has been that the mission of the
stage Is to make us laugh. The only tears
that seem at all desirable are those that
run down our chteNs while we hold our
sides. There is possibility. however, OF
getting too much Of Il good thing, and the
public Is beginning 10 md 1t out. sweets
ar all very well. but one soon tires of them
pnd longs for solid, StreHg .hening food SO
with the drama tire of laughter and
crave more serious emotions. Farce
comedy i ON the wane- The advent OF such
plays as The Prisoner Of Zenda. 'Cnacr
the Red Robe and The Sign OF the cross
proves that the public has mad enough OF
inmodvTate laughter and longs for tears
sgaiu- Pays that produce laughter only
may dmuSc for hour and be the great
success Of season. but il Is the drama OF
tears that lives
Take. for instance, Camille. Article
81 and Uncle Toms Cabin, not to men
ton The many Sh&EySpearian plays that ap-
90
Of drawing big audiences. while the sue
Ces-es "f the comedy drama Of q year ago
are nearly all forgotten.
Tears. to my mind. are as much needed
In this world laughter. The nervous,
overWTought temperament finds relief in
them. they sOuth- the troubled mind and
trInS peace 70 the careWorn- one laughs
for TWO hours and leaves the theater and
furg,ts it as soon as he reaches the side
walk. one cries for five minutes and feels
better for a long time.
''OH, yes 1 am a great believer in tears
both before and behind the fOotlignts. 1t
J. great mistake To- think that an actress
tXCitrs emotions in her audience that she
does not herself ----. ! have often left
To- the stage at the end of an intensely emo
tioUai scene, hurried To my dressing room.
Closed the door and had a real good cry. l
Gm sure that no really good ACTOR or act
Tess ever lived whose eyes have not sOrne-
times been dimmcd. and whose makeup
has not often suffered III consequence Of
those little salt drops that are supposed to
be shed only by those who have paid to
zee the show.
on October 10 Mrs. Fiske entered upon a
tour which has proved TO be one of the
most successful ever pursued by star in
this country. In all respects it has sur
passed her very successful tour of last
year This is all the more remaG kd BILE be
cause Mrs. Fiske conducts her business in
deptnpenJiN- She has played in several of
tie hEeSt tHcaters IN the country, and in
Several cities she has entered popular-price
theaters. and during her engagements in
EJCu tncdtvTS raised them to the level of
nTSJ-ClaSS houses. her prices being the
same as those IF the higher-rdte theateTs.
Charles Dalton says, regarding the scar
city Of actors Of the robust and heroic
order uu the American stage:
1t seems 10 me that Americans pay too
Hucn attention {" developing the mental
par of juy ac,Or duI too HtlIy 10 the phys
zeal part. in England il Is not so. The
Surroundings and life OF our players are
naturally very different With your big
country Your numerous large cities offer
ing as they do abundant Held for prolonged
runs. -ae necessarily rowing nature OF
the lives OF your players. they do
Not, as rule have the expert
Cnee III various roles or the oppOrtu-
mites for physical culture that they would
have in England In our country a London
run - followed by a few weeks in the
provinces. ana then new play become. $
necessary, as We'll desirable.
w hi!e England is small. London is 50
lalEe that play, if n success. is sure to
have long run. This makes it possible
Tor the English actor To enjoy the homp
HE That II 50 often denied his American
brother. Most of the prominent London
fav0rlt"s have houses few miles from tn.
city, and an hour after the fall of the cur
tam hnds them by their own fireside with
nothing To suggest the stage or its sur
rOundIngs. Country lie means an album
dance OF fresh air and opportunity TO in.
dulge immOderately in outdoor exercise in
stead Of in the usual forms of recreation oi
the American actor. who seldom during the
season gets away from the artificial life OF
the city. Cricket. bicycling, golf and the
numerous other sports to which the En-
EiIshWan naturally turns add to his
health, strength and the grace of his car
rage Hours of COnviviahty in smoke
laden clubs or cafes - delightful as they
may be-prOduce the opposite effect
think the increasing popularity of the
once almost extinct American stock com.
pany system IS bound TO bring about very
desirable results. Experience in all kinds o,
parts. amid all kinds Of surroundings anC
conditions. IL of the greatest possible yaIu,
TO Il young actor. In this country the COS.
tune play uncommon rpop,