The San Francisco call., 1898-04-24
DUBLIN'S NEW
 SOCIAL EVENT First Production of a Play Called "The Transit
 of VenuS." While Rehearsing Signor Lam belet Has a Close Gall in
 an Accident.
J. J. Clancy, The Calls Special Core spOndent in Irelsnd, Sends an In
 teresiing Review of Affairs.
BY J. J. CLANCY.

DUBLIN, April 9.-Parliament hav- ing risen for the Easter recess and pol- ticians being weary the business of so- cial life predominates here as elsewhere this week. Moreover, we are to witness in Dublin tonight a social event very rare indeed in these days in the Irish capital, the first production, namely, of new play by a well-known author and rising composer. Dublin, in the days of its pTime-that is, when 1t was the seat of an Irish Parlament-was a fa- vorite home for all votaries of the stage. Some of the most famous actors and actresses of the so-called British stage first made their regulations here; Handel lived and worked here for some years and up to a short time ago the organ which he used was still in the house in EcCleS street which he inhabi- ted, and it may be added that a dra- matic or musical reputation made in Dublin then was a passport to immedi- ate success in England. But since 1S00 all the wealth and fashion of the Coun- try have steadily gone in the wake of the Parliament to London, and the drain has proved fatal to intellectual as well as material progress in Dublin and in Ireland. Up to about twenty five years ago indeed the old Theater Royal-a fine, spacious building con- structed for better times-used to at tract in the season some first-rate ar lists in opera, in the regular drama and in comedy, and the Gaiety Theater, the Theater Royal having been burned down, has since then discharged the same function, while the Queens Thea ter-a house of rather modest propor- tiOnS-has catered more especially to the liking for melodrama. But we have no longer native school of dramatic or operatiC artists; those who come to us stay with us usually only for a week or two; and scarcely any one thinks Of bringing out here a new work
 Things, however, appear to be now looking up. Last December the new Theater Royal opened it's doors to the public, and it is one of the finest houses of it's kind in the three kingdoms. It stands on the very site of the old one and was. until 1t was recently trans formed, known as the Leinster Hall, which was itself built some fifteen years ago and was the scene of many famous meeting, including the meet ing at which so many leading politi- clans pledged themselves in November 1890, to stand by the leadership of Par nell. The persons to whose enterprise this new theater owes it's existence are not Irish. Mir. Manillot is of French extraction and MT. Moren is an Eng lishman, but they could not have set about the work they have undertaken more enthusiastically if they were Dub lin men born.
 They have absolutely lavished money on the decoration of the place. and they have now had the courage to invite the authors of new piece, who would nat urally make trial first of a place like London, to bring 1t out in their thea ter and thus obtain for it an Irish bap- tism. The event has attracted a good deal of interest of course, in Dublin where all the preparations for it have taken place. including not merely the rehearsals, but the painting of the scenery and the making of the dresses and costumes. Apropos of the re- hearsals 1 may mention before I go further that an accident which has a comic aspect. but might easily have had serious aspect, befell the composer. Signor Napoleon Lam- belet, as he was "conducting" few days ago. A structure was raised over the orchestra on which was placed a piano and a seat for Signor Lambelet. It appears to have been rather frail one; al any rate the en- ergy displayed by the composer-con-