The times., 1898-07-17
GOTHAM As A MON0POL|sT
Possible That Big Stars May Re-
main i'm New York.
TREND OF EVENTS THAT WAY
List of Metropolitan Runs-wiiton
Lnckaye Contributes some Verse.
The War as Producer of the
benefit Nuisnnce-Sotes and No.
fIees.

| --N'SA AtdiAZt lftL We nave made
history until we read it, said a great
Frencn philosopher half a century ago.
and more modern writer has remarked.
pleasure Is either in anticipation or rec
| objection" To the average person. events
OF contemporary interest seldom seem oy
Importance. probably because one can
not look ahead so far as to see results
1 Accordingly IL has probably occurred 70
few that the existing crisis in theatrical
] affairs is one the ends Of which will
| hang over into the lives of another gener-
alton. The effect of the war. the seiz,,ras
OF the syndicate and dozen other mat
ters have made the year or great moment.
while possible evil Of which little has
been said appears 10 become more i'm
minent every de-.
Next TO an EngIishman, the average
New Yorker is the most egotisttcal self
opinionated parsonage in creation. The
fact that he may be player who has
Travelled the world over makes no differ
ence. His whole creation is eentered on
Broadway, and it never leaves there. To
him Gotham is the only place IN the
country worthy of having amusement.
Pieces produced outside are being tried.
that they may be more paIatabIe when
they reach him. His firm belief Is that
the metropolis contains every human
soul. either in the United States or Chit
cago- II doesn't There are s.. 900 GO peO-
pie scattered about the rest Of this ma
ton Nor has New York every play
house extant. Over 500 exist west OF
the Rialto.
But, theatrically, at least, the city on
Manhattan Island is slowly gaining
ground. Every year runs on Broadway
become longer. and the better class OF
stars are making strenuous efforts TO put
in their entire season there
The possibility begins 70 stare one in
the face that they may succeed With the
exception OF single week outside. Maude
Adams spent all her year between the
Empire and the Garrick. while Minnie
Maddern Fiske put in three months at
one theater simply 10 show what might
be done in that line. Things begin to look
as though eventually the highest class OF
attractions might be as securely bottled
up in the space Of few blocks on the
Rialto as they are on the Strand-as
though New York might force the remain
der of the country theatricaIIy into the
hole OF prOvincialism made so notable in
England through tabled fortunes to be
gained in London pIayhouses-
Great Britain has few road combinations
Of any worth. The best actors remain in
its metropolis as long as their productions
will hold out there. and then proceed 10
stage new pieces. Unless their plays are
immediate failures. outside cities never see
the really artistic presentations given in
London The result is depIorabIe- ORA
matte affairs become stagnant. a promis-
ing field is deserted and the larger part
of the population is without amusement
worthy OF its intelligence.
The American manager might find
great advantages in his ability TO put IN
an entire season in one place NOT only
wculd his Inconvenience and risk be
greatly lessened. but expenses would fail
accordingly People prefer metropolitan
engagements. too and could be more
readily secured Altogether the affairs
of the director would be generally faciu-
tated by such means.
But there are great drawbacks. The
place is not big enough 70 support and
has not room for the nEm6erIess com
panies travelling in this country. Fur
ther than this comes the fact that the
better class of production no longer
stands much chance there In attemot-
ing 70 mimic, Gotham has outdone Paris.
and lingerie and legs have overcome the
resistance of brains and education. The
Telephone Girl or some piece of the
kind. will make money there az the ex-
pense Of high-ciass attractions. The
city is like a child crying for the moon
but who would not know what 10 do
with the shining object if he had il.
Nor are expenses OF continued New
York productions trihing a fortune is
required 70 conduct a theater in the me-
tropolis and managers of attractions must
allow percentages accordingly. Uncer-
tainties are quite as great and. altogether
the place is not such a managerial para
disc as it might seem at a glance.
The difficulties in the way are proven
by the fact that actors of ability and
standing quite as high as in the ease OF
those who remain in town. are confining
themselves strictly TO the conservative
and appreciative provincials. Having
shown his ability TO play on the Rialto.
Sol Smith Russell has returned 10 his old
sphere and Will never again go into a
Broadway house. F. II. Sothern is short
ening his seasons at the Lyceum regular
ly- Roland Reed mas never made a penny
in New York. and. until last year. this
held true with Nat Goodwin and twenty
other stars. All Will retire beyond the
city's limits now as much as possible. 1t
would be absurd for any of them to en-
deavor to remain in New York more
than long enough to make record for
advertising purposes when It is consider
ed that even last year Mr. Goodwfn's ra
ceipts on the road were more than five
times as great as those in the metropolis.
The big town has. and probably always
will retain. its exclusive favorftes Every
year there will be more of them. and
eventually the English state oe affairs
may be reproduced. But at present there
is too much cash and culture in the out
side cities for their abandonment. dnd
there will be a sufficient number of stars
who recognize tha. fact to prevent a
dearth of good amusement in the prov
fnces' for many seasons TO come.
Still, the fact remains. THAI low and
in the past New York runs have 81
completely filed the time of the best
plays. that outsiders have not had a
chance to see them until the stories
were stale and the casts greatly cheap
ened. A case in point IS Under tho
Red Robe. a delightful drama. which