The times., 1898-11-20

WSiC " hafc ~Dtei PdShSo w tAS "eA'A.
The fall of 1888 has been a big term for
every sort and rate and class of show.
from the Shakesperian revival to the va
riety combine from the romantic drama
to the English musical comedy, from
.Cyrano de Bergerac' to 'Hogan's Al
ley" Besides the successes of the last
year, there have been the largest num-
Der of real trinmphs ever recorded with
In any like time since America has had
theatrical history and, while there have
been few failures from a financial
stand. only two plays produced SO far
have been found deserving of removal.
Moderate hits have existed in plenty and
thriving managers are In the majority
rather than the minority.
There are today just 451 combinations on
the road-more than ever before. By far
the greater part of these are doing well
and many surpass that qualification.
An even dozen are breaking records regu-
larly. THE Christian" followed tremen-
dous weeks here and In Providence with a
run In New York that has so far proven
astonishing. By actual figures s65, ,i0l has
been paid in at the box office of the
kniclkerbocker within five weeks. Only a
few squares from that point Mansfield s
.Cyrano de Bergerac" is being given to
packed houses, Catherine is turning
P'cpic away Ht III TIC - iS.hiAho
its hundredth performance. After most
prosperous engagements in New York and
its vicinity, Alice Nelson took THE For
tune Teller en- tour and has been playing
To capacity everywhere, while Francis
Wilson has followed a big date at the
Broadway with every sign of success out
side. "On and or has proven such
hit that a second company is now being
organized, and John Drew is founding
bank account with the makings of The
Liars" May Irwin, too, has begun big
booking in Gotham, while Mrs. Fiske's
two new productions and De Wolf Hop
per's "Charlatan" are accomplishing even
more on the road than that enormous hit.
Sporting Life has within the sacred
city And this without counting the pres
entations held over from last spring.
Moderate money-makers there are In
plenty. Stuart Robson and ''rhe Med
dler" are among these, with E. III. Soth-
ern and .T'he Colonial Girl" jefferson dc
Angels and THE JULY Musketeer" and
the James Eidder- Warde triumvirate and
its revivals not far behind. Hotel Top
sy Turvy" and the Lilliputians are both
doing nicely. while "A Brace of Par
tridges,'' "a Misft Marriage" and why
Smith Left Home" have no reason for
complaint. "A Runaway Girl has also
production of chattanooga and the
venture of the Rogers Brothers are pam
ming out exceedingly well. with James
O'Neill's when Greek Meets Greek"
and Wallick's Devils Island crowding
the popular priced houses. 1.-THE Evil
Eye" comes in the van with hundred
such ''goes" as "A War Core spondent''
and 'The Carpetbagger' to follow,
Among the stars who are doing good
business with old material are Joseph
Jefferson. Robert Mantle |. Melbourne Nc
Dowell. Julia iMariowe. Chauucey Olcott.
Andrew Mack William Gillette. Thorn 8
L. Shea. Ler.is Morrison and Nat Good
win, whose iast-year triumph. Nathan
Hale" still proves its worth to old friends.
Wilton Lackaye. Otis Skinner and Fan
ME Rice have every promise Of succ IS
when they stage their offerings.
The failures are not many THE Tree
of knowledge" has not come up to ex-
pectations and was removed last night.
while Sol Smith Russell has found It ad-
visable TO sheive Uncle Dick Fe:r.s
Hartman has come to grief in the West
and Della Fox is not prospering. Au-
gustin Days .Cyrano de Berg ra has
not accomplished what its marage: pro-
phesied. That is all.
There are a number of other attractions
on the road that might be cited in one
way or another. but those mentioned
seem sufficient for the purpose. After
looking over the list no unparalleled per-
son can claim that this season has not
been what it might have and there are
few who will not be surprised at the
measure of success meted out. The Ameri-
can public is essentially an amusement
loving one and it will patroniZe the thea
ter in good times or bad ones-whether
things are settled or unsettled 1t will
even attend worthless performances when
there are no better ones in sight. What
more could be asked?
Considerable surprise was created To-
cal!y last Tuesday by The Times an
nouncement that Odette Tyler was to re-
turn to the stage and in company with
her husband, r. D. Maclean. and Charles
B. Hanford form a tristan combination.
As matter of fact, the news might have
been expected. The footlights seem to
have fascination that never loses its
hold and Miss Tyler is too ambitious and
earnest a woman to settle down into quiet
matrimony. Mr.. Maclean on his part has
always desired to get back into harness
and particularly to make his entrance in
to a Broadway theater. This wish it
seems. has also been cherished by Mr.
Hanford, whose unsupported ability has
always been unsuccessful as vehicle for
such a move. Not only will his new part
ners lend their talents to this end, but it
may be said without defamation to any
of those concerned that Mr.. Macean's S
fortune will not prove a drawback in the
transaction. Altogether the union seems
to have been one for mutual benefit and
there was no reason for astonishment at
its consummation.
Speaking of Shakespearian folk, some
ingenious fellow, who has nothing to do
and plenty of time in which to do it re-
Gently published in paper called Inven-
ton, an interesting article in which he
proved humorously that the steely steed
was not unknown in the days of the Bard
of Avon. The treatise follows:
Shakespeare, it would seem. must have known
something about the bicycle. for throughout his
plays he makes frequent references to the wheel
1t must be that Hamlet's father had visited a
bicycle academy, where beginners were plenty
for his ghost said:
.'what falling off was therel'
This most excellent description is paralleled
by another in the same play. in which reference
early sixteenth century being eyidently the
greatest sufferer. The first player says:
Break all the spokes and fellies from her
Wheel
Then the fool in Lear" gives advice to
coasters, OF the merits of which the modern
rider may judge for himself. He remarks:
.Let go thy hold when great wheel runs down
hill. lest it break thy neck with following it"
There evidently bicycle thieves in those
days, and owners had to carefully guard their
precious wheels. In the Tempest Alonzo says
to the king:
eve. too, my lord,
VIII guard your person while you take your
rest,
And watch your Safety
In that same play Ariel undoubtedly heard the
king and his ATTENDANTS cunning on thnir ,.l,cols