The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-08-10
OF
THE STAGE.

tapiisneu year and a half ago upon an
idea furnished by George Alexander.
The scheme was to open a place OF rest
and refreshment for chorus and ballet
girls and actresses of minor Importance
between rehearsals and night perform
ances, when IL is not always convenient
TO travel long distance to ones home
and one is severely taxed to be COM
PEELED to patronize costly restaurant.
Small and inexpensive rooms were
taken at the beginning. and the AFFAIR
turned out to be so successful that IL
Is now possible to open much more COM
modious quarters In more convenient
locality than the one at first chosen. The
rooms are open from IL in the morning
to at night. and membership costs
about SO cents a quarter. Tea, coffee and
light refreshments are served at cost.
Berlioz. the eminent French composer.
had caustic wit. He could not endure
Bach, and he used to call Handel "a big
hog" musician OF the stomach" For
this he was paid out by Mendelssohn.
who declared that after touching score
of Berlioz soap and hot water were nee
cssary
Berlioz. however, had his musical he-
ro. and that hero was Beethoven. Touch
Beethoven irreverently and his ire was
kindled- There is certain passage for
the double basses in one of the masters
scores which was at one time believed
to be almost impossible OF execution.
Now, Habeneck conducted perform.
ance Of this work in Paris and gave tho
passage in question to the cellos. Ber-
lioz, who was present met Habeneck
- ~
meant to give the passage as Beethoven
intended it to be given. Never as long
as live" said Habeneck wen. we'll
wait" replied Berlioz. Don't let it be
long,"
Owen Fawcett has written some rec
objections of his experiences with Dion
Boucicault. Among other anecdotes the
following is not without interest:
Mr.. Boucicault was an excellent stage
manager, but very strict. have seen
him get all the women In cast so con-
fused that they could hardly remember
what they were doing. and 1t would end
in a copious shower OF tears He usual
ly had some one in the cast as par
ticular target that he would pick out
and shoot his sayings at. On one occa-
sion he fixed on Joseph Wheelock. He
could not at that time have made q
more unfortunate selection, for Joe was
OF very fiery nature and. like gun
powder, liable to explode at any mo-
ment. Well. Joe stood Dion's pitching
In as long as he possibly could, for
Wheelock was more than attentive to
his business. AT last the explosion came.
Joe walked coolly down to the foot
lights and, addressing Mr. Boucicault,
who always directed his plays from the
front Of the theater, said: Mr.. Bouci.
cault, 1 have stood your bullying lust
as long as I intend to. I am trying to
do my best to please you. but you will
not be satisfied. Now tell me what you
want done in a gentlemanly way and
with no more insults; otherwise I will
come down where you are and take you
and shut you up in the bull fiddle
there" pointing to the bass viol In the
orchestra. Boucicault let Wheelock
alone after that. and they were firm
friends, and Joe was engaged many q
time for his productions.
Piper Findlater. the hero of Eng
lands recent border war in India. Is
coming to America, 1t is said in Lon-
don. He comes here. having been en-
gagged by music hall manager for $500
a week. He is expected to play on his
pipes the charge and tell the story OF
the battle with the Afridis when, al
though pierced by several bullets, his
legs useless. he sat on the ground and
played to his fellow highlanders.
Legitimate performers going into
vaudeville are always more or less as
tonished at the number of signs back
of the stage in the houses of a well
known circuit. These signs give rules
and advice governing the performers
department both off and on the stage
during their engagement.
After his opening matinee In Boston
Robert Downing went off the stage sim.
ply bathed in perspiration from his trag-
ic and weighty efforts in the arena scene
from The Gladiator" Instantly his
stage manager rushed up 10 him. ss1fr.
Downing. you must cut this perspiring
at the next show. for here Is a sign that
SAYS. No performer is allowed to call
the audiences attention to the heat un.
der penalty of fine"
They do say that the tragedian car.
ried an electric fan I'm place OF a shield
at the evening performance. but thak
can't be vouched for.
Beerbohm Tree tells a story az Ms
own expense. He said that when on
tour he and Henry Calvert were In the
habit OF alternately playing Hotspur
and Falstaff. While In Dublin q native
with a strong brogue came
up to him and said: ALLOW me, Mr..
Tree. ia. pay you q compliment II -
about your performance of Hotspur.
There were pathos. humor and poetry
rolled into one. IL was the most perfect
performance I have ever seen in my
ife. But. if you'll allow me. I should
ike 60 make one more remark 70 n
lbout that man Calvert. who plays
more vulgar performances I
lever saw" This was all very well. bue
dr. Tree found afterward thai o. tho