The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-06
VIEWS OF STAGE AFFAIRS.
.uE CASTLE Square ooMPANr's
' pERFDRMANCE OF OPERA.

.,.,,e CLAYTON a. n viyined ana Comic
s,o,uc or Venus-Nlr. French's Raid on n
chicago Dealer In stolen Plays-Noteworthy
yh,prs that some Actors Are Doing.
rAo Castle SQUARE Company is showing this
-nst that IL can satisfy in serious opera as we'll
III light opera the demands OF tho audiences
~, crowd the American Theatre at the cheap
'-,es now demanded there. OF THE Trouba-
~ " which was sung for tho first time on Mon
80 ,bc same praise can DO written that The
o.,o,,a Lace Handkerchief" had called out.
g. thcir prctensions the performances are OK
..lIrnt, Judged from any other viewpoint there
rIobt DO less commondation. 1t Is with the
.colc of prices before ones eyes that the
,,ngers must DO heard, and by that stand.
,d they are p~raiseworthy. even II the
singing frequently causes the critical at.
tcndant at u bargain matinee to wonder why
,uch methods could ever have been acquired,
ar at all events, so persistently retained. But
40 long as there is a judicious sprinkling Of high
and low notes in the score and tho singers arc
able to reach up or down to them. the audiences
At performances of this popular character are
likely to 10 we'll pleased. There is abundant
excuse for their enjoyment of THE Trnuba-
dour' MS 1t is sung this week at the American.
one expcricnccd reviewer has observed that
the scenery Is actually new, In part at least,
and such liberality as this shows one fa-
yorable side OF the Castle Square Company's
enterprise. Apart from tho freshness OF
scenery and costume, there are spirit and en-
thus!asm in the productions. What the singers
DO they seem to DO doing to the best OF thcir
powers. Such interest and earnestness have
been known not only to excuse other imperfec-
tions In cheap English opera companies, but in
more ambitious undertakings. There was a time
At Ikt-l .,,-A -..l
about the German performances ut the Metro
politan many years ago, and with these arc not
to be compared in any respect tue Castle square
productions. But they both show tho good re-
suits OF interest and conscientiousness. SigEor
Montegriffo was tho Mdnrico whom the writer
ing Of rather overwhelming. volume. w. O.
Stewart was the De Luna and William Schus-
ter sang f9rndido. Grace Golden was a con.
the grateful role -Izucend with the particular
merit that came from its suitability to her voice
and the rather more liberal measure OF her art.
Laveria Charmion, the gymnast who undrcsses
herself on q trapeze in the music halls, and who
has gained additional notoriety through the dis
cusston OF the fitness of her exploit as part of a
charity entertainment at the Astoria, has an
agent OF publicity who is just about as audacious
as herself. THE sun described and deplored the
exhibition. and that article is now coolly re-
printed, with the unblushing explanation that
mo SDTcWu buSlltSS man Will HlNhyS pay
twice as much for q puritanical attack ON his
wares as he will for open praise of their vir-
tues" Charles Poneroy signs this bit of eifront.
cry. Mr.. Pomeroy. whoever he may be. should
by all means caper at Roster s. Balls as a clown
while Mile. Charmion disrobes-he is so very
funny.
The "indisrosition" which prevented f. J.
Henley from acting on Tuesday for the Criterion
Independent Theatre is still n mystery. 1t was
then declared that he had caught q cold and
was too noarse to speak aloud; but yesterday a
printed slip was sent to the newspapers saying
that this non,appearance had been caused by his
very proper disincliration to attempt n role
that he had not sufficiently studied" There is
no intimation that Mr.; Henley WAS drunk; On
seems to have had all his wits about him..
Mrs. jack" Bloodgood's appearance in the
in short skirts. In the can-can that was danced
she exhibited an entirely novel manner OF keep
willing that their feet should 20 high. and that
their skirts should follow them, up; but Mrs.
~nloodgood lifted her slippers only a little way
might be some display. che followed n plan
which Is worth the study of all aspirants who
want to. As her knee lifted the skirt her hand
quickly dropped and held u down. her dancing
but her stockings were hid.
May Irwin has decided not to manage Samuel
Bernard In his tour as n star, and, although no.
DOlJ u uCI y Ebli ohO oti
the news may be interesting. 1t need no longer
be expected that Julia Msrlowe. viii manage
changed her mind about a contemplated tour
for Augusta Van Biene. Nor will Fanny
Day pd, , S9hduet 1H g Starring ring venture next sat year ,Iad
the approaching season can be awaited without
unusual tension.
James F. Hoey, who was seriously i'll three
menths ago, has recovered entirely. His period
Of retirement was passed, Mt Sayville:
Gertrude Coghlan acted at the Fifth Avenue
for the first time with hn. flthnr RnNnral yNnER
sgo, and now Julia Hcrnc. daughter of James
4. Herne. is to be seen there. II she has in
acting in margaret Fleming" has been for
gotten by few who say Il there years ago. Miss
The intensely local hurlcsenes are not always
accepted in tho other cities. The Merry, World.''
Town" which was a New York triumph. has
Eugcnia Schmltz. who broke her leg on Tues
day. is one Of the Oldest German actresses in this
German actress Of New York.
Olga Ncthersole cannot be enjoying her alb
gence. though there 10 n certain hOpefulness in
the lines which she has sent to her friends in
New York on-a New Years card. They are:
sorrow rnSEe t H. hq IS n aTerlS eai mas i az" m @No Cloud b MG
passes BY" Miss Nethersole's name is signed
70 these optimistic Quotations; which may be
country next autumn.
Tho headquarters of play pirates that T.
Henry French attacked in Chicago was OF a sort
TO gladden. the heart of q writer of yellow.cov-
cred detective literature. 1t was In IA Halsted
street groggery. The address had been given in
the play thiof's catalogue, which offered a
choice of almost all the successful dramas of
recent years. Mr.. French represented, besides
his own interests, those OF Charles Frohman
Charles IL. Hoyt, Daniel Frohman. Jacob Lit,
Bronson Howard. and Archibald Clavcring Gun
ter. Io found an ordinary saloon in n rough
quarter of the city, without n sign of the play
business, but tho name Bycrs displayed in the
announcements OF beverages indicated that this
was the right spot.
1T was about 10 O'Clock In the morning.
said Mr.. French to a SUN reporter. and two or
three bummcrs and a woman were the only per.
sons about. Tho woman said the place was the
headquarters of tho Chicago Manuscript Com.
pany, and lett the room TO send In Byers, whom
we suppose TO be the company. With very lit.
Tie preliminary talk hc sold me six plays for
10. his regular price being SO for a single play.
1hA .nA8 VLA. HA- Ii- III -