Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-11-19
THE MATINEE IDOL.
coon LOOKS GO A LONG WAY WITH
THESE ACTORS.
SUCCESS OF VAUDEVILLE HERE.
Prosperity Has Attended the Bijou
since the Opening of the House-
Minstrcls Mt the Academy This
Weck-Thcntricnl Notes.

| Miusfrcls Mt the Academy This
| Weck-Thcntrical Notes.
OTIS Skinner has como and gone, and
the matinee girls have had their annual
look upon tho splendid physique and
handsome face OF this idol OF the stage
| Tho vehicle which Mr.. Skinner is using
this season allows the actor to give his
| audience the full benefit OF his good
! looks. Indeed. tho role requires make
up that adds to his personal appearance,
rather than detracung from It. No lines
to represent middle-agd furrow his face,
and the grease paint used is OF the
! youthful tint" while his brows are
| nicely pcncilled that they may ba brought
| out IN bold relief. Mr.. Skinner, when he
| comc3 from his dressing room. is work
| OF art. To describe him in the exact
/ words Of tho matinee girl, Tho "a Just too
lovely for anything"
| Tho matinee IDOL treads path OF
roses-for time. IN many instances it
IS not necessary for him TO act; if he
| can pose well, that Is sufficient. Not that
Mr.. Skinner belongs to this class by
| no means. He Is an actor OF rare ability,
/ and II feminimity has set him upon q
| little pedestal and fallen at the foot of
| IL. II is no fault OF his. lilo cannot help
| beins good looking.
BuI the actor who owes his success TO
this form Of worship lives in constant
! drcad OF the appearance OF those signs
which. sooner or later. the hand Of time
marks upon him First a gray hair APP
pears and causes him many sleepless
nights, or he discovers that 4 spot on his
head is getting bald. But this Is nothing
! IN comparison with other signs OF hale
| and hearty middle age. The head may
ba covered by wig. Even when wrin-
! kles commence 10 furrOw the face ana
crows' -feot form around the eyes, there
| is stiu a remedy, thanks to the art OF
makeup. But when the well-preserved
actor discovers that his waist measure Il
an inch or 30 more than last season, then
| there is cause for alarm. Wigs and
grease paint may hide other defects in
his appearance, but when he begins to
get corpulent that's tho limit. No arti-
fetal means can be employed 10 cover up
| that IL he cannot reduce his flesh by
I exercise and diet then he must say Sood-
by to tho roles in which Ia has Deen 30
pleasing to the eye. and make ms APP
| Dearance In characters or comedy and
eccentric old men. In other words, ne
Will have to change his Tine OF busi-
ness"
The prosperity Of the Bijou, ever since
tbe opening night last January, has oeeh
on the increase, and vaudeville Is now
an established form Of amusement III
| Richmond. When the house was opened
those who are wise in the theatrical Dus-
! mess declared that its history would
| be a brief one. A few weeks, more OF
less. they thought would SEQ tho end OF
its days. This was not only the OPINION
| expressed IN Richmond, but II was Ine
| one that prevailed in the theatrical Wotlu
of Nav York. A city the size Of Rich-
| ,nond entering the vaudeville field was
| not an event to pass unnotced, even III
! the great metropolis, which il the very
heart OF the theatre In this country.
| Managers in Now York did not believe
that Richmond would support Vaude-
Vile house. Performers who came mere
direct from that city stated that such
seemed 10 be the general opinion among
tho theatrical people there. However
/ events proved that those who were In the
business had not shown themselves to be
prophets In this case, and that Manager
| Wells, an outsider, had seen the opening
| and taken advantage OF II.
| There can be no doubt Of the continued
success Of the Bijou as long as the house
maintains the standard It adopted at the
! beginning. The policy OF the manage
! ment eeems 10 be to present the very
hest acts obtainable and to allow no
thing Objectionable or offensive TO creep
into any performance given on Its stage.
Miss Julia Arthur's action in having the
| curtain rung down at the Broadway
| Theatre during her performance, because
| she was annoyed At the rather louo con-
| VersatiOn Of box party, has occaslohed
a good deal OF comment, not only IN New
York, but in some Of the other cities as
| well.
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle,
! in this connection, says: "Of course, II
is not really the business Of actors TO
! protect Themselves against the dls-
courtesy of cads In the audience or 10
! guard theatre-goers in the full. and un-
! disturbed enjoyment Of the privileges for
which they have paid. This IS distinctly
! the house managers duty. But as mousse
| MANAGERS won't do their duty in this
particular, II is matter for rejoicing that
actors willing TO undertake II are 10 De
| found"
| And the New York Dramatic Mirror
! has the following in regard to the Incl
| dent which interrupted the performance
| Of More Than Queen:
Miss Arthur's impulsive act IN stopping
| her performance the other evening. ring
/ Ing GOWN the Eui AulA anu A'bAANAtiS g
! party of laxative box occupants can be
| understood on the ground Of artistic sem
| sjtiveness. although the wiser course
might have been TO have waited until the
| curtain fell i'm the proper place ana then
have privately cautioned ;he misDehaVers
to preserve order or leave the theatre.
This would have been equally effective,
if not so productive Of newspaper com
ment. and II would not have disturbed
the enjoyment Of the audience by an I'M
Wonted Interruption
Part Of the Bijou's bill this week was
booked personally by Manager Wells,
who went 10 New York for that purpose.
The other turns were furnished by the
agents in New York who handle the
business OF the house. There are several
acts that would fit well in the headliners
Mace. Cushman, Holcombe, and curtis,
Americas representative operate sketch
artists. will present an act that VIII be
~ special interest 10 lovers OF good
,nrsic The trio has been identified with
come Of the best operate organizations
ond has been more than successful IN
nolite vaudeville. They will present THE
New TEACHER" an operate comedy, In
which thu dainty little woman, the clever
* EgFS E 90