The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-09
CONCERNS OF THE STAGE.
COMMENTS ON ACTORS N NEWS
or WHAT THET ARE DOING.
The Facts About IrvlnE-ChicaEo Rivalry
for MRnsneld-The Losing of Charles
CoGhian-A Theatre for American Au.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES of u German Play.

thors-Characteristics Of u German Play
The first artistic rivalry which Richar
Mansfield has encountered with 'Cyrano d
BerRerac" Is in Chicago. and. what Is NOR
surprising. from a low-price production Of tn
play. The drama was trough out n week be
fore he got there ut o theatre usually devoted
to vaudeville OF n coarse grade. A ridiculoui
result was expected. But Henry Lee. who haC
tried all kinds of roles. from tragic to comic
and had last been a mimic in variety shows
commanded tho praise OF the critics for n per
Torrance OF the big-nosed hero. which is de
clared TO be much better than Mansneld's
While the Mansfield representation has crowd,
ed n fashionable Chicago theatre more than Q
month. the other one has had rs large crowds
though at half rates.
Charles CoRhlan was engaged to act in The
ROYAL Box" In Brooklyn last week. But he
was not there. AMI n search along the route
which lie should have taken from Toronto
failed 10 discover him. His company came,
but could not tell where he had been lost.
Probably he. himself didn't know. Some OF
Mr.. Coghlan's performances on the stage this
season have been 40 singular IA TO raise wild
surmises. as to what his conduct might be in
private life.
While a hurlcsQue Of ''Xaza'' is already be-
ing prepared at Weber & Fields's. one current
in Paris has been bought bv Brady 4 Ziegteld,
and a translation OF IL will be placed some
where in town without delay. Hoyt 4 Mckee
will produce Charles II. Hoyt's "A Dog in the
Manager" in WASHINGTON at the end Of this
month. 1t makes fun OF life at a seashore
hotel. The same firm will put Otis Harlan
into MY Innocent Boy" a farce by George r..
Sims. Jacob Lift will send Rosemary" on n
tour with Otis Skinner in the part hitherto
played by John Drew.
TIa 1ntaat 10 nl.a.,.o l--.-
from THE Sun are Cole and johnson. who
haven't the slightest warrant for saying that
THE Sun spoke OLA Trim to Coontown" as "a
The story OF The Moth and the Flame has
music. Bennett and Rich. who Illustrate their
ditties with, colored stereopticon views. are
The para phrased parts of the play make an In
terestinE tale Tor a song and give good oppor-
SUCCESS Suggest lie p in "P ol ' ROW. owl t rstEer sh tGSn
Ida Heath must be a little bit older than she
was ten years ago. But her infantile treble il
will be q scotch dance she says to the audi
childish voice. although for maturity and mus
cular Development her legs are comparable to
those OF La Petite Adelaide.
before she went to. Days. resumes her former
stage, name when she appears in, musical farce.
Gene" Her French is 2 delight to tho ear.
coming as i does after hearing various
It would he far wiser to translate these words
than to, have them mispronounced from Miss
The project of a theatre exclusively for the
plays Of American authors, is peculiar in view
Of the tact that the demand for good American
can dramatist who fites on an American sub
Ject and treats it well makes himself more
manager. When our produc ee snS accent Amsr'f imi
ported. instead OF native, plays It is either be- !
cause they are i4trinsically better or that they
ventures. The American writer does not
seem to need "A theatre for hie sole uses. Ali
the theatres are open to him if his work is
enough.
- An old account book'of the Holiday Street
in the pllmy days. Mr.. and Mrs. Jerer-
son. the parents Of Joseph Jefferson. we're
the h leaders I'd ,,. in the comnany. and got $50 a
Duff received S3i. and Mr.. Burke $iO-accnrd-
lng TO the record but an examination of the
half OF the amounts promised. and this was
apparently SC, common that they never re-
satisfied with 500 a week at the height OF his
'lreer. A survival of the difference between
he Il reputed and actual salaries existed in New
Win one manager to make two contracts with
New Orleans hears The French comic opera
nd music farces long before they are given
n other American cities. AT the French the
OPERAS. Last Sst' Week 10" "L .ss" Pe ss @e'l Ms
hus" and .."mL'Auherge ,Tohu .Bohu." the
'uiH;"'i All + of t"s ne e"'f French aSP'J op eaIFS;" o Tei Ie
re given.
THE inheritance" is q striking example OF
he plays that prosper in German and would
lect with certain failure in English. Felix
'hilippi has set forth his alleGory with dis
InctnesS. power and intensity. There are no
interests in 1t OF the kind commonly supposed
, be necessary for popular favor here. The
empowering old man is defeated in his strug-
lie with the young employer. and subsequent
returns TO position through him. In this
tory only one other intrigue appears. That !
slightly the scheme Of u designing
oman and her more unscrupulous brother
obtain, possession of,the mill owner and bis ;
But that theme is touched upon light !
1t is the quarrel between the two men TINT .
couples most Of TIE three hours of the plays :
ttlon,, No youthful lovers give Il comedy re- '
me two men are not rivals for the love
a woman They are not in the customary
hey have Guarrelled over a matter of business 8
one that involves. OF course. a question Of /
'rbing, and the dramatist has succeeded in .
.aking II interesting, TO all audiences except- l
e those accustomed to the wholly different v
.fmula OF our American drama. IL used to Q
said OF Jim, The Penman' that it was the b
,lltary successful modern play with out a love z
as affection between the daughter and her "
yer to provide an element which this German ?
e wife and husband are too characteristicc Of n
life to be considered sentimental. 5
. the suggestions OF his wife and daughter Il
replies that he cannot listen TO women's "
n
One Of tho merely theatrical expedients of CT
liiip3pi,s work has been used before in a @
odiiied way by the younger Dumas. In b
'rancillon" one act closes as a party begins to n
1y cards, In The Inheritance" the man a.
ers Of the armCry determine TO leave moth
2 undone b., which the dishonest man who :,
s revealed their secret may be discoysred F
the papers, accounts and contracts bearing n.
the subject are placed on a table. Tho -
rec men. sit down. and, as they begin to get w
sorbed in them, the curtain falls. When It oC
es again the same three are seated about di
3 table, The night has passed and they rise III
their work with no result accomplished, q
m a supper, and a tray of cigar ashes are IL
denccs OF the fact that they have been at M
sir task since they took their seats AT the al
OF the preceding act; The action o '''The 4,
Ice OF the SUPERINTENDENT. 1t is q charnc- is
istic and patural scene. as Manager Con- WI
d prepared it. and other results ofhis stage pc
Inagement are shown by the mob which is err
ara and not seen. cheers with unusual pc
and sympathy. The performances ST
up to the average OF those H. the best days tn
IA 4