The times., 1899-05-21


extracted below his scapula, and similar
token OF esteem visited vengeance on a
totally unnecessary rib. as the Captain
has lived without it ever since. long
siege with the fever, gangrene, pestilence.
and blood poisoning followed, and after a
gallant struggle in that tropical summer
Captain Reynolds recovered to find his
good sword arm disabled, and, like the
Moor of Venice, his occupation gone. Ac-
cepting a provisional pension in lieu OF
the monthly stipend rewarding the usual
British hero, the disabled veteran was en-
ticed into the theatrical business, drop
ping his little fortune while engaged in
the business end OF the profession"
Literally driven to the stage, he has made
great success. After recovering perfect
ly the use of his arm he toured the prov
inves, eventually reached America and has
been in clover ever since. An adept in
stock work, he is ready student. and
none of the Frawleys are more familiar
with their lines or business on short no.
tice than the Hero of Basuta.
1t is good deal of step from support
ing legitimate stars like Frederick Ward,
Walker Whiteside. and Louis James to
doing cake walks in a popular priced bur-
leSque show. This alteration is that of
Edna Mitchell, one of the Mitchell Sisters
with the Broadway Burlesquers' at Ker
mans last week. The young. woman is
really under the voting age, and since her
infancy has spent her days behind the foot
lights. making her initial appearance as
the little Prince in Richard III early in
the last decade. Finally, growing too sat
uesque for child parts. she entered yaude-
Vile with her cousin, whose rear name is
Sheldon, the twain constituting the Mitchell
Sisters. Each is quite comely in her way.
their voices blend perfectly. and their
turn is far above the average in their
especial line of work When asked the
other afternoon why soubrette teams or
knockabout artists invariably pose as Sis
tiers or brothers the young women united
in explaining that the title was more eu-
phonious, more easily remembered by the
public, and was an attraction to managers.
Certain it is that the Cherry Sisters are
not forgotten. while the equally odorous
act of the Smith and Jones combination has
passed into a sweet forgetfulness.
George CASTOR grasped his part for "Pri-
vate John Allen" in one hand and a scene
prop in the other when approached by
Times man during rehearsal at the Colum-
bia yesterday morning and requested for a
brief description of his dark past You
must refer to the many colored parts l
have played" said the little old man with
laugh endowed with good nature. You
see, | am the representative of the old
stock company days. l was in stock work
here with Jack Seyille's company away
back in the early seventies, but stayed only
a portion OF the season. The requirements
for a continuous engagement have altered
decidedly since my entrance into the pro-
feSsion. Then stock actor was expected
to be able to fence, perform athletic feats.
speak several languages, ride horseback,
sing, dance, play character and leading
business with equal facility and if necessa-
ry aid in striking the scenery. Now. the
line Of duty is more circumscribed and
each man has his own particular work and
is not required to leave it. Yes. 1 have
supported some of the old romantic stars.
including Nillson, Cushman, Forrest, and
others.
In those days each actor was up on all
the romantic and standard plays and able
to go on in part in a minutes notice.
We frequently put on a different work
each night Of the week. Yet it seems to
me we are required to work harder now
with but one performance week You
see, we old fellows get in a kind of rut and
can't easily get out Of it. When / was a
youngster. in the profession I noticed that
as soon as an old actor came off he went to
his room instead of standing around in the
wings TO watch the others work. l then
wondered at their lack of interest but now
find myself following their example to the
letter. In the two score OF years In this
work / have played nearly every conceiy-
able part. from leads in romance to col
ored men and Irish ladies in comic opera
and burlesque. They also make use of my
musical tastes to some extent, and l am
said to be pretty good musician in a
rough way. l play nearly all the piano
and organ bits in the Frawley productions.
There, missed my cue in talking to you.
II this had been a performance instead OF
rehearsal 1 would get harkey' for It.
I'll have to go now" and In a minute
Mr.. CASTOR was indulging in the choicest
of negro dialect in the last rehearsal OF
Mr.. Hanford's new play.
Few men reap the reward OF proprietor
ship more than Dave Lewis, of the Broad
way Burlesquers." Although a fair and
natural delineator of German character,
no one who visited kernans during the
week could avoid reaching the opinion
that he overworked himself This is es-
pecially SO during the afterpiece, where
he breaks in on really good specialties of
his supporting company in a senseless and
ignorant attempt to produce laughter OF
course. he pays the salaries. but the box
off'"e receipts would increase If his over
ambition could be curbed by a bit of
good judgment.
Unborn courage urged The Times man
to seek an interview with Nine. Pillar
NORM after her matinee performance yes
terday. The comely Partisan was reclining
on her luxurious couch when the card of
the dramatic writer reached her, alecting
to remain at the theatre rather than re-
move her rather elaborate makeup and
seek her hotel and dinner. Naturally witty
and bright, her five years in America have
sharpened even her keen talents, and she
defended her position in producing My
Cousin" somewhat as follows: You Amer
leans prate about purity in dramatics, and
there ends your opinions on the subject
You do not support pure plays. and natur-
ally drive managers to seek what you
really want
"a case illustrating my argument occurs
to me now. You may remember that beau
tiful play, The Last Chapter one OF the
most poetic little things ever seen. at
tended its first performance in New York
and said to myself, Now here is piece
which should be well received And in
two weeks it was forced to retire because
it was too moral. Here in Washington,
where you preach morality and practice the
opposite you did not give The Last Chap
ter decent hearing, and still every news
paper says / am wicked and depraved for
producing My Cousin IN this National
Capital The only thing you praised was
a bit of pantomime l did and really il was
a burlesque on the art. II l was to be
starred in a pantommic part the people
would rush over themselves in an effort TO
keep away from the theatre. So you see,
what you Americans have you do not want
and what you want you VIII not accept.
The woman who plays such parts as this OF