The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-06-04

From the ST. James Gazette: A rather
amusing, if not particularly edifying,
controversy has lately been raging
across the Channel between Coqueltn.
the actor, and Sarcey, the critic. In his
notice of PLUS que RENE the latter,
it appears plainly declared that the
former was wholly unacceptable in the
role of Napoleon. This evoked from Co.
quelin the retort courteous that Sarcey
was in his dotage and no longer pos
sesSed any influence upon public opin-
ion. The critics answer is character
istic and Instructive: .'Coquelin mas
discovered that am growing old. Well,
we all come to that, dear friend. Even
you must have realized the fact in your
own case when you essayed to play
Bonaparte. You divide my life into
two portions. Until 1880 was the ma
tional critic; from that date onward l
am an imbecile. But you are mistaken;
the line of demarcation is not SO easily
traced. l register my years, like every
one else, and the amazing thing is that
/ they correspond to yours. When You
play Petruccio I am, on the following
day, a man of Wit and talent. No sooner
do you appear as Fanfan la Tulipe than,
behold / am an idiot. You appear as
Labussiere in 'Thermidor' and again
am raised to the position of national
critic. You undertake the part of Ro-
quebrune, and / drop into the ranks of
numbskulls. You are Cyrano, and once
|. more I ascend to the clouds. You ap-
pear as Bonaparte, and, alas! I am
no better than an old beast. Coquelin,
my friend, there is a very simple and
! easy way out of the difficulty for us
I both. For the future play nothing but
good parts, and play them WELL" The
I. advice is excellent. If only it were gen.
orally followed how easy and how
pleasant would the dramatic critics oc-
cupation become.
San Francisco Music and Drama:
There is a late addition to the Penal
Code of New York, making it misde-
meanor punishable by imprisonment or
fine for the parties responsible for the
piracy Of a play whether it be copy
righted or not AS this only applies
to one State the pirates will steer clear
of it easily enough but it is now the
intention of the owners of valuable
manuscripts unprotected by the United
States copyright law to get similar
statute passed in the Western States
where play piracy f1ourishes without
restraint. The new law provides that
If the consent of the owner of a play is
refused it may not be .--sented and
also makes the persons who permits,
aids or takes part in such an unauthor-
ized production liable to prosecution as
well as the person primarily RESPONSE
bic. Judge Dittenhofer fathered the
bill and got splendid backing from AS
, semblyman Greene, who introduced it,
and also from the Dramatic Authors
Club.
There is a story of Joseph Jefferson
which, although it is not entirely new,
the actor himself is fond of repeating.
He was asked, some ten years ago, to
spend a week with a Scotch peer.
Among the guests was a naughty and
brilliant lady, who was the daughter
of an Earl. II suppose" said Mr.. JEFF
ferson, there must have been a homeA
spun flavor in my American manner
that amused her, for she made dead
set at quizZing me. I did not detect it
at first, and answered some of her alb
surd questions about America quite in
nocently. She kept her countenance 20
well that I might never have discov-
cred / was being made game of were
It not for the idiotic grin on the smooth
face of one Of her boyish admirers
And then l felt, for the honor of my
country, that If she ever made another
thrust at me / would parry it if l
: could. 1 had not long 70 wait, for,
emboldened by her success, she turned
upon me and said: BY the by, have
you met the Queen la.ely?' No, ma
dam 1 replied with perfect seriousness.
I was out when her majesty called
upon me- She colored slightly, and
then turned away and never spoke to
me again. But l was revenged."
Julia Arthur first played Juliet at the
age Of IA years. This was with
shakespearean repertoire company, in
which the custom existed to alternate
the actors in the different characters
nightly, thus Miss Arthur not only ap-
peared in this leading role, but i'm
personated the roles of the nurse, Lady
Capulet and Lady Montague as well.
- =
| Helena Modjeska will use next sea-
son a new play by Clinton Stuart, with
hdilS <AutOiueltc It's CHlGl pefSOI-
age. Fanny Janauschek will enact
Meg Merrilies in a fresh dramatization
of Guy Mannering." Julia Arthur will
offer productions of Romeo and Juliet"
and More Than Queen" Rose Coghlan
asks a denial of the report that she
has been engaged for Ma Cousine"
Jeffries Lewis will go into The Opium
Queen" Grace George Brady into Ben
Hur," and Rebecca Warren into "The
Children of Israeli
Three gods are in the household of
= Willie Collier, the comedian. They are
Irving, Gillette and Augustin Daily.
This trinity Of great play-producers is
held in special reverence by Collier for
what it has accomplished in the way
of making stage art more than an
! empty name.
Arizona the new play by Augustus
Thomas, will be produced at the Grand
Opera-house in Chicago, June Stn,
probably with Otis Skinner in the lead
| ing role. There have been some nego-
tiations with Robert Edeson, but he
will probably remain beyond the open
ing date in his present position with
His Excellency the Governor"
> =
James A. Herne will damatize and
direct the production Of Zangwill's
Children of the Ghetto" which will
take place next September in Wash