The times., 1899-11-19
GOSSIP OF GAY GOTHAM
New York Managers are Busy Pro-
ducing and Preparing Productions.
Charles Frohman's Make Way for
the Ladies" an Apparent Hit-Annn
Held Succeeds in Drawing Houses
and Setting the Critics 70 Talking
Nonsense Promised Premieres.


,ation, "Papa's Wife" was given its pre-
miere in Washington and that Washing
tonians probably have had enough of the
piece, must open my letter this week
with an account of the plays local advent.
For, odd as this may seem, the offering
mas scored what, at least, is a temporary
hit in the metropolis, and the Manhattan
is doing such a business as it has not done
in many moons. This does not surprise
me, fcI the city always has a floating pop
ulation that may be counted upon to pa
tronize questionable performances, but l
own 10 being astonished at the manner in
which the critics have tumbled over them
selves in an effort to praise everything
connected with the production, Even Sir
Henry Irving hardly was accorded as much
space or more laudation than has been be-
slowed upon this French woman, whose
chief claims to distinction are milk baths
and alluring smiles.
For a set of wholly intelligent men,
Gotham's s reviewers can grow more en- hu-
siastic over nothing than any combination
Of individuals imaginable. In the present
instance, they have called original plot
taken from over a dozen sources; have
dubbed catchy" music absolutely lacking
while beautiful. by no means are unsur-
passed. And how Anna Held has been
greeted! Apparently, Partisan pro -es-
sional directories for a decade back have
been ransacked in an effort at finding ar
lists with whom to compare her. Gels
finger never did better, quoth the Her
aid" Anna Held recalled the great
Tosti at her best" said the Telegraph.
And the Journal outdid its most fervent
orsa frr nlrEi iFagr
Held gave us what we have never had
since Aimee died-a felicitous combiaa-
ton of Theo-J Judic- Chaumont." Between
these Miss Held must feel like q de ega-
ton of imported beauties. Probably, too,
she thinks herself newborn genius and
wonders why she was not also classed " tn
Bernhardt and Duse. She certainly has
right TO marvel at the omission after al
of these eulogiums
And while Miss Held was moving her
judges to enthusiasm on Monday at the
Manhattan. the enterprising Charles Froh-
man was providing a really entertaining
farce at the Madison Square. The piece in
question is an adaptation of the French
place aux Danes, and is entitled Make
Way for the Ladies" 1t takes up a theme
that has been very cleverly worked out by
such American authors as Charles Hoyt
and Clay Greene. Madame Pom Pom is a
woman with three daughters, advanced
ideas, and a nOnentity of a husband. This
last individual has patience that reaches
only to certain point. and finally, wear
led OF his wifes absurdities. he undertakes
10 make her jealous in typical stage fash
ion. The spouse has studied law, however
and attempts to bring her lord and master
TO court, with entangling results that pro-
vide laughter for the evening. Make Way
for the Ladies" is not a brilliant bit of
work, but neither is it displeasing, while
possessing the suggestive scene without
which nothing seems TO achieve success in
New York The play Is acted by z. NJ.
Holland Fritz Williams May Robson.
Esther Tittell May Lambert, Nellie Butler,
and Eric Hope the Earl of Yarmouth. of
whom a local reviewer remarked: 1T is
said that he has been an amateur, but he
hardly could have been a very good one"
The Castle Square Garden Opera Com
pany, at the American, seems TO be suffer-
ing because of The number Of people taken
from it for Western branch organizations.
The troupe still is doing admirably, how
ever, its present rendering OF Der Frei-
schultz" being almost wholly commendabIe
The cast employed on the composition in
cludes Maude Lillian BeTri ~. H Clark
Barron Berthold Harry Luckstone, e. y.
Knight R. F. Sullivan, and Marie Matt
=
chorus and the augmented orchestra
Lucia di Lammermoor' is underlined.
A considerable portion of GOtham's stars
are announcing their last nights ON the
Rialto On the day after tomorrow-post-
ponements aside-Sir Henry Irving and
Ellen Terry will be succeeded at the Knick-
erbocker BY Mr.. and Mrs Kendall. who
will do The Elder Miss Blossom" Henry
Miller viii be followed at the Garden by
Richard Mansfield, in "Cyrano de Ber-
gerac. and In Gay Paree' viii give way
to the Brady fight pictures at the New
York. A week later Julia Arthur is to ter
inmate her engagement in More Than
Queen" E. H. Sothern and Virginia
Harmed end theiT run in The Song of the
Sword, and Children of the Ghetto" viii
be taken TO London.
The reviyals OF the present week include
that of Way Down East at the Academy
of Music. This powerful rural drama is
being presented on a scale never before at
tempted with it, the scenery and properties
being perfect in the finest details ] imag-
inc that Manager Brady must have deyas-
tated many happy home in New England
in order 10 get the furniture shown The
cast being seen In the play numbers Phoebe
Davis. Odell Williams, Howard Kyle, Fe-
lix Haney. and others
On Thursday the Actors Fund had its
tre A great crowd was in attendance,
many of those gathered having paid extra
ordinary prices for seats. Ellen Terry for
example gave $50 for two orchestra chairs,
while other places brought even more.
was not able to witness the performance
and one can never be quite sure of such
bills otherwise The programmes sold for
the occasion. however, announced the APP
pearance of Sir Henry Irving Mrs Fiske,
Julia Arthur, William r. Crane, John
Drew Isabel Irving, Henry Miller and
numberless vaudeyillians.
Julia Arthur, by the way, has been
severely criticised for her unusual and
sensational scene at the Broadway one
night last week when she rang down the
curtain in the middle of an act Of More
Than Queen, and refused 10 continue uu-
til party Of four persons removed itself
from a box. In theatrical circles folk are
beginning to ask. Is Miss Arthur becOm-
ing a common scoid2' She has been al
most universally condemned for her in
terruption, and il is certain that this out
break has not added 10 her popularity. II
is declared that our Julia" who five
or six years ago possessed a head normal
in its size. nov is suffering from a disease
known as enlargement of the Uranium.
II This is true-and there seems to be no
reason for doubling it-Mss Arthur has
taken the quickest way TO public disfavor.
Sarah Truax. who makes her debut as
star next season, probably, viii give
series Of special matinees after the holi
days at one Of the Broadway houses, pre-
4 senting "Ingomar," Romeo and Juliet,
and AS You Like It."
/ Mrs. Stanhope Wheatcroft has accepted