The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-02
He Makes a Funny
Speech to the
Audience.
ANSWERS CURTAIN CALL.
(yrano de Bergerac Tickles
Worcester Talks With
Spy Man.

Francis Wilson played Cyrano de
Bergerac last night at the Worcester
Theatre before one Of the most fash
ionable and appreeiative audiences ever
furnished by the theatre-goers of this
city.
In spite of the fact that Friday is a
poor theatrical day and between a holi-
day and Saturday, the house was sold
out cary, and standing room was taken
long before the curtain rose.
'Cyrano de Begerac" is not by any
means a translation of its French orig
inal. II makes Of Cyrano man of in
finite jest and whimsical pathos, but
that was necessary to bring before the
public the real Wilson, whom the public
has learned to know in Half King
and THE Little Corporal as well as in
"Erminle." Mr.. Wilson confesses that
some OF the finer parts Of the new play
were not appreciated in New York city
at the opening Of the season, and, pre-
ferring public estimation and ducats to
artistic glory coupled to lack of enthu-
sism, he gave the public what the pub
lie loves. Frankly, we believe the public
has right TO ask Mr.. Wilson to sing
and caper and joke. Did he not viTtu-
ally admit that to please was his pleas
ure? Do we not know that for an actor
TO please is profitable?
The audience liked his droll humor as
lover, as well as they liked him as a
fake emperor or funny brigand
Lulu Chaser was as pretty and
piquant as ever. She is wonderfully YER
satile and clever. Her laugh is a gift in
itself. 1t never seems stacy or affected.
After the second act the audience rose
to an unusual pitch of enthusiasm. The
tableau was encored. The company
came back once, twice, thrice. Mr.. VIII
son finally came forward and said:
Ladies and gentlemen-Your conduct
is beyond reproach! (Laughter) l feel
like applauding you for applauding me,
not so much, perhaps, because I deserve
it as because ii IS so welcome. 1t is very
pleasant to be patted on the back by
several hundred of hands and to be as
sured if only momentariiy that even
Dewey isn't in it with you. Very pleas
ant, indeed, even though you should go
outside after the performance and
throw mud at my picture on the bill
board. Which reminds me that I always
have a very unpleasant feeling when
ever l pass a theatrical poster that has
been mutilated or defaced, as for ex-
ample, one l saw the other day of Miss
Maude Adams, whose photographic ear
had been filled with chewing gum. or
one of Mr.. Richard Mansfield, whose
nose had been tomatoed beyond all rec
ognition, or one of myself With which
some society gentlemen, aged six. had
taken all sorts of mud pie liberties.
always feel sorry, l say, that l have
not succeeded in winning the favor OF
this youthful private, who, in revenge,
possibly has blotted out my pictorial
left eye.
am not much of a theatregoer my
self, as a spectator, for reasons which
it is perhaps unnecessary to mention,
but with happiness so fieeting, and
sorrow so plentiful I feel that l should
prefer to patr 0nize those players who
give the greatest amount Of enjoyment
in the shortest kind of an evening and
I should be delighted to show them by
my applause just such appreciation as
that with which you have honored me
tonight. Ladies ana gentlemen, thank
you. (Applause-)
AS the curtain fell the comedian
glanced up in mock awkwardness to see
If the curtain would escape his head.
The effective scenery deserves some at
tention The opening scene of the third
act was very impressive. The hungry
Gascon soldiers are resting to slow
music. The effect was pleasing in every
way-lights and shadows, orchestral
and vocal music, and the subsequent
clamor of battle make a dramatic con-
trast
After the performance, Mr.. Wilson
received The Spy man in his little
dressil g room. He was happy His
face Blamed with vaseline and pleas
ure. The Cyrano nose had been taken
off by his faithful valet and put in cold
storage for use at Bridgeport on Sat
urday afternoon. The valet was anx-
ious to get the stage clothes away from
Mr.. Wilson. Arrayed in a Harvard
blazer and his brown pantalets, he
was calmly writing letters and en-
dorsing checks. He blandly explained
that endorsing checks was his favorite
pastime. He plays chess, too, for be-
tween the only two chairs in the pam
try, where he dresses, there was a
game of chess on exhibition. He
claimed that he had beaten the Count
de Guiche one game and had lost one
during the performance. The rubber
went unrubbed, and while Wilson
talked, the reporter poked the red
headed kings about He joyfully anti
cipated his game of golf next Sunday
at New Rochelle, as he rubbed the
vaseline from his face and shed his
garments. The valet got his citizen
clothing ready. As he wormed his way
into his undershirt he asked for news
Of the war in South Africa The Spy
man had been thinking Of Gascony and
Spain, not of Beers. Mr.. Wilson made
an argument for the English
The deft fingers of the valet had