The times., 1899-05-28

friends are many and her enemies few
ana all are gratifed at her Unprecedented
success in Mrs Parker's pastoral drama.
Forrest Robinson, recognized locally as
a leading man OF great ability. will soon
close his present engagement and imme-
diately report to Henry Miller in San
Francisco to play Marc Antony to Miller's
Brutus in Julius Caesar" While fnan-
ciaiiy productive. Mr.. Robinson apparently
| regrets the season spent in pastoral drama
| as being undignified and below his artistic
level. And there is a good deal of reason
IN this opinion. The descent from Angel
IN Tess to that of David in way Down
East is a considerable one, not productive
| OF leeilng OF respect. While superhly
done. the David of Mr.. Robinson lacks the
dignity and scholarship his personality
| suggests. He says his reading OF Antony
VIII be departure from the stereotyped
methods previously obtaining, being less
deciamatory and more rational. The
| time is apparently ripe for rationaIism and
naturalism in the rendering of Shake
speare, and 1t is only to be regretted that
Mr. Miller's presentation of the bard's
great work will not be seen in Washingto,
or in other Eastern cities.
win everything pointing toward a reviy-
al OF interest in the Shakespearean snd
tne classic. 1t is with feelings of delight
tnat the numberless friends of Charles b.
Hanford learned of his supplanting Fred
erick Warde in the Warte- Kidder-Janes
trlumvirate. The past season the COM
oination cleared considerably over $50 900.
with a series of well-worn plays. For the
new triumvirate the repertoire is decidedly
varied, ranging from Julius Caesar" to
me Rivals, giving each artist an e,ppor-
tunity to display his or her versatility
There is considerable interest to see Mr..
Hanford as Napoleon in Madame Sans
Gene The advantage of Napoleonic
head will be neutralized by n rather Co.
iiah-like frame. yet those who have watch
ed the career OF the Washington boy will
be surprised only when he fails to reach
his former ideals. 1t was fortunate thing
for all concerned when Mr.. Warde decided
to star alone.
Eight plays are included in the proposed
repertoire. These are: '-The Winters
Tale" in which the Washngtonian will be
Leontes. and Mr.. James. Autolicus Mime.
Sans-Gene," with Mr.. Hanford as Napole-
on; "Othello." as Iago; Julius Caesar" as
Marc Antony: Lady of Lyons as Claude
Melnotte; THE Rivals" in which Mr..
James assumes the comedy role of Bob
Acres, and Mr.. Hanford. Captain Absolute;
Henry " with Mr.. Hanford as the King,
and Macbeth" in which the local actor
assumes the part of Macduff to Mr.. James
Macbeth, and Miss Kidder's Lady Mac
beth. The trio viii be under the manage
ment of Wagenhals & Kemper. This en-
gagement means summer OF very hard
work for Mr.. Hanford, as he has played on
ly three parts of the repertoire. Captain
Absolute, Marc Antony, and Iago.
Fanny Davenport once remarked that
when the public at large learned the mys
teTies OF stage technique it would no longer
patronize the theatre. Since this statement
has been given publicity, a score of plays
disclosing life behind the scenes have fail
ed TO diminish public interest and rather
accentuate 1t. But even to the most ex-
perienced hardened observer a feeling akin
to regret comes when he discovers how
things are done" beyond the footlights
Few who have witnessed Way Down
East during its two weeks in Washing
ton have failed. to marvel at the natural
ness and effectiveness of the storm scene
in the third act. Suggestion, that most
potent OF influences, compels many a shiver
as the sieet and snow are whisked through
the open door Of Squire Bartlett's kitchen
and the wind howls dismally as it passes
through the stage trees. To dispel the
illusion is perhaps cruel. but interesting
Through the courtesy OF Stage Manager
Bunny the writer was permitted to view
the storm machine yesterday afternoon.
1t is generally known that the snow is
really finely cut paper, yet here the SIM
llarity between the scene In Way Down
East" and the plays that have gone be-
fore comes to an abrupt termination
Formerly 'snow-bag," strip of canvas
with longitudinal Sits suspended from a
frame in the flies was agitated by ropes
and the snow. in good-sized Jumps, dropped
duly to the floor. When John Grismer
undertook the elaboration of Mrs. Parker's
crude manuscript, he determined to outdo
all previous snow efforts. A device which
for a better name, is called snow
trough was made. consisting of a pair
of longitudinal frames connected by / ar
row strips and covered with a fine wire
screen. This is filled with the snow
and suspended from a scantling. which is
pendent from the gridiron, hanging on
the level with the flies. A pair of ropes
in the hands of several energetic stage en-
ployes serve to agitate the trough. So far
there is but little improvement over the
old device, except that the downfall of
immaculate particles is more steady and
better distributed.
Just beside the kitchen door. out of the
view of the audience, are four 2i-inch
electric fans. which whirl energetically
during the storm. Above these are two
large hollow cylinders. with perforated
sides. These are filed with salt and when
revolved let fall a tiny band of whitish
particles, to be waited across the door and
window. giving the effect of s!eet. A
wind machine'-a wooden cOgwheel upol
which is pressed a sheet of oilcloth while
revolving-gives the dismal sound of a
wintry gust. and a calcium light aecen
tuates the whiteness of both snow and
sleet When the door is opened the wind
machine is energetically revolved. All in
all. there are six men concerned in the pro-
duction of the storm effect. Three barrels
of snow" are used at each performance.
and eighty pounds of salt. After the act
the counterfeit congealate is carefully
swept up, sifted, and stored away for fur
ther use. The wastage of salt amounts TO
about sixty-fve pounds weekly, while the
snow requires replenishment every month
on account of the sabling influence OF TN
cleanly stage floors and fixtures.
There are two kinds of vaudeville per-
formanccs l really enjoy" said lady sit
ting behind the writer at the Grand the
other afternoon. ''One is of the kind which
interests you intensely because of their
excellence and the others are those so
very bad that you can lose yourself in
guying them" And representatives of
both classes were included in the bill of
Washingtons first continuous vaudeville
performance. Probably the worst of the
lot was that OF LaClair. LaNard, and Rith
It was denominated 'Travestry on Uncle
Toms Cabin" Even in this day. when a
man with sufficient collateral or credit to
obtain a set of soap boxes and 4 pair of
NANCY hounds is privileged to compromise
Harriet Beecher Stoves famous work, this
however bad, is to be preferred
to the alleged trayestry.
After four diligent attempts, the follow
ing scheme of the sketch was secured. A
pigeon breasted woman is discovered in
a yretchedIy fitting dress and remarks