The times., 1899-09-17
THE PASSING SHOW.

THE PASSING SHOW.
Now that the Christian, the Jew and
the Chinaman have all finished celebrat-
ing that solitary day which all alike do
celebrate, unanimously if not simultane-
ously. it seems most appropriate that the
Thespian, whose characteristics include
several from each of the three races,
should begin arranging for his New Year.
Some months since, the general run of
theatrical announcements was transferred
from the dramatic journals TO the bill
boards, castles in the air have either de-
scended to earth or vanished in vapor, and
the season of 1S99-1900 is fairly under
way. Within a fortnight after the pub
lication of these lines hardly single one
of the plays advertised for presentation
during the autumn will remain unproduc-
cd, and the critics dearly beloved func
tion of prophecy viii have come TO be
without use. Managers will be dealing IN
comparative certainties.
From a financial point OF view, the COM
ing term locks brighter than has any 9TH
er within the last three decades. The war,
which was the one thing that took away
from the attractiveness Of last years
entirely subsided, From all parts of the
country come reports of that prosperity so
necessary to the success of the playhouse,
because playgoing is still considered to be
a luxury rather than q common need.
Agents who took to the road early are
sending back TO New York gratifying ac-
counts of business done, the theatres in
the larger cities have hung out standing
room signs Immediately after displaying
yvbi oh totd hot tlo fI,nN, off, SC
now open,' and other unmistakable testi-
J moniais are constantly drifting in TO fore
cast an era of prescribed poverty and wei
come aff1uence.
To the man who has carefully inspect
ed present conditions nothing seems more
promising than the fact that the majori-
/ ty OF recent New York hits are yet to be
seen in the proyinces-will be seen in the
provinces at once. Such productions as
those of '.Zaza.' 1.-The Great Ruby" His
Excellency the Governor" and AT the
White Horse Tavern" have established
records at the Garrick, Days, the Empire,
and Wallacks that practically as
sures their yielding enormous returns
when taken en- tour. During the next six
months more and greater things will be
done than have ever been attempted be-
fore. London triumphs will be transplant
ed TO these shores, retired or forgotten
stars VIII make 6HOrtS 10 regain Lle1F lOSl
popularity, and nearly every book that
has achieved prominence recently will be
staged by some enterprising magnate or
ether. Briefly, hardly fewer than 500
companies, important and unimportant,
will be bidding for patronage. And, since
a pronouncedly big season is not more the
cause than the effect of unusual eXpendi-
ture for theatrical ventures, that which
has just had its commencement may be
tad RI ba don't +oI
Artistically affairs are almost as they
were when reviewed extensively last April
in the Times. The easily accountable
fad-if so it may be called-fOT the adap-
tation of favorite volumes has continued
and even grown. When il is stated that
versions of Children Of the Ghetto"
Ben Hur," The Choir Invisible" "A
Tale of Two Cities '"The Gad1y," When
Knighthood Was in Flower" "Sappho -
Vanity Fair "The Three Guardsmen,"
"Wormwood," "The Christian" " THE Lit
tie Minister 'Phroso' Rupert of
Hentzau," "A Lady of Quality Under
the Red Robe "Pudd enhead Wilson, !"
"The Jucklins," and the Sherlock
Holmes stories will be exploited during
the present amusement term. it may be
seen that the advantages of dramatiZation
are fully appreciated. The alleged trust
and the stock system have constantly
gained ground, the one being still regard
ed with suspicion while the other ex-
cites discussion. but general appreciation.
Obscene and vulgar pieces are offered now
as they were three months ago-are con-
demned and attended as then. Good
healthful productions do dominate, how
ever. as they always have and probably
always will. The renewed vogue given
/ blank verse works by the success of "Cy-
rano de Bergerac" has not worn off nor
has the craze for tremendous casts, attri-
1 butable to the same source, died out De-
+ spite the constant labor of transcribers
/ and playwrights, meritorious material is
4 still barely obtainable The public has
not paused in its sprouting fonGness for
! musical comedies, "thrillers' and pink
/ tea" vehicles, nor has it come to be more
/ tolerant OF farce and romance In short
in beginning the season of 1S99-1900 mat
! tiers have been taken up just where they
! were laid down when that of 1S9S-1S99
/ came TO an end. There has BEEN if any,
very little change.
The tendency of the vacation period has
been toward the purchase and arrangement
| of new and, when practicable, novel offer
| ings. Last year precisely thirty-five prom
inent stars held to the presentations which
| had done them service during periods rang
ing from nine months to three decades.
J Just now hardly half that number have
| felt themselves warranted in announcin ?
! their continuation in familiar things. E.
| II. Sothern, it is true, begins his tour
again with The Three Musketeers." but
| he has avowed his intention of following
the piece with THE Song of the Lund, y
The Sunken Bell" and even with Ham
let," and "As You Like It," Richard
Mansfield viii use "Cyrano de Bergerac'
and his repertoire yet awhile, but has in
| contemplation a trial of Emile Moreau's
Madame de Lavillette," together with
another of "Jeffreys;h Viola Allen has
booked her route in THE Christian" bui
has bought from F. Marion Crawford his
/ recent "Old Madrid" Maude Adams is ad.
yertising THE Little Minister but ad-
mits the possibility of doing Masks and
Faces, Peg Wellington" or a special
preparation from the pen of James Bar
| rie; Sol Smith Russell has rehearse6
nothing to replace ''rhe Hon. John Grigs
| by" but has, nevertheless, set Charles
! Klein to laboring on his latest idea; Ross
! and Charles Coghlan are once more to ven-
1 ture with ..The White Heather and "A
| Royal Box but apparently have freshel
matter in their minds eyes; Herbert Kel