Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-10

l.,.....
Is no iconoclast in the matter of humor
One of The bits Of dialogue which evoked
smile was this:
II Just met couple of friends"
Who were they?"
''One of them was an actor and the other
ollnt nave any money. either"
But it seemed to be a smile Of sympa-
thetlc retrospect; not of derision.
Alice Fischer wears a number Of gorgeous
gowns as the Empress Poppaea in Whit
ney's Quo Vadis." One of these robes,
and perhaps the most artistic of the num-
Der, was designed for Miss Fischer by Jo-
seph Taft, the designer and artist, who was
selected to superintend and outline the
decorations in the American building at the
Paris exposition. Miss Fischer stopped in
his studio when she was getting ready to
play the empress in the Whitney Quo
Nadls production, and asked him about
peculiar shade of red which she wanted for
one costume. Mr.. Taft asked to be permit
ted to design a dress for her, and the green
robe she wears in the third act is the re-
suit There is close-ftting gown of cloth
of gold, and over this robe of sheen green
material falls. Flowers and leaves in heav-
Ter material are scattered over the gown,
each of them outlined in green SpangleS. A
superb girdle of gold with emerald settings
is wound twice around the waist, and on
her head Miss Fischer wears cluster of
green leaves which repeats the tone of the
dress.
Lavishness of personal decorations Is by
no means confined to- the ladies concerned
in the production. Edmund D. Lyons, who
Is the Nero, is one of the most particular
men on the boards concerning properties,
and especially such stage properties as he
has to wear or has anything to do with his
stage business. The eyeglass carried by
Mr.. Lyons in his performance of Nero is
worthy of close scrutiny. 1t is an immense
emerald set in the folds of serpent. This
is a copy of the historical emerald used by
the degenerate Emperor of Rome to keep
his weak eyesight. His debaucheries had
impaired his vision, and as the art of the
oculist had not yet developed to it's present
perfection, the jewelers. were compelled to
resort to various gems that magnlhed. The
snake in whose folds this emerald is fixed
is formed of woven gold wire. Its body
makes complete circle in the center, and
the emerald effect Is repeated in the eyes,
which are small green stones.
In the Strakosch Opera Company Mrs.
Strakosch is a prima donna and Mr. Stra-
kcsch is manager. OF course.
an opera managers business is to manage
and not to be managed The great diff
Guilty comes with the settlement day for
salaries. All the other artists know ex-
actly what they are going to get. but this
blessed privilege Of the profession is fire.
quently denied Harriet Avery Strakosch.
the box office window and holding out her
hand for money. How much?" says the
treasurer. "All you owe me-" comes the
prompt response. well, don't know just
Mr.. Strakosch.' HE has nothing to do
with it; give me money" 81 will have 1t
ready this evening"
In the evening Mr.. Strakosch appears
lSf T give
says Mr.. Hamilton. "All you owe her, of
course" says the manager. How much is
it?' Il make it $275.25" "Oh. you are
no treasurer; you would break bank.
Let me count up. Let's see: so much for
board; so much for railroad fares. extra
trips to see her daughter; so much for
dresses; so much for bonnets; so much for
spring violets and chewing gum, besides
some small things that l won't count. Now
foot that all up. That makes her owe
US $55. 15!'
Charles Frohman said recently: Miss
Hobbs played to over $1,000 week for
twenty weeks at the Lyceum Theater New
York. and that Is large business when you
recollect tho Lyceum has small audito-
rum 1 had a big production on hand,
which I had intended for Annie RusselPs
use in three or four months from the be-
ginning of the season. The point is that 1t
was impossible for me to present the play
until the time mentioned had elapsed, SO
I hit upon Miss Hobbs originally written
for John Drew, as vehicle for Miss Rus
sell meantime. 1t made an unexpected hit,
and of course it would be bad business pol
icy for me to put Miss Russell in anything
else when Miss Hobbs will more than fill
out her present season. Although Mr. Je-
rome had Mr.. Drew in mind as the central
figure of the play. Miss Russell has made so
important a personal success that much
credit is due her when it Is considered that
all I did to throw the interest of the play
to favor her was that 1 changed the title
to the name Of the character she plays. Mr..
Jerome has already been commissioned to
write new comedy for me, If possible, this
season.
cit may be that am an exception to the
rule among managers with regard to spec
ulation on theater tickets said Manager
Chase of the New Grand yesterday, but I
will never be brought to tolerate 1t or re-
gard 1t as anything but plain, unvarnished
robbery. I have heard brother managers
say that 1t is good thing to have specu-
lators about theafer doors, as it advertises
the success of house, and many Of them
do not scruple to admit that they welcome
these highwaymen into their box offices and
let them buy anynumber of the choicest
seats in advance To be charitable. will
say that they are most shortsghted and
blind to the best interests of their houses.
This Is the way u see the wrong in the
business: A Spectator never buys unless
he expects enormous business. Usually he
hires people to buy small lots of seats for
him. The house may not suspect 1t. When
the box Office sells out and the public is be-
ing turned away. then comes the specula-
tors opportunity. Now, If l. for instance,
had the seats in my box Office that the
Spectator wrongfnlly purchased and is SELL
ing in front of my house. could sell those
very seats to the very Same people who are
compelled to yield to~these extortionate
sharpers and the public would save the
premium charged. This week saw the last
of these swindlers around my theater, for
the prompt action Of Major Sylvester and
tho judicial good sense of Judge Scott in
securing the conviction of the chief specu-
lator have completely routed them.
COMING ATTRACTIONS,