The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-14
THE PASSING SHOW.

of Mistress Nell" the first of the numer-
Gus plays on the life Of Nell Gwynn that
this country will undoubtedly see this
year, was produced with almost unpar-
alleled success at the Bijou Theatre. New
York, last Tuesday night. There was
scarce half-flled house in attendance
upon the first nights presentation, but
the metropolitan reviewers were out in
full force. no doubt fully prepared to cast
their harpoons in the direction of Mss
Crossman and her fellow players. The
first act was barely under way before The
audience realized that they were witness
ing a really brilliant play. acted with in
telligence by a company of practically
unknown people. The second act created
a furore. and by the time the final cur
tain had descended Miss Crossman and
Mistress Nell' were the real success OF
the present season in Gotham town. The
newspapers, with enc accord, jcined in
the most extravagant praise. ami several
managers of prominent theatres alcng
Broadway are now falling over each ether
in their efforts to have Miss Gresham
and the play transferred from the Bijou
to their houses.
Mistress Nell' is the work of a
tine, who at one time wrote a play OF
gloomy tendencies and based upon the
life of the poet Poe. for Creston Clarke's
use This piece was we'll received in sew
eral cities of the Middle West, but when
tried in the East, proved unsuited for
beneficial box Office results, and 1t was
soon shelved.
Mistress Nell" was first presented last
summer by stock company at Denver
Il, MiC-
man, who had been working laboriously
in stock companies for several years,
played the principal part in the Denver
production, and at once saw possibilities
in it and secured the play for her use this
year. The failure of Cupid to outwit
Adam at the Bijou early in the season
left the Sire playhouse without an at
traction and in this manner Miss Cross
man was allowed to enter New York
quietly and without any of the customary
newspaper heralding. On this account
her success is all the more remarkable.
The Sires are rather lucky in the matter
of securing successful plays that have been
originally booked as stop gaps after dire
failures of pieces from which much had
been expected. Several years ago. after
costly production at the BijOu had proved
fiasco, the management of the theatre
set about finding an attraction to occupy
the stage until Hay Irwin was ready to
begin her metropolitan season. farce
called My Friend From India was tour
ing Pennsylvania and creating no end OF
talk Manager Sire heard of it. went to
Easton, witnessed the performance, and
Immediately booked the De Souchet piece
for the Bijou. Nothing was known of the
farce beyond the fact that Walter Perkins.
an actor, had hawked it about the Offices
of almost every manager in New York.
each of whom pronounced it worthless.
Two men. however. saw its possibilities.
and Myron Rice and w. G. Smythe, ex-
perienced managers. produced the play and
made fortune out of it. Mistress Nell''
seems bound to repeat the history OF My
Friend From India"
Additional interest Is attached to the
success OF the Nell Gwynn" comedy from
the fact that one of its principal players,
| Godfrey Stein, is Washingtonian. He
appears in the role OF the Duke of Buck
ingham. and the press Of the metropolis
pronounced his Interpretation of the part
as one Of the best ever seen in Broadway
theatre. Mr.. Stein Is evidently headed up
Broadway, which, in theatrical circles,
means success.
at is to Taught" Charles Frohman has
been telling the newspaper reporters of
the metropolis that William Gillette will
be seen next year in a suinptuous produce
| ton Of Hamlet" MIR. Frohman has not
| even taken the trouble to get Mr. Gil
| lette's consent to appear as the melan-
| choly Dane. but takes it for granted that
| the actor-playwright will be a good boy
| and not antagonize the wishes of his man.
/ ager.
Perhaps Mr.. Frohman has in mind scme
| additions to the Shakespearean piece and
| believes that il the Sherlock Holmes OF
| the stage of today were to introduce some
| of the novel effects for which he is famed.
! the public would rally around the box
| Office in countless numbers. Imagine Ham,
| let smoking Perfecto during his solilo-
| guy.
! This is what Mr. Frohman has to say
On this subject:
Mr. Gillette and | have never discussed Ham
! let, but | know his intellectually. his keen
analytical powers applied TO every character
/ he has played. notably Sherlock Holmes; his
| disregard of stage traditions and his originality
! of thought and method. | confident, there
/ fore, that he Will present conception OF the
! role interesting alike to the student and to
| the average thcatregoer. and that both in the
! conception OF the part and its stage settings he
will do himself every credit. He will evolve
points of character and stage pictures
| for Hamlet that will delight the public and his
| friends.
knowing the man as do, see in him adj
mirable qualifications for this role, and his style
( and method natural and so different from
| the many great actors who have played Hamlet
| that l know his presentation of it will be new,
| striking, and excellent.
| The Times modestly begs to call Mr..
| Frohman's attention to play of much
| popularity in the smaller towns CT the
country, although it has not been seen on
! n metropolitan stage fer many years. In
the parlance of the theatrical profession
it is known as U. I. c., and is usually
played by companies of the ten twent',
thirt' class. 1t has all the elements OF
popularity of ''Richard Carvel," Quo
Vudis." "Cyrano de Bergerac, Hamlet"
and there is no copyright on Mrs. Stove $
novel.
The average New York theatrical gath
ering is just about bucolic enough to en-
JOY a really good Uncle Toms Cabin
| performance with Mr.. Gillette or John
Drew in the name part, and with six
count 'em-Evas. four Markses. pack OF
hounds, and cakes of real ice. would
make a big impression. Mr.. Gillette could
substitute a corn cob for the inevitable
cigar.
The Times predicts great success for
Mr.. Frohman's Forthcoming production OF
Uncle Toms Cabin
Miss Olive Wallace, the little woman
who assumed the titular role in Nam selle
'Awkins." and during the local engage
ment of the comedy became i'll with pneu-
monia and was taken TO the Garfield
Memorial Hospital has passed the china,
of her illness and is considered out Of
danger. She will likely be discharged
within the coming week. Miss Wallace /:
a sister of Mrs. Thomas Jefferson.
"The Rose of Persia closed its season
last night in this city. and the member.
of the company will be sent back to Eng
land in few days. The total failure o