The times., 1900-12-23

living long, and / accordingly returned to
the old burlesque work. / like it, am pop
ular with audiences all over the country,
and the remuneration Is satisfactory, and
little by little l am regaining what l lost
on my starring venture, SO why shouldn
j be contented?
You should" quoth the Times inter-
viewer, as he said goodbye.
The in many ways marvellous perform
ance of 'Zaza," in which David Belasco
presented Mrs. Leslie Carter three sea-
sons ago, and which has PLACID her prom
inently among Americas foremost ac-
tresses. is remarkable among many other
things for it's very excellent cast. The
Aunt Rosa OF Mrs. Marie Bates has been
q conspicuous factor in the success of
''Zaza" from the first night the play was
produced on the stage of the Lafayette
Theatre here two years ago next Tueslay
night, and is still acknowledged TO be one
of the best drawings of the type ever pre-
scented on the American stage. ATs.
Bates perfect conception Of the role has
permitted it to rise to distfnctiYely rec
ogniZable heights, and in the scenes with
Zaza, the honors are invariably shared.
Her comedy is Individual. and prevents
the role from becoming disgusting. as in
less capable hands it undoubtedly would.
Poor Aunt Rosa!" said Mrs. Bates 10
Times representative one day last week,
''she and l have been friends for so long
that l shall feel as though l have really
lost something when l give her up next
season. The new play? Well. we hardly
know yet for it's little early in the sea-
son. Yes, L shall remain with Mr.. Belas-
CO, though ! have had the offer Of a splen-
did part in new play which Mr.. Broad
hurst is writing. But my associations
with Mr.. Belasco's company have been SO
delightful that / am loath to make
change. This has been ny experience
ever since have been en- the stage, and
in consequence my entire career has been
spent within a very small circle. l was
with one production for eleven years, and
played Neil Burgess part in his County
Fair for five seasons. / have been with
Mr. Belasco for three years, and as l am
engaged for next season, it looks as
though the same good fortune will follow
me ad inlnitum. Another strange thing
is the few parts / have played. For long
time il seemed as though l should never
succeed in getting away from negro char
acters-Topsy, by the way, was one of
them-but l did finally, and now every
time anybody wants good-for- nothing
old drunken woman. they come after me.
Mrs. Murphy in 'Chimmie Fadden' was
the sole cause of it all. Yes, was cred
tied with hit. She really was funny, and
thoroughly enjoyed playing her. So,
you see, l was prepared for Aunt Rosa in
'Zaza.'
when we visited London last summer
I was just little afraid of how she would
be taken by an English audience. but after
the first scene my fear few TO the winds,
for l could see that they liked her, and SO
l was satisfied. When we went to London
II Was simply business venture. fer it's
all game Of chance. and Nir. Belasco
said: Well, il "ZaZa" is not liked. We can
come home, but Immediately after the
first performance we were engaged for
fifteen weeks-somewhat of a proof of
success. don't you think so? My part in
the new play interests me very much, for
Mr.. Belasco says that it is a splendid
one and, Of course, we don't know any
thing yet, but your city gave luck to
'Zaza, and it may be that you will do the
same for the next seasons play. We
never go back on old friends, you know"
Aunt Rosa concluded with genial smile
and the heartiest of hand clasps.
Comedies, musical and otherwise. may
come and go, but it is safe 10 assume that
never has there been a cleaner. brighter
and better appointed offering than San
Toy" the Chinese-English piece which
held the stage of the Columbia Theatre
last week, and which has done the same
for the boards Of DaIy's Theatre, London,
for over two years Total absence of buff
feonery came as balm to wearied senses,
and the gorgeousness of costume and scenic
equipment was picture seldom equaled
Tue bright particular star of the organiza-
tion, stated quite unnecessarily on the
programme, was James T. Powers, last
seen loc.-iiy in The Runaway Girl" and
an old favnrite here. Mr.. Powers was
found in his dressing room during a per-
formance last week, and though garbed in
raiment Celestial. he talked quite Amer
lean, with no extra rs to disclose his SEEM
ing nationality.
You see, I've been a Chinaman before,
so these togs are not very strange TO me-
No, / have No fear OF becoming identified
with Chinese parts. for the very good rea-
son that there are too few of them. This
will be about all. No. that wasn't slang,
really. l mean that there will hardly be
any more Chinese pieces written, for there
can't be much variety in plot. and the at
mosphere is always the same, so imagine
San Toy will be the last. But it's
great go. Why. Daly's Theatre. New York, /
has never known such audiences as we
played TO there, and the people screamed
II the funny lines. It was enthusiastically
received. and in spite of some contrary |
statements. was a hit from the very |
start
Il introduce my own business In my in |
depreciation Of Ii. and. in fact, have al |
ways done so in whatever part have been |
rast. II gives me greater freedom, and |
way back in my little corner l take bit |
of the credit TO myself The last song
descriptive Of the soldiers of the differ |
mt nationalities is mine-that is should |
;ay, / wrote the words-not the music. |
Some people have said that the part is |
not big enough to dominate, but to my |
mind that is exactly what it does
"Come," called Mr.. Powers. in answer |
% knock and the door opened to admit |
Mr.. Sol Smith Russell. who had "just run |
n to shake hands with LIZ The two /
comedians formed a contrast Mr. Powers.
quick and alert, and Mr.. RUSSELL with the
arne slow, deliberate manner which the
lublic has come 20 know so we'll Con-
and good wishes were ex-
with few stories-in that
generous way which viii
iver be mark Of the good fellowship ex-
sting among the members of the theatrical
profession.