The Washington times., 1901-10-06

so one day last summer while the re-
hearsals OF Miss Simplicity were going
on, and stopped first at the Lambs Club.
IN MS haste he rushed into the club
mouse without removing his big cap and
soggles. His actor friends lined up and
iYared vociferously. and seeing what
leushable impression his auto regalia
siaus upon them, he thought OF using it
ior MS introduction in his new operetta.
What is the difference between a
comic opera and an operatic comedy.
anyway queried foreign looking gem
ue1nan of his manifestIy American friend
rs the two came out Of the New National
iheatre betwesn n the first and second acts
OF The Strollers" the other evening.
lhe Interrogation is NOT n new one. az
many persons interested in things thea
tr1cal have asked themselves or their
friends the identical question and sell
dom received an intelligent or satisfac-
tory answer a Times critic who had
overheard the conversation quoted de-
termined to seek expert testimony on the
subject and accordingly hied himself be-
hlnd the scenes at about the only mo-
nent Mr.. Wilson was not engaged in
cpulnS rags, donning monks costumes or
raising false whiskers. The question was
pfopounded to the star in the Identical
,ahSuage Of the foreigner For a minute
Mr wilson looked nonplussed. but as he
d
garment
Do you remember that Boucicau!t
once asked every literary man of the day
proper dehnition of a comedy2 Well
ne never got an answer which proved
satisfactory. and L guess you will not
elther 1t $ good deal like determining
where the Alps leave of and the Pyrennes
begin. The two grade into each other
or overlap, so that the line OF demarka-
ton is vague one. The operate comedy.
you Know, isn't new thing by any
means. Don't ask me for dates, for you
VIII not get them, but I'll tell you some
thing of interest TO the people of the
Capital City, and that is that in George
Nashingtons library in the Athaeneum In
Boston found a musical comedy. OF
course, ii is easy to say that musical
comedy is comedy with music but that
would embrace great many of the works
which we have accepted as comic operas.
Getting to the bottom of the discussion
a musical comedy is less pretentious than
an opera. IL lacks an ensemble num-
her which is sort of a theme for the
whole Offering. Then. too musical cCm-
edy has no sentimental ballads. or should
have none. And on the other hand.
a comic opera is generally located in a
foreign country in time remote from
this. probably in the past. while a musical
comedy is in the present period or a little
more than up to date, That's about all
the differences | can think of or have
been able to sum up. You see. many Of
my comic operas have really been COM
edies. The Little Corporal would have
done nearly as well without music and
so would Half a King. You don't think
sot Wei, maybe / am wrong, but the
manuscripts might settle the matter
Are you still fencing, Mr.. Wilson,"
asked the critic
You know, then. that / was once the
swordsman of America. That
was some time ago, but / still consider
it the best exercise of all. though of late
| a nod in 4
could give an ordinary swordsman d
blade and tell him TO devote his attention
to holding it and disarm him in three min
utes.''
Rap, rap. came a gentle knock on the
stars door. Here's the last heat, re-
marked Mr.. Wilson laeonically. for all
during his talk he had been getting into
more outlandish duds and was now fully
attired for the final appearance of The
Strollers.' And as he bade The Times
man goodbye to make his appearance be-
fore an expectant audience he said:
The next time you come to ask me a
question please make it an easy one
Irene Bentley. the dainty and ingen-
uous actress who shared the hOnors last
week with Francis Wilson in The Stroll
ers.'' is a happy example of the leading
woman who has graduated from the chO-
rus. Her Filtration song was one of the
distinct hits of the musical comedy 1t has
been repeatedly stated that Miss Bent
ley is a local girl. but much as Washing
ton would like to claim her, the distinc-
tion belongs to Baltimore, for that city is
her birthplace and where most OF her life
has been spent. She married Washing
tonian and resided here for several
years, which fact probably led to the be-
lief that she belonged to Washington.
When Times interviewer met Miss
Bentley one morning last week sne was
busily conversing with her pet dog, which
greeted the interviewer with numerous
barks and many antics Miss Bentley ad-
dressed a few words in dOg-Latin to the
tiny animal and then gave her attention
to the paper representative.
Il started in the chorus" said Miss
Bentley, and although some people look
upon that as fact to be hidden. | am
very proud of it. / was an awful failure,
though, for | got the idea into my head
that / was too good, and wouldn't work.
Indeed, it is a wonder that I wasn't dis
in The Merry World but the first time
| eSSayed a role was in The Belle Of
New York in Which / had a small part,
and then succeeded Phyllis Rankin as
Fiji. the French girl, in the same piece.
And speaking of Miss Rankin, it was my
imitation of her in the 'Matrimony' song
Of The Founders that served to bring
me into prominence. 1t was in The
Casino Girl, and | never think of the
circumstance that l don't recall the ex-
preston of a well-known dramatic critic
tune was all pink and white, and he
likened me to charlotte russo. Funny.
wasn't it,"
Through what means did you secure
your present engagement
Il don't know; they just picked me
out. / came very near going to London
with The Belle of Bohemia in which 1
appeared here last year but I'm glad L
didn't in view of the failure with which
the piece met over there. If you remem-
Der, / sang the Lullaby to the children
one of the best bits in the piece. and L
hated to give II up l was all packed up
and ready to go. and in fact my trunks
had gone down to the dock. but l changed
my mind. just why, l can't say. but I'm
not sorry, for | have fine part in The
StrOllers. l think l like the first act
best. for love to be in rags and tatters.
My mother says that it is perfectly natu-
raj, for once when | was about six years
pinned it up in front and left it to drag
its length behind. | found old waist
and hat that were marvels OF antiquity,
and then decorated an old umbrella with
ribbons and things to cover the holes and
made my way out into the street My
mothers attention was attracted by the
big crowd, and she sent one of the little
boys of the neighborhood out to see what
was a little old woman and that she was
crazy That just about describes my
mothers state of mind when she discov-
cred that il was her Irene. and | have al
ways resented the manner in which they
brought me into the house and the events
that followed.
THE hardest thing that 1 have to do
In The StrollerS is to keep my mustache
on when | am dressed in my brothers
clothes 1t positively refuses to stick,
and I've gotten into the habit of holding
up my hand to catch II, ror 1t is sure to
fall. The audience thinks it's funny, but
it is decidedly uncomfortable for me-"
Miss Bentley's brother is a member OF
the cast of The Strollers" and her