The Washington times., 1901-10-06

America will only accept me as
dancer or as a soubrette. but my ambi
tions are really higher" remarked Marie
George at the National one night last
week over in London when I took
Virginia Earle's role-the title part of
The Belle of Bohemia they discovered
that | had some real dramatic talent.
straight scene in the piece and l grew
so worked up over IT that l often cried
real tears while reading the lines. And
the people in front cried. too. and said
ought to do parts like that all the time
Some of the critics said they cried little.
What do you think of that. Mr. Times
MANI
''Oh. lots of American actresses make
critics weep over here answered the
heartless newspaper representative
Frank Daniels Introductory appearance
on the stage in his new operate comedy,
Miss Simplicity" forms significant
example of the now well-founded fact
that some striking novelty about the
business and makeup of the leading
comedians first entrance has been the
keynote to success for many of the popu-
lar comic opera productions. 1t is point
deep rooted in the mental confines of the
up-to-date librettist. and well appreciated
by all the star comedians of the day.
Dt W tll AltpPtAt II Will Dt AtAlAtAllbtlttr
caught his audiences in Wang at once
with a boisterous appearance on well
constructed and realistically unruly
property elephant; Digby Bell in The
Tar and the Tartar" sailed in from the
rear of the stage on a life-saving raft
before an excited populace; Francis
Wilson once introduced himself with an
unexpected slide down a trick stand of
stairs, which were elevated to the royal
palanquin. Numerous other cOncep-
tiOnS of the especial attention paid TO the
leading come ediauS entrances might be
noted We're not these citations quite
ample.
1t is a serious fact to all concerned in
a big comic opera production of the
present day that the performance seems
to drag and to strike the audience with
but sparse interest until the star COM
edian makes his appearance. This fact
gave birth to the much studied and plan
ned proposition Of making the funny
man $ entrance sensational feature.
All efforts to conceive an opening that
would start the enthusiastic bee to work
ing among the spectators preliminary to
that period have had but scant sue
cess. Daniels and K. A. Barnet, the
author of Miss simplicity, spent hours
in calm deliberation over the best con-
ceptiGn for the comedians initial entrance
in the new piece. At first he was going
to come on in sedan chair, then il
was suggested that being a valet Just ar
riVing with his master and his masters
party of tourists to be wheeled on by a
couple Of baggage men in push cart
with the luggage piled about him would
be consistent and laughuble, but Dan
iels himself hit upon what was consider
ed better idea and il was accepted with
general approval
blossoms, the role Daniels impersonates.
enters decidedly more hastily than nat
ural causes would permit. \ great dis
turhanCe is heard off to one side Of the
stage the moment the cue. Here comes
Blossoms now. ON an automobile, is
spoken The noise conveys the impression
of what has become known as that of
"bucking auto, and the stage fun of
people aroused to high pitch % excite
ment fearing for Blossoms life and in
cidentally for the preservation of the
luggage which he is bringing from the
depot shout all sorts of kind and con-
nicting advice to him. pandemonium
that sounds something like a concerted
syncopation of Turn the handle to the
right. YOU IDIOT No, TO the left. you
imbecile," The other way" Not that
way. you duhce. is heard. whil' during
all the excitement the machine is heard as
If backing up and starting ahead again
suddenly, with realistic alienation
Finally a loud detonation is heard, and in
flies Blossoms 1t is unquestiOnably the
best entrance Daniels ever had. BY the
time he lands in the centre of the stage
the audience is well warmed up, and
everything usually takes throughout
the remainder Of the performance, accord
ing to its merit
Daniels conception of this entrance
came to him purely through accident.