The times., 1901-03-31
THE PASSING SHOW.

THE PASSING SHOW.
An event to which theatrical Washing
| ton invariably looks forward with great
! pleasure and anticipation is the annual en-
gagement of Annie Russell, one of Charles
| FrOhman's most artistic and delightful
stars. Miss Russell has been called charm
| ing, refreshing and dainty along with
all their synonyms until the supply of
| adjectives has been weli-nigh exhausted
| in describing her The best part of it
| seems to be that they all fit her like the
| proverbial glove, and she is greeted regu-
| larly by large audiences. composed for
| the most part of the utna-fash ashionable set
at the Capital. Miss Russell combines the
art of the actress WITH the charm of the
| woman so closely that it is difficult to
say just which predominates. Then she
is usually surrounded by splendid com
pany. at whose hands the play receives
its best Interpretation.
Il made my debut when / was eight
| years old said Miss Russell to Times
| representative one nightdaring the week.
''as one Of two childrens IN play called
Miss Moulton. and with the exception Of
three years of invalidisfn, have been act
| ing ever since. | am perfectly charmed
with my present play, and particularly
with my part. The princess IS very
| lovable woman and very real, with much
more character to her credit than Miss
Hobbs, whom | impersonated last year
Miss Hobbs was intensely amusing, nut
| exaggerated. and at times she came very
near being a caricature.
The interviewer enquired of Miss Rus
sell how she liked being up tree. but
quickly explained that q scene in the
play was referred TO.
least bit difficult for me 20 climb, because
] do that sort of thing very often when
] can get far enough away from the pun
lie. ] am extremely fond OF outdoor eX-
erCise of ali kinds. | enjoy horseback
riding immensely and am an enthusiastic
sailor I'm afraid, though, that snail
| have little opportunity TO Indulge IN any
| thing of the sort this year for / have
| but ten weeks vacation and II Is ali too
| short We close the latter part of May
| and in August start on our way TO the
Pacific Coast ] ara very anxious 10 play
| i'm England again, for when l was there
everybody treated me so beautifully that
/ shall be very glad 10 go back. ! was
| born in Liverpool, SO it is rather natural
| that / should feel an interest in England.
a Royal Family was produced there
before being given in this country, and
Miss Hobbs saw the light of day IN
London after it's American success 50 /
| shall have to have new play before
venturing across the water, for / could
| not afford to take an old one. a Royal
Family was not a success there, al
though il has been Just the reverse in
America We played a phenomenally
successful six months engagement at the
Ivceum Theatre. New York, last fall and
after the Western trip we viii return 10
that house for run, during which q new
| play will be put in rehearsal. the name
| of which il not for publication Just vet.
As TO any other plans, / have none. Like
any other actress. | am anxious to play
Shakespeare, but then one never knows
maybe ! shall find myself playing Juliet.
but / really cannot see that far, and it's
| best not to be too curious after all.
Herbert KeIcey and Ene Shannon have
| failed at Wallack's Theatre. New York.
! in what the critics say is bad dramati-
2ation Of "Nanon f-escaut" Sundry other
| dramatizations are now threatened and
Manon promises TO loom up as the craze
next season quite s Nell Gwynn has been
| this season.
1t is worth noting by the way. that
| Randoph Hartley and George Taggart
made dramatic version of the famous
novel last summer for Bcryl Hope. and
she will probably produce it soon. Their
version Is said to possess real dramatic
value. which. according to the critics,
| the Kelcey-Shannon does not.
| Sandol Milliken, who has made a hit
as Jefferson De Angels leading lady i'm
a Royal Rogue" has been acclaimed as
a wonder for one who ieapcd into musical
comedy straiRht from the legitimate
drama. Put the knowing ones who have
written hey down as such do not seem to
recall that she served an apprenticeship
| ia the late Augustin Days musical com
pany, than which no school could have
been better.
The Amelia Bingham company will re-
main practically intact next season. Miss
Bingham having extended her contracts
with the principal members of the organ
i2atiou now appearing In The Climbers
| at the Riiou Theatre. Those re-engaged
| include Robert Edeson. Frank Worthing
Ferdinand GottschaIk, John Flood. James
| Bennett Stureis, Edward MoreIand
| Henry Warwick Minnie Dupree. Clara
! Bloodgood. Madge Carr Cook, and Flor
| enCe Lloyd.
Charles Dalton, the leading man of The
| Sign of the Cross company. says regard
| ing the influence Of Wilson Barretts ccIe-
brated religious play on the modern dra-
| ma:
When Mr.. Barrett annouheed an elabo-
rate and costly production of The Sign
! Of the Cross at the Lyric Theatre some
FIVE wears ago the unanimous prophecy
| ~ those considered an authority on tho
atriCal matters was that the piece would
| be II dire failure. The pubic doesn't want
| religion in its amusement; it goes to the
| theatre not TO learn a lesson, but to be
| amused they asserted
Had this prophecy been realized / do
not believe that such BOOKS as Ben Hur'
| ana QUO Vadls' would have been drama
| tied. while thousands of clergymen and
| religious people would still be strangers
| to the inside Of a theatre, instead of com
mendiug as they now are, the production
! of plavs that instruct and amuse at the
| same time Theatrical managers, like
! other shrewd business men, invest their
! money where they think it will bring the
| largest returns They produce the kind
Of plays that, in their estimation will
| best please the public. The men who
| would moi have considered for a moment
the 0Din Production G don of The Sign Of the cross
when IT was unknown, We're ef e., impressed
| with the desirabiity OF catering to the