The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-17
THE PASSING SHOW.

A long time ago when the big building
up on Capitol Hill where the lawmakers
of the United States convene was but a
mere suggestion Of the present imposing
edifice-when such famous men as Jeffer-
| son Davis. Henry Clay, and John Calhoun
were writing their names indelibly in the
country's history among the pages OF
| Congress was a boy whose mind was ever
alert to the possibilities of his surround
| ings and whose brain absorbed the price
| less intellectual fruits of his position. At
clap of the hand the youngster was up
from his seat by the Vice Presidents desk
and off to do the bidding Of some dis
| tinguished statesman.
That was many years ago and the sue
cessors of those great men may still clap
| for that page, but the privilege now costs
| them exactly s1.50, for the small boy OF
| that day is none other than the eminent
comedian of this, Stuart Robson. whose
admirable portrayal of "Oliver Goldsmith
was shown in this city last week for the
! second time.
| To a Times interviewer Mr. Robson be-
| came eloquent when asked about his early
life in Washington. He said: 81 was born
in Annapolis and my family afterward
| moved to Baltimore. My mother brought
me to Washington when ! was fourteen
| years old ami I procured position as
| page in the Emitted States Senate. l was
| there during a part of the Thirtieth and
part of the Thrty-irst Congresses and
knew the famous men of that time as in
| timalely as boy in my position could.
| frequently jot down my "reminiscences OF
| them as / knew them and find that I can
mn al
accurately. / am not7of q theatrical fam
| lily. for my people are strict Methodists,
which fact of itself Is a sufficient guar
antee. Ny sister was on the stage and
was, think, very clever, but she has re-
tired from the profession ard so that
leaves me alone in the field, as regards
my family
''Will you revive The Henrietta?'
Yes; next season. / am afraid IL DO
not hurry UP and do so the public will
forget the piece or shall be too old to
play BERTHE. And that reminds me l
shall have to change my makeup slight
ly. short while ago l came across
blonde wig which was just the proper
thing for the young parts played twenty
years ago, but when l put 1t on. upon my
soul l was dumfounded, for 1T accen-
tuated the marks of time to such a de-
gree that | Immediately started out In
search of a youth restorer in the shape OF
another wig You know these details are
very necessary and / discovered that
red wig is just the thing. SO next year my
BERTHE will haze red head.
II have had number of new plays I'M
der consideration, but shall attempt none
of them yet New plays are great risks.
last year l tried one and lost $4,000 on
the production, besides teopardizing my
season. but the loss came in somewhat of
the nature Of the proverbiai Ill wind. for
Immediately ordered a play from Mr..
Thomas and the result is my present CT
fering. oliver Goldsmith / have always
admired Goldsmith have read him, and
thought that | should like play written
around his life. When / suggested It to
Mr. Thomas however, he had merely
surface knowledge of Goldsmith-knew
bis works and that he was contempora-
neous with DR.. Johnson, Garrick, Burke.
aud others-but ne promised to read up
on the subject and see IL ne couid 90 MS
part and | mine.
After a few days Mr.. Thomas came out
of his study the finest Goldsmith scholar
| ever knew. and convinced me that
was the poorest. l received telegram
from. him saying I can do it-so can you,
and the result is what ! consider one OF
tho most beautiful plays a dramatist ever
fashioned The atmosphere is correct. its
characters are drawn according to the
best authorities of the time, and its senti-
ment is so delicate and refined that 1t ap-
peals to the better class of people. the in
telligent, people who read. who study. and
are capable OF recognizing and appreciat-
ing the fine points.
Some time ago, at the suggestion OF
Mr. Joseph jefferson, / read BosweiIs
Life of Dr. Johnson and cannot say when
any book afforded me greater pleasure and
amusement than that work. How scathing
he WAS TO Garrick, I often think that
Garrick must have been somewhat Of a
cad to stand for 1t. Yet. his good nature
was one OF his admirable qualities. and
intellectually he kept up pretty well with
those fellows. Ell? The low estimate which
Dr. johnson had of the stage and its peo-
ple is to be deplored, not only because 1t
lived in his brilliant mind, but because
the theatrical profession was for so many
years regarded In much the same way by
the gen aral public.
Mr.. Beecher did not enter theatre
until he was fifty years old and after he
had witnessed an unusually artistic
Shakespearean production, he said that
he had never thought it possible for any
one to add so materially to Shakespeare
wonderful creations, and SO was sounded
the knell of his prejudices. We are all
| am happy to say. learning and growing
broader in our views every day"
To those who know Mr. Robson in the
theatre he is an actor VINO, with lew
others. stands at the head of his profess
sion and to whom the entire theatre
going public looks up with admiration end
a confidence born of his superior intel
lect which has ever prompted him to con-
suit the refined and Intellectual in the
selection of his plays. To one who meets
him away from the footlights. he is all
that and too, a profound student and
very delightful aud courteous gentleman.
Miss Bob White" is the title of a new
comic opera by Willard Spencer which
will be presented in Philadelphia, at the
Chestnut Street Theatre, early in April,
NV Nixon &. Zimmerman. Mr.. Spencer's
previous efforts in the same line have
heen 1.-The Little Tycoon" and Princess
Bounie." Both were originally produced
in Philadelphia, where they enjoyed a
quite remarkable vogue. Indeed. with the
exception of Philadelphia and the other
cities in Pennsylvania in which the Spen-
Ger pieces we're given. they did not appeal
with much force to theatregoers in other
parts of the country, which was all the
more remarkable, and occasioned not a
little curious comment at the time for
the music was of the light and catchy |
order. while Mr. Speneer's librettos were
SIS good as the average of the sort.
II "Princess Bonnie" did nothing else il |
gave TO the American stage new comic |
opera comedian in Frank Daniels, who,
prior to his appearance in the Spencer
opera had been principally seen in Hoy