The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-17
NOTES OF THE STAGE.
Boston Critics DisapprOye "AIicc of
Old V~incennes.'

1t is reported that Herbert Beerbohm
Tree, the English actor-manager, will take
a trip to Australia, crossing this country
on his way and giving performances in the
principal cities.
1t is said that when the venerable Mrs.
Gilbert became ill and was persuaded to
retire from Annie Russelrs company for a
short rest she got u managerial promise
that the New York city revival of "a
ROYAL Family should not occur until she
should have recovered. She was not aware
until last week that performances had been
given the week before, with Mrs. w. CT.
Jones in the part Of the Queen Dowager.
XXX
Otis Skinner and his company will give
FIVE performance of Boxers Francesca da
Rimini' at English's Opera House, begin
ming on the afternoon of Thanksgiving day.
The tragedy has been newly dressed with
scenery and the company includes Aubrey
Boucicault, Marcia Van Dresser and Will
liam Norris. The last-named actor will be
remembered here for his impersonation of
the comic Pinchas in ZanGwilIs fine play,
Children Of the Ghetto"
George Taggart, a theatrical press agent,
says that Maud Caswell, "the ~acrobatic
girl" is travelling in Spain and is billed as
n Scotch girl, discretion being the better
DdTI OF N1lOl III Gpdll liz al
concerned. Taggart and Max 5. Witt, who
wrote a song on the theme of Clyde Fitch's
play, "The Moth and the Flame" have
published another. entitled It's a Long
Lane That Has No Turning" the idea Of
which is from Lovers Lane" another
Fitch play.
It is expected that N. c. Goodwin will re-
turn from London the first OF next year.
He and Miss Elliott have been playing at
a. = 5000 7rJ,aofar in sfUhan We
Were Tventy-one." Recently Mr.. Goodwin
has been out of the bill because of illness.
HIS audiences have not been large-theatri-
cal business in London is on generally-and
the indications are that Mr.. Goodwin has
concluded that the United States, where he
is sure of profitable patronage, Is good
enough for him.
''The Belle of New York" is to be revived
i'm London. Madge Leasing will play the
Salvation Army girl and Ellie Fay will
have the part of the Bowery girl. Miss
Fay was conspicuous in "Mam'selle 'Aw-
kins." She was in the chorus, but she was
at the footlights oftener than any or the
principals. She had an amusing swagger
and mpuden manner that tickled the au-
diences greatly. One reviewer says or her
that in the part or the Bowery girl, 'un-
less we have sadly misjudged her, she VIII
require no aid from art or histrionism TO
arrive at a truthful pOrtralture. MISS
Fav's father was an Irish comedian. She
has been in London for several months.
Paul Hervieu, one of the younger sue
cessfuI French playwrights, has contrib
uted an article TO the Revue Bleu recent
ly in which he says:
There is a cruel verse which says that
the true alone Is useful; the true Is not
agreeable / take this aphorism for my
motto and desire to battle my cOntempor-
aries in truth and reality. The modern
theater is better than the former one be-
cause il is simpler. II obeyS the wel-known
biological law of reversion.' II is returning
70 the primitive idea OF stage art. but with
the advantage OF large knowledge and in
herited experience. Comedy is gradually
becoming light, graceful, refined, bright
and free from irrelevant admixture, while
tragedy is likewise shedding the external
features. the grand manner the pomp and
finsel OF artificial surroundings, and be-
coming real, lifelike. simple and thought
fuI The exposition must be severely logical;
there is no need OF those Tighter episodes
which only interrupt the development of the
theme and the inevitable course OF events:
forial accessories. and there is little need
of presenting things which the spec
tator can be easily made 10 imagine.
I'm delineating character II Is not neces-
sarv TO personify virtue and vice, to put
forward Law figures as mere em~bodiments
~ abstract ideas. 1t follows that happy
endings' may be dispensed with. Goodness
need not triumph. and the pleasant hctions
which used 10 be demanded as compensa-
tions may give way TO the representation
OF realities. Artistic deception is an in