The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-01-06
la LOIE CHATS OF PARIS.
EXPERIENCES ~ RINNING A THEA
TIRE Ar THE EXPOSITION.
Hiss FulierS Trosbies In building a Theatre
Her wonderful Japanese Actors Vain
Attempt to Reform Paris Ways she
L. Going to Dance In Japan Now.

l. Going to Dance In Japan Now.
La Loie says that managing 1000 yards
Of skirt isn't a circumstance TO managing
a theatre in Paris. That statement opens
up vistas Of managerial woe that might
move the most stony-hearted to pity; for
the 1000 yard skirt and its syrations in the
dancers latest creation are things 10 strike
awe 10 the soul Of the uninitiated.
The tale OF the Wonderland mouse was
neither 90 long nor so sad as the tale Of the
building and the running OF Miss Fuller's
little theatre at the Paris Exposition, but
In spite OF disappointing architects and I'M
certain worknen and lawsuits, victory
perched upon La Loie's banners. Victory
usually does perch there. One might say
that II roosts there. The perching has be-
come a habit since the American dancer
first descended upon Europe and carried
things before her. They still tell in Paris
how La Loie in her first appearance there
rsvolutionized a Boulevard theatre. changed
its whole character. and drew 70 II all OF the
Paris world worth having.
Paris has never tired OF her. After all
Paris isn't so tickle as the poets and novel
lists would have the world believe. French
soulptors have mad innumerable statues
OF the dancer. almost every fsmous modern
French artist has tried his hand at a picture
OF her. Incidentally. one may add that
an impressionist' painting OF La Loie Fuller
dancing In 1000 yards Of rainbow skirt beats
any pipe dream ever evolved. La Lole
has been done In bronze and in marble. In
oils and pastel and chalks and water color,
and as for stained glass one could Ill q
fair sized cathedral with s~tained-slass loie
Fuller windows, provided the clergy didn't
object.
so, when the Exposition was arranged
for. the managers proposed a Loie Fuller
art show as an annex TO the regular art eI-
hibition. They generously invited La Loie
to build q small theatre and AL IL with coun-
tsrfeit presentments Of her fair self as seen
by great and good artists. Being one OF the
most aniable women on earth. and not ut
terly avsrss to the general philosophy Of
modern advertisement. Miss Fuller agreed
TO help the Exposition along. That is where
her troubles began.
1t seems that architects were not making
estimated In Paris last summer, 1t was
too hard TO get regular workmen. and ma
terials ran up to unconscionable prices and
none could tell on one day what architect
urai complications the next day might bring
forth. 80 a promising young architect
ur ged Miss Fuller TO conade in him-8nd
she did. He was promising in all senses
OF the word. He told La Loie TO sign checks
and he would do everything else. He was
Q Freedman and a man Of honor. He kept
his word. He did everything, including
La Loie. The buldlne was TO cost 10000.
The conndins young American. who COM
bines shr with a magnificent disre-
gard for the principles OF finance. signed
about $50. 900 worth OF checks and then grew
tired. She suggested that she'd like some
account Of expenditures.
The architect laughed the unreasonable
proposition to scorn. she couldn't get an
account. She wouldn't sign more checks.
She had entered into some sort OF written
agreement which seemed to oblige her TO
keep on signing checks until the architect
felt himself moved to let her oil. There
WAS war that shook the unstable buildings
OF the Exposition grounds 10 tnelr lounda-
tons. The matter was taken to the French
way Of staying when they set INTO French
courts. Sull the architect hasn't been paid.
upon tie real value OF tue work aid material.
As La Loie mas already pad some i've OF
siI times what the little DuNdIus IL worth.
the probabilities are That I'll" WAL get some
OF her money bsr X.
They are a bit slow. she says cheerfully.
but they are all right. ana III get my money
signed checks with both hands Ii you
could know the price paid Tor plaster my
She shook her head uagically She has
been done in plaster many d time before.
but this last occasion seem, 10 nav" trled
her more than tne rest While tne ".il.
architect bill. the iruts debtor was dancing
in the building as Il hiles ahd gentle SPIRITS
and all the rest were all that occupied her
thoughts The art gallery scheme didn't
work ~
statues and stained glass windows repre-
senting me-" says Miss Fuller, with a twinkle
in her eyes. but nobody wanted to see them.
They wanted TO see ma dance SO the man
sger came to me and told. me | really mpst
dance in that building OF mine Inc ~
position wa a good deal OF a disappoint
copeerned, and they, we're wild 20 get some.
thing going that would draw said | cou'dn
dance In a cigar box bnt a, last ! gave IN,
plush aud liked the lights so they could he
shut OF, and rugged up about goo seats Inc
stage wasn't much more than IL by 20 feet
Then my guardian angel came, to the
front Some one told me about the japanese
! thought they were what wanted caught
them In Loudou, whore the Japanese ~ lster
eIran sed the mater Tor ne, ENGAGE them,
boz theatre for a dress rehearsal hadn't
done any booming If the JAPANESE before
sort OF TING, and Paris doesn't Ike foreign
troupes anyway know my Paris now,
invited lust hfty Of The most famous fre1Sh
y wv 1N'l ~ ~ 81 aA' " . ~
thing quiet 50 that the minor critics. who
could harm us through ignorance. wouldn't
be on hand Then ! turned ; da laCco
loose give YOU my word, ] never saw
like the way those ciitics went
wild with enthusiasm IL was almost too
good good to be true Inc thing was q go
nom the start = da Yacco wasn't n success
She was a Juror .Pats was mad about
her Later. her husband took hts place by
her side, IN the estimation OF the critics, after
he gave that play where he bores holes IN
his stomach. you know The Parlsians
loved that, but 1t was 5 da lacco who won
She's the incest little thing imaginable.
I never conceived OF anyone so SIMPLE ]
never imagined any creature could have
% few wants Luxury means absolutely
nothing 90 her She loves her art, but .he
hasn't an atom Of vanity All the great
painters besieged her. but she calmly re-
fused to pose Tor any OF them She didn't
care TO meet people. or go anywhere She
hated notoriety The only time ] succeeded
In hauling her out 10 any place was when ]
took her 20 Ace Bernhard In l. iiglou She
did have some curiosity about Ieruhardt
She watched the play in that imp"gtIrbable
way OF hers. and after II was over ! asked
~ what she thought OF II
Think European a"tlhg very much Il eak
words. Japane-e acting very mu'h at thlng-
she said. and that was all | could. rrt cut II
er. All right. though, wasutItf II L'AIgIou'
isn't very much speak words | don't know
what you'd call II
well. Sada Naocp crowded our theatre.
We char ged 81 for seats al first. but la,r IA
Abs Macon t.a,pla mid a, md =. Nar A. 'r "a