The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-10

7
its interpreters an unwonted distinction
( and make the members of the companies
! that appear-in the play in the smaller cit
les of the country for the modest sum OF
10 cents for a good seat take on an air
of Importance that has heretofore been
unknown.
Uncle Toms Cabin has been before
the American public for many seasons, and
year after year full two dozen different
companies have been presenting the piece
throughout the country. Washington's last
view OF the Stowe story was at the Acad-
envy when cheap organization packed
the theatre at each performance. There
is something about the drama that has
an appealing quality to the average thea
treSoer and there is small doubt in the
minus OF those who follow the trend Of
theatrical matters that the sumptuous
production that Manager Brady will give
the piece will cause New Workers. to
take to Tom, Simon Legree, Topsy
and little Eva with the same avidity as do
the patrons OF the drama at Jackson City.
Tenn, or hundreds of other like centres
of population.
From New York comes the story that
Minnie Ashley, who was seen in the prin-
cipal feminine part in San Toy" at the
Columbia Theatre, this city, some weeks
ago. has lost her eyesight
Miss Ashley was compelled to retire
from the San Toy" company a short time
ago on account of trouble with her eyes.
but at the time ii was not supposed the
ailment would prove serious and that a
rest would be beneficial. The specialists
who have charge of the case say he cal
cium glare is responsible for the optical
weakness but profess the belief that ulti-
oil A-hI - oil ;s,nA
her temporary retirement from ;he stage
is serious loss to the San Toy" man
agement for in the short space of time
that the actress had been entrusted with
important roles she has succeeded II win
ming a large personal following by the
daintiness and refinement of her work.
Her voice is a wee, little mite of a thing,
but an intelligent and ingenious training
of it partly made up for the deficiency.
while in addition the Ashley feet proved TO
be about the nimblest and most graceful
little affairs when seen in the San Toy
dances that have been displayed to local
audiences for many days.
The patrons OF the Lafayette were last
week treated to an unusually fine bit of
acting by Miss Louise Macintosh, in the
role of Mrs. Dean. the medium in "A So
cial Highwayman." The character prac-
tically dominates the interest in the third
act, and even at this late date, it is but
fair to Miss Macintosh to say that she
even surpassed the excellent work OF any
of her associate players by her finished
that stirred the audi
ences to evidences of approval such as are
rarely exhibited in local playhouse. Her
work of last week was distinct triumph
for Miss Macintosh and displayed a char
acter drawing that will establish a stan
dard for future endeavors of a like nature.
1t is no new thing for an actress totally
to New York audience to come
to the metropolis unhsralded and make
success, causing everybody to
ask: How does it come we never heard
Of her before2" That question has been
twice asked during the present season
in Gotham.
As revealed in the first instaIlment of
her "Reminiscences" in "Scribner's Mag
azine," Mrs. Gilbert was the Henrietta
Crosman and Eleanor Robson of her day, |
forty years ago. Mrs. Gilbert came TO !
New York from Cincinnati and Joined Mrs. |
John Woods company. which then occu- |
pied the stage of the Olympic, Laura /
Keene's old theatre. After Mrs Gilbert |
lad been in the company but short time |
Fanny Morant said to her: Where did |
you come from?' :
Mrs Gilbert replied "Oh, out West"
Well said Miss Morant, we never
heard of you; We did not know Nhat you
;ould do, or who you were, and you walk |
ed straight into the affections of New /
fork before we knew what had happened
Clara Morris enjoyed like experience. |
She came to New York from John ELS
er's company, in Cleveland, and Joined |
Augustin Days forces. The public, as
we'll as the players. wondered who the |
stranger could be, and whence she came.
The interest i'll her by the players began |
with rehearsals at Days, with the pub
ic at her first appearance. She. like her |
listrionic compatriots, Mrs. Gilbert, Hen
rietta Crosman, and Eleanor Robson, |
took the town by storm Where did |
she come from?" "Oh. out West
But Miss Crosman was not entirely |
to New York when she made |
her pronounced success in Mistress /
Nell" However. she had spent so many
years away from New York that she had
come TO be looked upon by those who at
all remembered her as a Western &C
-ress." Eleanor Robson, on the other
land. was entirely unknown to New York
when she made her metropolitan debut as
Bonita in Arizona" early in the season.
Where did she come FROM" was the first
question asked and the reply was the
anne as was made by Mrs. Gilbert to Fam
lie Morant thirty-seven years ago-"Oh,
tut West
Small as the part of Bonita was, Miss
Robson attracted immediate attention. 1t
vas, though, at a special matinee at Wal
ack's Theatre, where Mrs. LeHoyne and
tits Skinner presented Robert Brownings
In a Balcony that the critical public
became fully alive to her striking abili-
les. Her Constance. role totally unlike !
}onita was rendered with exquisite !
race, and was the sensation of the hour.
When Miss Robson was cast for Flossie |
of "Unleayened Bread" several
rained observers expressed themselves | [
s doubtful of her ability to portray such | I
character-a giddy society butterfly, a
udding social struggler Everybody who
posted in theatricals knows how. in The
ompany OF such tried and sterling per- {
primers as Elizabeth Tyree. Edward ]. |
lorsan, Alice Fisher, and George Faw-
EFT, Miss Robson triumphed as Flossie Y
Williams. AS one of the reviewers s
hrased it: Here is an actress who
hould become one of the glories OF the I
merican stage" And she. like Mrs. Gil
ert and Clara Morris. came out of the
est" unheralded and unsung.
Are there many others "out West?"
Schuyler Stokes, the efficient advertis- C
g agent and director al Chase's. has ac- a
opted a position with Jules Del Mar at q
lie summer park near jamestown. N Y, h
lown as "Celeron," where he will go as t
ron as his season here closes. Mr. Il
tokes has had seventeen years ex- d
erieace in local amusements, and will S
Undoubtedly prove valuable aid to Mr.. '
el Mar in the conduct of his summer re- Il
,rt. v