Evening star., 1901-11-02
u i UllU VI I'LL


a1ter the Ignt ana frivolous type OF enter
tafnment that was designed to occupy the
stage made famous by Calve, Melba, Nor
dica, the De Reszkes, Van Dyck, Plancon
and the other notables of the Grau organi-
shades of Faust" ".Lohengrin,' "'Mephis-
topheles" and the other personages of the
grand operas that objected to the frothy
Ladies Paradise" certain it is that the
venture to turn the celebrated home of opera
into a veritable music hall was not sue
cessful, and by the time Tortojada reached
New York the piece was being presented
to empty houses. The crash came after
Tortojada had danced a single time, which
was sufficient, however. to demonstrate that
she not only retained her marvellous beauty
and poetry of motion, but her physical
charms were even accentuated. Tortojada's s
approaching engagement in this city is ex-
pected to create furore.
A pretty little incident was witnessed be-
hind the scenes of Chase's Theater the
other night. Mary Marble was at the con-
clusion of her speciality in "a Contented
Woman" presented with a huge bunch Of
American Beauty roses over the footlights.
Upon finishing her encore she retired. IN
the desire to know the sender of the flowers
she opened the accompanying envelope.
Reading the contained message and holding
the bulging envelope tightly clenched in
one hand, she darted on a swift run to the
opposite side of the stage where her nus
band, Manager John w. Dunno, was await
ing his cue to go on. Rushing up to him
with happy tears In her eyes she whispered
something in his ear and then kissed him.
His cue took him away, and in explanation
of the somewhat unusual proceeding she
said to the interested bystanders: This
Is our wedding anniversary. John sent me
the flowers and this" exhibiting diamond
and emerald sunburst, the sight of which
ELECTED a chorus Of feminine "ahs! of vol
ume sufficient to call forth an admon1tion
to please keep quiet over there from the
unsympathetic local stage manager.
Occupants of the gallery and pit in Lon
don theaters are evidently much worse than
| the American "gods" The London Sketch
says: An excellent innovation of this au-
tumn has been that at the Court Theater
of presenting three or four music hall
''turns"-a conjurer, dancer or two and a
comic singer-before the evening settles
down to the play itself. There Is 40 doubt
that drama has become dreadfully hack
| neyed in form. 1.-THE plays the thing, "
though an admirable maxim in Shake
speare's time. is totally out Of date. Why
not introduce little variety by announc-
Signor Balacini, Italian upside-down bill
Hard ball juggler," or putting on perform
ing ichneumon in front Of Twelfth Night"
at Her Majesty's? For that matter, why
not cycling sensationalist as the piece de
resistance at the Lyceum, with some
amusing trihe like 1.-THE Bells" or Ham
let as lever de rideau? About a year
ago somewhat similar system was tried
with music. A concert of about three
quarters of an hour in length was given
before the curtain rose, and those who felt
tired could have an enjoyable evenings en-
tertainment and yet leave the theater be-
fore the play began. The fact is that the
amusement Of the pit and gallery is a
delicate problem. Numbering their seats
was tried and found wanting. They must
be admitted early. Consequently some
thing must be performed to prevent them
brooding over being the pit and gallery, to
distract their attention from the miseries
of their existence and tame their animal
propenSitieS toward faction fights, mana
ger-"booing," abuse of the attendants and
the ignition of fireworks.
Bertha Galland, who achieved such dis
tinction last year in 1.-THE Pride of Jenni-
co.., has just concluded two-months. en-
gagement at Daniel Frohman's Lyceum
Theater, New York, with 1.-The Forest Low
ers." Daniel Frohman has been responsible
for numerous stars He established E. H.
Sothern fifteen years ago. Maude Adams
began her New York career with Mr.. Soth-
ern at the Lyceum Theater. He afterward
developed James K. Hackett and Hilda
Spong. Herbert Kelcey, Henry Miller and
William Faversham also rose from his
company, also E. M. Holland. Miss Rer-
tha Galland is his youngest star, and one
in whose future he expresses the highest
hopes.
Says a London weekly: "Mr. Edward
Terry tells Of pretty incident which c.
CURED during one of his tours. do you
know what I consider the most glowing
tribute 1 ever received? The compliment
came from a child. There was crowded
house-an intent audience-and humor had
for the instant given place to pathos You
might have heard pin drop, and felt the
tension Of the house was at breaking point
The intense silence was broken by a child
ish voice-a girl's-who, turning to her
parent asked in broken voice: Father, is
it real? -