New-York tribune., 1903-04-06
NOTES OF THE STAGE.
William Norris Speaks on the Pres
ent Vegue of Musical Comedy.

William Norris the clever comedian OF "A Coun-
try Girl which viii be in Harlem this week,
is not so happy In his present position might
suppose. As the author of Mr.. Dooley looks with
longing eyes at the prose of Cardinal Newman. so
Mr. Norris looks wistfully at the solid dramas Of
the masters and frets in the Iudicrous garments
Of Barry, the singing comedian" II is, however,
hinted that Mr.. Norris will soon have chance at
more serious parts while have not yet heard
that Mr.. Dunno has written his Apologize"
Pass along Broadway and read the playb "
Mr. Norris said yesterday. ''and you will see
scarcely anything but musical comedy. The pieces
essentially alike-the forms followed
and there is the appeal to public interest
Now, Of course, 1t is inevitable that there should
be ultimately surfeit- Then will follow plays
Of more serious scope and character-comedies Of
manners and Of society. the poetic drama. and, no
doubt Shakespeare. If had the power to employ
my professional efforts I liked I should not
devote myself to the lighter forms of comedy. The
history Of the stage shows that the comedians
are rarely remembered beyond their own genera
ton If We think of names recall Betterton.
Garrick Edmund Kean, Macready. Booth; not the
comedians who were contemporary with them and
at the time equally famous, 1t is the man who
work who makes a really lasting impression.
have not the op5orrupitv to fooS fhose Itaes Of
work for which they believe themselves best suited
astio ambition. We hear much Of the great Shake
actors ae T9r s exap 1HT IN fh9ss t TINES
We're always repeating their characters and be-
actually much less talent than We have at present
The talent we have nowadays is universal and Is
term it cleverness. There rnyriads of clever
chanics. Some Of these had they lived Let US say
IN the eighteenth century, would have been regard
perfor1ner too offen nds Himself ercuser6ed na by
Judgment Of others and even occasionally TO the
conditions Of chance Thus, great deal Of stress
m is o nay 70 O oo Gsf t f5 fbaa PaTs Ss @
uculariy fitted for ft by tenperaInent r urAlleCt
In the preceding time there does not seem to have
Garrick and Edmund Kean, although tragedians.
mind hat influences @ the andeno no the d PERSONAL IS I
appearance, as we see in the Of Sir Henry
actors And the minds which exert a lasting iniu,
to follow 1t naturally and untran1meled
THE Worst Woman in London will be IN
Nsw-Eork ,EG & next fall She is now visible at the
The announcement is made that Miss Drina De
Wolfe. late of the Mrs Osborn company in Tom
my Rot" and at present in Henry Mler's company
at the Savoy, will essay the part of Tosca, in
French, al a charity performance at the Waldorf
later in the month Would it be too much 10 ask
Of Miss De Wolfe why she does not first learn TO
play in English?
This is the last week of the Weberaeld season
in Broadway. Next week 'Twtrly- Whiriy' and
The Big Little Princess" will be seen for eight
performances at the West End Theatre in Harlem.
and Will then go the road Doubtless the
Broadway music hall will be filed for the next six
medlately precedes Easter-this year the more un
propitous because of strong counter attraction
to the theatres exerted by the circus-and next
Saturday night, farewell night will be an affair Of
umphant, Miss Russell viii appear especially
young and especially lovely for the occasion.
Miss Frances A Matthews it appears is not
responsible for the usurpation by supers of three
boxes and all the aises Of the theatre during the
riot scene in her play, Pretty Peggy" This elabo
rate riot conceived and put into execution by
William 4. Brady, the manager of the production.
When Miss Matthews heard what he had done she
wrote ,tf5 to him AIM an indignant letter Protesng ing that
My dear Miss Matthews" Mr.. Brady wrote in
answer, IF man walks down Broadway and lifts
his hat TO friend. he excites attention He js
the roof Of the sturteSanf House he will be sure
speaking to push you of the roof Of the sturtevant
Matthews for all reply.
"Because it is opposite my office, and the first
And Miss Matthews jumped without further oh
lection
Miss Mary Ryan young woman of twenty-five
twenty-three, who will appear at Days Theatre
next week in Opie Reeds play, The Starbucks"
first appeared On the stage st Days eight years
ago in a small part. For the last five years she
has been member OF the Dearborn stock com
pany in Chicago. and is said 10 have played ~
Reeds fancy has lightly turned TO thoughts OF
Miss Ryan. and as result he has has written another
authors proVfso ffat she and she alone create
the lead The play so carefully adapted TO Miss
Mary Ryan is called My Kentucky Queen As
Juliet remarked
After prayerfully considering they say, eight
hundred letters received in the last two weeks.
the management Of The Prince of Ptsen" have
at last decided that burning question. What is
the typical New-York grl?' and will tonight give
their answer TO the public by presenting Miss
raspoRd for his etropols xccordns TO the ma
5o Rr Of Of a 5h9 ffi95T e taf f@Piop6 @ possess bo SET hair
and blue eyes This combination was found in
ms mss gT skating Si Bicycle riding and shoot
ing pigeons The last accomplishment Is not IN
common among her professional Si5uerS-"hen 'iie
birds cold
Henry Miller will appear at the Clara Morris
benefit at the Broadway Theatre on Tuesday af-
ternoon April II, in a one act play by Clyde Fitch
entitled Frederic Lematre." He will be assisted
by Miss Martha Waldron and Merriam BRUCE, Of
at the savoy Theatre,
Montgomery and Stone. the two men who, with
Julian Mitchell as stage manager, have made the
Wizard of or" successful, have organized a bail
nine from the ranks of their brother actors stone
viii pitch and Montgomery viii hold down second:
Julian Mitchell has promised to act as tme eniI1fe Il
Scenes of the Burdick mystery are now on ex-
hibition at the Eden Musee.
Miss Vivian Martin. the little girl VINO VIII ap
near in the title part Of Little Lord Fauntie-
row at the Casino next week will reach this city
to-day from St Louis, where she closed her en-
gagement with Andrew Mack on Saturday. for 50
vo11rg q person she seems tremendously energetlc
for she is already letter perfect IN her part an1
has been rehearsing II for week or more W.. ~
vTiI1isn1 Seymour. general stage manager ioI
CHARLES F'rohrnan. as driImaster and supporting
comnanv Miss Martin. by the way is Just WITHIN
the Gerry law limit
RAILWAY WAGES AND STRIKERS