The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-10-09

fy-s Louisiana Purchase Spectacle is the
constant change It undergoes.
One Of the most beautiful novelties In
troduced in the last week IS the Japanese
ballet. 1t outlines a story In motion and
song. A Japanese maid bewails the abb
sence Of her lover. who has gone to fight
the battles of his country against Russia
She expresses her m.sgivfngs OF his death
upon the battlefield, while her attendant
maids portray her emotion IN a japanese
dance. The climax Is reached by the sud-
den appearance of her lover at the head
OF his victorious troops. The ov~erjoyed
maid Is borne away. presumably to her
wedding. This bit Of ballet is as dainty
as It Is attractive.
The radiu.n dance. under the clever
manipulation Of NJ. Clark. It. protector,
seems TO have reached the limit of It's
oddly in the fight through space Of the
La Touche sisters.
Frederick V. Bowers In his musical
transformation speciality continues to be
one of the interesting attractions of the
production.
The smallest check which Miss Blanche
Bates ever received in her life was from
a man in Eldora. Ia, who sent her a
check for 20 cents the other day, asking
her TO forward one OF the souvenirs with
views OF Miss Eates in the play, The
check was Endorsed and turned over to
the souvenir q who attended to the
matter. This unkind may say something
about a souvenir looking like % cents.
but such a remark would be indeed I'm
kind in this instance.
What perhaps may be termed the only
"su~bterranean" actor in the world Is in
Miss Blanche Bates's company at the I'M
perial Theater. His name Is Westropp
Saunders, and in addition to being an
actor. he is the assistant stage manager.
Mr.. Saunders is a gentleman whose voice
is heard all through the play at different
times in all the "asides" and during all
the scenes where lines have to be spoken
off in the wings, behind in the scenes.
from under the cellar, or through the
trap doors. In IT Darling of the Gods
Mr.. Saunderss voice is OF invaluable use.
1t penetrates everywhere-no matter from
what point on or under the stage Nh.
Saunders may be at the time. He-is the
one who announces the Hour Of the OK"
and he exclaims dramatically that Kato.
the Carp Fisher, Died without a word"
Mr.. Saunders is a Kentucky boy. He
lived a great deel in the open air Of the
Blue Grass region. which perhaps Is re-
sponsible for the wonderful 1ung-power
which he has. He has been with Mr.. |
Beiasco quite awhile. and is a valuable
adjunct to the forces of The Darling OF
the Gods" At the same time he is not
always pleased with being referred to as
a "subterranesn" actor, but 1t seems to
the most fitting title that could be
devised.
There are more shows up in New q
land now It IS said. than there are peo-
pie. but Ezra Kendall hasn't discovered
he fact yet, according to reports from
his manager.
In one of the small Massachusetts, towns
season Kendall sized UP the house
the peep-hole in the curtain and
concluded that he couldn't afford to COM
his reputation by playing to such
small audience. He directed his manage
o count up the house. dismiss the audi
nee. and call on him for a check for the
mount. The check was SS much to his
u-prise. but he paid IL and never whis-
,ered. The fact that he has not given any
.hecks for dismissed audiences this sea-
on IS taken by his manager as a pretty
good sign.
Frederick Burton. who plays the part of
'Bub" Hicks in George AIDES The Col
eye Widow" returned to his old home in
Indiana last summer for a visit. During his
he called upon a relative. who had
lot seen him since he had left the village
o become an actor.
Il seemed to be a sort OF Barnum Gu
said Mr.. Burton recently, and
hey took ME in from head to foot. which,
y the way. was no small task. for /
MEASURE close on to s feet. Finally the
elative at whose home l was stopping
sized me IL I wouldn't play the melo-
con. I assured her that / could not play
be melodeon.
She then brought out an old guitar and
rged me to play that. she seemed some
THAT surprised when I told her that had
ever touched a guitar in my life. but her
mazenent grew when. in response to m !
to either sing a song or Rcite a
iece, 1 informed her that L could not do
lther. and IN a tone Of deep. disgust she I
marked: {
Well. II you can't play the meIodeon j
the guitar. and you can't sing a song
: speak a piece. I guess you amt much &
an actor" ]
Were Ben Hur' not entitled to more J !