Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-05-07

S-r~ o what does the best opinion In
theatrical circles, attribute the
paralysis which has overtakcn
business during the past sea-
son2'
This was the query proroundod to
Mr. Harold Russell the other day Mr..
Russell, still showing I'm his features
some traces of the physical ordeal
through which he has passed, arrived
home on Wednesday and lost no time
In settling himself under his own vine
and hg tree on North Temple street
As readers Of the News are aware,
he passed through a Gcvero siege OF III
ness D) New York q few weeks ago, and
his case was pronounced hopeless by
his physicians His rugged constitu-
ton, however. pulled him through.
and as Coon as he could
arrange his affairs, he took
train for the west, glad to leave The
pneumonia laden air of New York be-
hind him,
Mr.. Russell rumluated a moment be-
fore making an answer Then he said;
'Your question Is one that ! have had
put to me by half the people | have
met, especially managers. George Piper
was the last, but 1 can only say to
you as did TO him, that the theatrical
slump is a good deal Of a puzzle. The
only thing | know is that II struck the
country all Of sudden from east to
west No section was free from II, It
could not be hard times, for there Is no
lack Of money in New York, where the
fall down IS the greatest. Indeed the
people have remained away from thea
tiers during the past season in a more
wholesale fashion than they ever did in
war time, or in panic days, Those best
informed. think that the greatest trou-
bic Is that there has been an enormous
oyer-productlon In everything in the
amusement line. II one feeds on sweet
meats too loug,one grows surfeited, and
the public simply seems to have had
too much theatrlcals.
Everything has suffered, but the
more legitimate enterprises most Of all
The hlgh-class productions OF a more
serious nature, no matter how well
they have been brought out, or how
eminent the people who have been en-
gagged. have suffered most, The frlvo-
lous class OF entertainments have suf-
fered least thut. Is, in New York,
where the audiences Ike that sort Of
thing best There is no denying that
there has been great deal Of distress
among the rank AID file Of the profess
sion, for as, general thing the follow
ers of Thespis do not know how TO
save money and when reverses come,
they are simply landed on their backs.
Mr. Russell win remain here I'LL the
fall. His wire. Ada Dwyer Russell, re-
mains with Eleanor Robson, whose sea-
son IN "Merely Mary Ann ends IN
New York tonight She may then play
a month I'm Denver before sailing to
England with Miss Robson on July
II. They rehearso a full month in Lon
don before opening In september IN
MERELY Mary Ann
There was all the crush and brilllance
Of an opera night at the theater last
evening. Anna Held Is so noted, not
only for her inimtable Frenchiness or
style. but for the gorgeousness with
which she produces her plays, that she
never fails To draw heavily here as else
where. In her new skit--lt cannot be
called either an opera or a play Mile.
Napoleon" she has a vehicle which ni-
fords her 'chicness' every possible OPP
portunity, and gives her the usual
chance to present AN array or girls