The Topeka state journal., 1905-02-18

Man from BIankIey's,'' but a. few
months made this hope a dissipated
wreck. We did not like the fellow;
he was too coldly superior, so mat
ter-of-fact in his affected superiority
that he bored American auditors, and
soon his fate was sealed. With the
play Withdrawn, what was Mr. HaW-
trey to do? A revival of 1.-THE Mes
sage from Mars was not timely; there
was nothing offering in England. Mr.
Proctor saw an opportunity and he
dropped his bait just before Mr. Haw-
trey's eyes. The actor angrily brushed
1t away and in indignation demanded
of Mr.. Proctor why so palpable an
attempt should be made to lower his
tor was both tactfuI and resourceful.
He waited his time. HaWtrey thought
he had a life saver In "Saucy Sally"
but this theatric craft became a total
was done with ceremony in the New
Lyceum. Then appeared Mr.. Proctor
dangling his bait again. The actor
grabbed at it hungrify. forthwith he
lost all foolish notions, and began to
say that $1,000 a week was infinitely
more inspiring than slim attendance
on poor plays.
When Hawtrey became a convert
a revival caught hold of the unena-
ployed throng of capable performers.
Robert Hilliard went back TO variety
when still wearing black band
around his hat for THAT Man and T."
up smiling. One after the other play
ers who had been members Of Charles
F'rohman's force, who had served un-
der other big managers in legitimate,
started on the variety wnirI, and the
procession has not ended vet. Taps"
very appropriately came to ite death
in Philadelphia, and Herbert Kelcey
and Effie Shannon, who had builded
have become "headliners-" Pete Dali
ey is capering in variety Apparently
there are few players, irrespective OF
position, proof against the financial
wiles of such men as Mr.. Proctor and
Percy Williams.
Vaudeville Is prospering in every d.
rection. 1t might well be said that
revolution has taken place. No longer
are variety and legitimate widely sep
arated. They have been drawn together
by q number of causes, and, as was in
evitable, a material change has develop
ed in the general tone of vaudeville pIo-
grammes. Playlets are now common
incidents of a variety performance.
whereas a couple of years ago they
were the exception A great demand
has sprung up for these Whiffs OF dra-
matte entertainment.
James FORBES wrote 1.-THE Chorus
Lady" for a magazine. 1t attracted the
attention of a vaudeville manager, who,
after much persuasion, convinced Mr..
vaudeville uses Mr.. Forbes rewrote |
the piece, and last June Rose Stahl
gave it trial in a Proctor theater-
Since then Mr.. Forbes has been receiv-
ing $100 a week in royalties, and the
play has contracts running two years. |
Arrangements have been made for the |
production of the piece in England.
This is only one instance of the posi- |
bilities of vaudeville. One young man |
who six months ago was grinding out |
copy at nights for a daily newspaper |
now is living in comparative luxury |
from the royalties of four playlets. Fred |
Wright, Jr., has been paid more for |
three one-act plays in the last two |
months than he has received since he !
came to America last September as one |
Of the three leading comedians with |
Edna May in The School Girl"
A few years ago theatrical managers |
became impressed with the thought that |
vaudeville was losing ground 1t SEEM
ed like, 1t for a time, but. all pessimistic
ty never was as strong in, New York |
as it is at present. Henry Irving, may /
continue to damn the music halls OF |
England day in and day out, but he |
cannot change the drift of public opin- |
ion In a speech the other day irving |
averred that the music hall was re-
sponsibIe for all current evils of the
stage, and he spoke in contempt of a
who had dared to offer him
a fortune for a tour of the English
variety theaters- Well, perhaps Irving
is right, but his TRADE even was a con-
fession that he himself, foremost up
holder of the traditions OF the English
drama, was not untouched by the mod
ern trend, which has builded sixty
three music halls in London alone.