The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-01

A modest little woman is living in small
hotel on the West Side as Mrs. Henderson.
She has blond hair and a great deal of 1t.
She must be in the sixties, but her com
plexion Is as fresh az that Of the average
woman Of thirty. She arrived here from
England the day before Christmas to be
present at the first performance in this city
of Viola Aliens presentation of The
Winters Tale
She hasn't any particular interest in
Miss Allen, or in Shakespeare play, Tor
that matter, but she has deep interest
ia the Pduiend Of the production. Iefiie
-,t,nrv A.s tl.i- part in Miss Aliens compa-
nyand Mrs Henderson Is her mother
Under the name Of Mrs Henderson only
n few old friends will recognize in this
modest woman the famous actress, Lydia
Thompson The mere mention Of her
name will remind many that they are getting
old Maybe she il getting old too, but
YOU would not think it to talk with her.
She was asked yesterday if she had re-
tired from the footlights for good.
THAT depends she said with a CHEEKY
smile NO reasonable offer will be re-
fused
That sounds like "a matrimonial pro-
T,osal suggested the reporter.
SO IL does said the actress. but am
through with mntrimony. | changed my
name twice and that's enough for any
woman
Mrs. Henderson made a fortune here
She lost it by trusting others. She looked
es if she would like TO refuse when asked
- talk about herself and her career, but
ehr consented with this proyiso.
Don I ask me about my age Remem-
ier. woman Is only as old as she looks
She was apprentced by her mother to
an opera school in London when she was a
little girl, but the opera school went to
smash. Then she studied ballet dancing
and finally made her debut in pantomme,
dancing herself into popularity. Then
she turned TO burleslue and devoted most
Of her career to that
In saying, she said that one appeared
in burlesque one is apt 10 be mlslin-
derstood here Burlesque plays have
been greatly maligned here. Burlesque,
rs | knew it, was far different from The
Black Crook ami kindred pieces that have
been given in this country. The true bur
lesque is not var ~ show nor il 1t a dis
play of womer tr- The old time bur
lesques had plots t'lt on nursery rhymes
and NEUROLOGICAL Ject-. Such plays
we're good nd wholesome, and women and
children alwa Us made up the greater part
OF the audience.
There is moth ing wrong in tights If they
IRE properly worn. Some actresses object
70 appearing in tights | never did. Why
should |? Many OF Shakespeare's herones
wear tighte Take RosdIind Viola and
Imogon for instance. You never saw roles
Of this kind played in skirts. No one has
over objected 10 seeing these characters
in tights.
Neither did any one ever object TO seeing
tbe performers in true bliresque appear
IN tights The old burcsque- were all
written in rhyme. II wa7 only TIE best
actresses who could appear in them. 1t
isn't every player who can deliver rhyme
over the fooights integently, and many
famous actresses We're in burle-Que; take
Marie Wilton (Mr5 Bancroft, Madge Rob-
ertson, now Mrs. Kendall. Henrietta Hodg-
son (Alrs Laboucherel Mrs. John Wood.
Ellen Terry ana a host Of others too
numerous 10 mention.
! have been accused OF einG responsible
for the American style 81 burlesque, which
can be seen now, l am glad to know.
IN only the cheaper theatres | decline
TO shoulder any such responsibility. Why.
t7vo wears befor. first came 10 this country
The Black Crook vas played here. That,
think was the forerflnner Of burle-que a. 1t
Is most generally known here.
L came 10 this country first in 1853.
had made a reputation az home and brought
with me Ada Harland, now the wife Of
Brander Matthews; Pauline Markham.
who also lives in this city; and Liza Weber
With us came Alexander Henderson. our
manager. whom | married later; Harry
Beckett. the actor and our musical director.
We first appeared at Woods Museum now
DAYS Theatre in Burnand's burlesque
.Ixion.' was Irion Pauline Markham WAS
Venue, Liza Weber was Mercury Ada Har-
land was Jupiter and Harry Beckett was
Minerva The rest of the cast was made up
Of American. and among them were Grace
Logan and Sol Smith Russell.
@Our SUCCESS with our first production
vas immense We were dubbed the British
Blondes. and that name always stuck to the
companies that appeared with me on other
visits. | never could understand why We
we're called the Blondes except that We all
wore blond wigs on the stage. il was the
custom in England TO Wear blond wigs and
We followed il here.
The girls were not all blondes by any
means Some Of them we're brunettes.
was a blonde and l want 10 state right now
real blonde ] Away had q beautiful
head Of hair and have to-day. ! wore it
loose and II came away below my waist.
Naturally, l was very proud of my hair.
Every woman is who has nice hair. Tho
1 a..