The San Francisco call., 1906-04-15
RIVAL ENRACES
MISS EDNA MAY
She Refuses to Act in New
Piece Until Her Part Is
Made the Dominating One
PLAY CHANGED FOR HER
All Trouble Caused by the
Important Entrance Given
Another Woman in Cast
SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL.

SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL. I
LONDON, April 14-Edna Mays new
piece. 1.-THE Belle Of Mayfair" has just
been given its first production at the
Vaudeville. A lively rumpus occurred at
one of the rehearsals the other day re-
garding which not so much as a whisper
was allowed to get into the papers here.
The cause of the trouble was natural
disinclination on Miss Mays part to be
overshadowed by any one else in a pro-
duction of which she is nominally the
bright particular star. The person who
threatened temporarily to eclipse the Sy
racuse girl was pretty Louie Pounds, who
is also in the cast of 1.-THE Belle of May
fair" and who is former Savoy favorite
of much popularity in the metropolis.
The authors of THE Belle of Mayfair
are Leslie Stuart and Captain Basil Hood,
and the latter of these gentlemen Is well
known in theatrical circles to be one of
Louie Pounds most devoted admirers. So
perhaps it is not surprising that in writ
ing his latest book Captain Hood pro-
vided Miss Pounds with an uncommonly
good part. 1t was part, in fact, that
not only ran the stars decidedly close so
far as opportunities and numbers" go,
but gave Miss Pounds what is known on
the stage as an entrance which prom
ised to be one of the sensations of the
piece.
Miss Mays entrance" was simply moth
ing to it. and when the first complete re-
hearsai of the piece took place last Tues
day the little lady from the United States
was observed to listen with something
like frown to the salvo from the or
chestra and chorus which brought her
rival "on."
ACTRESS IN A HUFF.
"And now, Miss May, if you please"
said the stage manager few minutes
later, when nothing much appeared to be
happening on the stage. But instead of
making her entrance the American singer
rounded upon Leslie Stuart, the COM
poser, who was standing near, with flash
ing eyes.
rs this really to be my entrance, Mr.
Stuart?" she demanded, in what are
known as freezing accents.
why, yes, Miss May. / believe so,"
faltered the composer, while an eloquent
silence reigned.
Then you may have your part back"
observed the former Belle of New York."
and forthwith swept from the scene, while
author composer and stage manager
hastily took counsel together. and the rest
of the company stood around with eyes.
and mouths open.
OF course, with the whole town waiting
to see the American songstress in the
Hood-Stuart piece, there was nothing for
both authors and management but capitu-
lation, and SO without more ado certain
changes were made in the leading femi-
nine parts, and after these had been sub
mitted to her Miss May gracefully con-
sented to return to the cast and the day
was saved.
NEWCOMES FOR THE STAGE.
If Michael Morton's new dramatization
-
cess it will have to be admitted that this
American playwright is a versatile man.
1t was Morton who adapted Tolstoi's
gloomy Resurrection" so successfully,
and he is also the author of The Little
Stranger" the rollicking farce which
scored its fiftieth performance at the Cri-
terion the other night, SO If he has also
managed to make an interesting play out
of Thackeray's delightful but not especial
~ dramatic novel the thing WILL indeed,
be a feather in his cap.
Meanwhile it may be said that this stage
version of the adventures of Colonel New
come, Give, Ethel and the rest, has been
made by Morton for Beerbohm Tree, who
will produce 1t in London as soon as the
run of Stephen Phillips Nero" comes to
an end, and that If it proves as successful
as the adaptation of "Oliver Twist which
Tree gave recently the American rights
will be available forthwith.
1t should be a success, too, if careful
and painstaking work count for anything.
for Michael Morton tells me that he has
had this adaptation of "The Newcomes"
in hand for over three years. And al
though, of course, good deal of Thack-
eray'S book had to be left out in transfer
ring it to the stage, the story itself has
been altered in no way, and in the last
act we find the kindly old colonel muir
muring "adsum," while Ethel and Give,
after their many vicissitudes, are looking
forward to church bells and orange bios
SONS.
DONE IN FOUR ACTS.
The piece as 1t stands contains four
acts, the first of which passes in Colonel
Newcome's house, the second at Lady
Fareham's ball, while in the third re-
turn is made to the coloneIs house. In
the fourth we find him installed in apart
ments with Give, Rosie and the "Old
Campaigner''-and then, of course, there
is the final scene at Greyfriars.
That the piece will be produced by Tree
with much attention to detail goes with
out saying, and both he and whoever
plays the colonel in the United States will
have abundant data as regards makeup
and general characteristics in Doyle's
many counterfeit presentments" of
Colonel Newcome-
Cosmo Hamilton collaborated with Sey-
mour Hicks In 1.-THE Beauty OF Bath
produced at the Aldwych Theater this
week. He has another musical comedy
coming along in a week or two. the run
of yet another of his plays has just come
to an end and a fourth has been an
nounced. '"The Beauty of Bath is un-
doubtedly a success, owing partly to the
fact that Seymour Hicks and his wife,
Ellaline Terriss, are popular favorites.
partly to the fact that this musical COM
edy actually has quite a little plot and
partly to the fact that no money has been
spared on dressmakers' bills and on pret-
ty girls to wear the dresses The music
is commonplace to degree.