New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-01-08
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR JANUARY s, 1911

The fact Is that Mr. Lang toured with Mrs Langtry IN
The Crosswavs" and other plays IN 1903; and that
Mr. Browne was here halt dozen years before with
Olga Nethersole giving admirable performances OF Or
George Orrved in The Second Mrs Tanqueray, OF
Wilfred Brudenel in The Profgate, and OF other
roles.
Alison Skpworth and Lawrance D'Orsay are gener-
ally credited with having begun their careers here with
the Lvceum and Empire respectively; but they both
were here before That about sixteen years ago IN
An Artists Model" Fanny Brough and the late
Henry Kemble came here first in My Daughter m
Law farce in which Elaine Terrss and Seymour
Hicks were stars. That in 1901 and was the irst
visit Of the latter couple in comedy, though both haq
PLAYED here several times in cXtravasanza clyde fi,ch
imported Ernest Lawtori for " The tr-ky MIS- John-
son l." and Tohn Drew brought H. Hassard Shor, over
for The Second in Command. Nearly ten years nave
passed and both have stayed with Us.
Looking further back, Kate Pattison Seton happily
was left on our shores by Mrs. Langtry VINO brought
her over 10 play Audrey in As You Like 1t. ferd-
nand Gottschalk was a member Of ROsina Nokes com
many who visited Us in the sos and has remained while
Wccdon Grossmith and Courtcnay Thorpe have been
here since but only as visitors. Jessie Mh!Ward ana
Maud Milton revealed themselves first and on more
than one subsequent occasion with Henry Irving ana
Ellen Terry: while many, many years ago, Charles
Wvndham made his prcstear appearance as member
Of the late Lester Wallack's company Rosc Coghian'
who seems ike very Is generally regarded as
having PLAYED here first with Wa'ack; but really she
came originally in burlc-quc, member OF LYDIA
Thompson's British Blondes Herbert Kelley was I'M
s.
othcrparts the Spider in The Silver King and Joseph
Surface in The School for Scandal.
The sum Of al this is then, that unless some wholly
unexpected genius bursts upon the London sky, the
American debut of Mrs. Patrick Campbell, in January,
1902 will remain as the last occasion comparable with
I'm, great first nights Of Henry Irving and Ellen Terry
and Mrs. Iangtry, and even Of John Hare, Beerbohm
Tree and the Kcndals Mrs. Campbell landed IN New
York but acted first in Chicago. When she rctraccd
her steps 10 New York, Of the most notable audi
ences ever assembled in theacr greeted her The play
chosen for the occasion Nagda.' asked her
manager why not The Second Mrs Tanqueray with
which her fame wa, So intimately associated. Per
haps for that very reason he replied
"Magda is sometimes acted in three acts, sometimes
in four. Mrs Campbclls program did not say which
version was to be used People not intimately familiar
with the play awaited the appearance Of the star
throughout the fr, act When the curtain fell and she
had not been seen a murmur Of disappointment was
audible.
Upon the ovation that greeted Mrs. Campbell when
she did appear | will not dwell nor on the enthusiasm
at the last But will note that critic lost his nat
in the excitement and found II only when he had TANNED
his foot through the top of it, while another overheated
from enthusiasm went out into the snow and caught
cold that kept him from first night for several weeks