The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-14
CRITICS CALL HIM
REAL COMEDIAN
Champagne Market in Dcplorable
Condition and Vintage Wines
Are Almost Priceless-Mar-
garet Mayo's Life Is Made
Miserable by Beg
ging Letters.

London, April 1a.--Lonton has a new
stage favoritc. Frank Labor. of The
Pink Lady" company. Ii is seldom
that stranger, especially man, pops
right away into the hearts OF London
playGoers. tut Mr.. Labor did this with
Thursdays first night audience, and has
got Just as closely at bone with every
audience since. For the first coup,c
Of minutes on Thursday Labor fell HAT
because the house could not hear him
Then voice in the gallery said .
speak up" Mr.. Labor spoke UP. the
house woke up, and i'll five minutes
was his.
BY the end of the first act the first
niShters from the stalls in the gal,
1ery recognized and acknowledged a
genuine comedian" as the Times critic
styled him, and now after three per-
tormances Mr.. Labor is {, London fav-
orite.
Bad Champagne Conditions.
James Il Regain. of til. I<nickcrbock-
or Hotel, New York. ras spent some
time in the wine district since his ar
rival on the Maurotania buying m
vintage champagncs He told The
Timcs-Dispatch man that the United
States possesses more vintage cham
payne than any other country in tho
world. The general conditions of the
champagne market in England accord
OF tho brands cannot be procured and
The prices are the highest ever known
The wine dealers, Mr.. Regain de-
clarod. are cndeavoring, On account OF
the scarcity, to induce the public to
abstain from vintage wines, and are
irving to induce the people to
drink the ordinary kinds. Since his
arrival In England Mr.. Regain has
been purchasing everything In tho
shape Of vintage champagne regard
less of the price.
Speaking of American ms compared
with European hotels, Mr.. Regain said
tho physical comforts OF the European
hotels never approached those of the
American ones
Seven years ago" he said, "Ameri-
can restaurant were unable TO com
pete with tho service or cuisine of
those Of Europe. Now We not only
compete but beat them"
Margaret Mayo with her husband,
Edgar Solwyn. has been in London
for a few days arranging for the pro
suction OF her play. Baby Mine" at
the Pala!s Royal In Paris six weeks
hence. The Selwyns have spent six
months in Alglers. Tunis, on the
hvicra and in Paris, and do not cx-
pect TO return TO the United states
for TWO months yet. They Will go
10 Paris next week.
Gets Begging Letters.
Mrs. Selwyn says her life has bean
made miserable owing to tho publish
cd statement that she is making
$500, 600 a year on, Of her plays. She
has been overwhelmed with begging
letters forwarded from Paris and Lon
don. none of which asked for less
than $4,000 to promote Inventions ana
OTHER schemes. one letter made the
request that she support a family OF
four Every avalanche of letters
Brought on q crying spell. but she Is
now dcvoting her interest TO the pro
duction OF "Eaby Mine" Mr.. Selwyn
said the stage in France is ten years
out OF date In technique. situations
and productisns. Germany holds first
place in Eurhpe rs - play producer.
England owing to the disintercsted
efforts OF John Galsworthy and his
small following, is forging to the
front. Mr.. Galsworthy, said Mr..
Sclwyn, works for art not money
Mr.. Sclwyn brought 10 London u
story OF how etiquette prevented
Arnold Bennett and Maurice Aiactcr-
lirck from meeting. Mactcrlincl
tclerraphcd asking it he might como
TO Cannes TO meet Bennett. The lat
ter referred the matter to n friend
SAYING. Il cannot have Mactcrlinck
como here. He Is an older and more
famous man than l. and. therefore
I'll 60 10 Nice" The punctiious
friend pointed out that as Maeterlincl.
was older and more famous tina FEN
rett, he should dictate whether they
should meet At Cannes or Nice.
The argument over this point con
tinucd for .hrce months. with the re
suit that the two authors did not meet
although they were both very anXtou
TO do so.
arthur Bcrtram, who managed Tia,
American tours Of --rs. Patrick Camp
bell. Mario Tempest and olga Netller
sole. vii san for New York on tn
Maurctania to arrange for the pro
auction Of "Ocdipus Rex" by the Mar
tin Harvey company in the autumn
ErInngcr Delighted.
A. Erlanger, of Klaw & i.rianGel