New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-16
CHANGES IN LONDON, TOO
New York Not Alone in It's Loss
of Old Theatres and Players.

There is SO much talk Of change In New
York that II sometimes seems as though
this were the most forgetful city In the
world Of its traditional spots and the one
most given to tearing down all buildings
about which memories cling. That the
theatregoers Of several decades ago in Lon
don should now be writing "reminiscences
Of theatres in the British metropolis Of
thirty-fve years back. theatres which have
completely disappeared, seems from the
New York point OF view a refreshing
change.
In a recent issue Of THE Pail Mall Ga
zette" an interesting comparison was made
between the playhouses and players Of
thirty-five years ago in London with those
Of to-day.
How far away" says this chronicler,
"even the theatrical London Of 1877 seems
from that of to-day! dozen or so actors
and actresses who are still on active ser
vice figure, 1t is true in the theatrical an
nouncements; but, for the most part, all
| that was happening then Is to-day. like
Mr.. Quirke's sheep in Hyacinth Halvey,'
| Lady Gregory's delightful farce, very
dead Irving was acting in The Lyons
Mail, at the Lyceum, and his own great
career as manager of the theatre had not
even begun. Blackstone was acting in The
Serious Family at the Haymarket; Nellie
Bouverie and Charles Marius were in The
Maid and the Maybe at the Strand, and
Sam Emery was starring in The Streets
of London at the Adelphi.
Henry Neville was lessee of the
| Olympic. and was having a success with
Charles Reade's play. The Scuttled Ship.
while the Bancrofts and the Kendals were
dellghting the town in London Assurance
at the Prince OF Wales's. At the Globe
Lydia Foote, John Ryder, w. j. Hill, John
Ellington and Edward Righton were in the
cast of Browne. the Martyr and at the
| Criterion Charles Wyndham was in the
| rosy flush OF his early success in Pink
! Dominos' At the Vaudeville our Boys
had reached it's 767th night. and Joseph
Jefferson was playing Rip Van Wrinkle at
the Prlncess's, with VIII Terriss. Rose
Coghlan and Kate Barry also in the COM
pany. Rivlere's promenade concerts were
I'm fun swing at the Queens Theatre. IN
| Long Acre, and At the Opera Comque
| Charles Mathews was appearing in Mar
Turko' to follow. I'm which f. W. Royce
and John Maclean were appearing. Often
bachs 'Orphee aux Enters was the at
traction at the Alham5ra, with Kate Nun
| roe In the cast and Pertoldi as premiere
danseuse The Great Macdermott was
singing his Famous War Song'-in other
l words. We don't want 10 fght. but. BY
lingo, II We do'-at the ROYAL Aquarium
and Lionel Brough. Willie Edouin. Lydia
| Thompson and Harriet Coveney were ap-
! pearinE az tho Folly in oxygen; or. Gas
| IN Burlesque Metre
| All this was only thirty-fve years ago. Is
there another capital In Europe which can
exhibit such gulf between its theatres in
! 1871 and its theatres in 1912? II is doubt
/ ful. or all the houses here mentioned only
| FIVE have survived. the IIaymarket the
/ Adelphi the Vaudeville the Alhambra and
/ tho Criterion. The old Lyceum has gone:
/ the old Strand has been turned into
tube station; the Olympic has disappeared.
so also have the old Globe and the Opera
, Comlque: the Folly has become part OF
/ CharinG Cross Hospital; the Princesss has
been closed for years and Of the old
Queens Theatre IN Long Acre all that sur
| NlANS - inc entrance nan. NnNn IL no"
part of tho promises Of firm NJ seed mer-
chants In MAY. 1877. too. Cronornc Gar
dcns were still open-'admission up TO 10
y. m. IS. 81, after 10 p NJ. 5s'
When We contrast the intellectual and
artistic qualities Of the plays now being
offered in London With those NJ that season
thrty-dve years ago the difference between
then and now becomes even more pro-
ucunced. Theatrical London in 1919 Is al
most Incredibly ahead ~ theatrical London
in ls77 Thirty-fve years ago even a great
| writer like Charles Reade felt that In writ
iEg FOR the theatre he must write down 70
a lower taste than he appealed 10 In his
novels. Had he been writing for the stage
to-day he need have felt no such necessity.
Tn, dramas Of Mr.. Galsworthy, Mr. Arnold
Bennett Mr.. Masefeld and MIR Barrie are
on quite as high plane az their novels.