BOOTH, BARRETT AND BERN-
HARDT.

WOODSTOCK, Vt., March 20, 1888. DESHLER WELCH, ESQ.-SIR: I desire to congratulate you on being the proprietor of a journal which seems now to promise us a vehicle for expression of honest and fearless' opinion, and not subsidized praise or blame; and lastly, because I hope that in THE THEATRE will be found an agent in a dramatic reform of which we stand much in need, and also of reform in criticism. Of this last American journalism stands as much in need, or even more, than the American stage. I was sorry to see the

attack on the Booth and Barrett combination from San Antonio, and I think their unsatisfactory performance may have been attributable to the enervating effects of that hot climate coming after a long season of hard work and incessant traveling.

I saw this company in Boston the week before Christmas, and was fascinated with much of their acting, though the mise en scéne of the Boston Theatre was frightfully deficient, and some of the subordinate actors and actresses were sufficiently bad. But I was inexpressibly charmed with Edwin Booth.

The San Antonio man said the meanest thing you can say of an actor when he accused Booth and Barrett of growing old! Neither of those two gentlemen is the least in danger of growing old at present. Many years of good work are still before them, though neither has now that beauté du diable which belongs only to youth. Edwin Booth has a beauty now, however, far more exquisite than anything the mere freshness of youth can bestow. It is the beauty of the matured perfection of a towering genius. I should be greatly obliged if you would give me a few facts with regard to Booth, as I am shamefully ignorant of his history, though I have always made a point of following the careers of our public men. In what year and what was his age when he made his debut, and was it he or the elder Booth to whom James E. Mur

doch makes allusion in the story published in THE THEATRE for March 5th, when they both acted in "The Iron Chest"? In Boston they say Booth lives in an almost monastic seclusion, that he does not like ladies, and that the ladies think him a "perfect stone" for coldness. This last point I consider an evidence of excellent sense.

For a man to be a flirt, endowed as Booth is, with every qualification which should make him fascinating to the fair sex, would be to take them at an advantage so overpowering that he would be cruel, not to say cowardly, to avail himself of it.

I cannot say I sympathize with the tone of the article on Sarah Bernhardt. It is not well for men to expatiate in print over the charms of the most complete heathen that ever trod the boards of our stage. The temper is so awful that I think her very immoralities pale beside its demoniac fury. And other women who have neither Bernhardt's genius nor her temptations will take such writings as an apology for their own vices. I do not wonder at the adverse criticism of La Tosca. For the French ideal heroine is apparently a woman incapable of any fidelity, save to the passion of love; always the passion, never the sentiment. Now, this sort of a woman does not appeal to the American man. He recoils from her in real life, and, consequently, she does not appeal to him on the stage. Therefore, plays in which heroines of the Fedora, Theodora aud La Tosca type abound, are not going to achieve a permanent success here. For your American man thinks twice where he feels once. Calculation is woven with the very fitness of his being, and one day the American woman (alas!) is going to resemble him closely in this respect. It is profoundly sad to see genius like that of Bernhardt yoked to vices so hideous. I have always rejoiced to hear of Mary Anderson's exquisite dignity of character, and am glad that there are many others on our stage, against whose private reputation scandal can justly make charge. There is no valid reason why an actor or actress should not behave as well as anybody else.

Laura Fay Smith.

no

THE WEEK.

"MONEY AT WALLACK'S.

THE revival of Lord Lytton's comedy of "Money" at Wallack's Theatre has been the means of putting considerable of the article under the same name into the manager's treasury, for the audiences have been fairly large since the first night. Besides a most elaborate stage representation, it has had the benefit of Mr. Wallack's personal supervision, which is made as manifest as possible with the existing company. Mr. Tearle gives to Alfred Evelyn an atmosphere that is altogether healthy and vociferous. Lester Wallack's Evelyn, which was always a most delightful piece of acting, was marked by a quick dignity and repose; Charles Coghlan's was severely repressed and intellectual. Mr. Tearle is at times very agreeable in the part, but somehow or other he is not as effective as might be wished. He certainly does not do justice to himself. Mr. Gilbert's Stout is well known, and one would be going considerably out of the way to find fault with it. Mr. Edwards is an exceflent John Vesey, and Messrs. Pigot and Ward, as Blount and Smooth, are interesting. Mr. Lovell-who has not had half a chance thus far this season-shows that he is an exceptionally bright actor by the admirable way he acts Lord Glonmore, a part that is too frequently slurred. Mr. Graves furnishes some rather broad comedy in his Mr. Graves, and if it is thought to be too noisy at times, it has at least the merit of being removed from much of the woodeness and silly insincerity that seems so often to make the character a ridiculous interference. Miss Coghlan plays Clara Douglass well enough; it is not particularly deep at its best.

Mr. Abbey has again shown his ambitious disposition by some superb stage arrangements. The scene in the club-room is animated to a degree that will doubtless surprise old admirers of the comedy.

THE PEARL OF PEKIN.

MESSRS. RICE AND DIXEY'S announcement that their present production is the

result of much bother, trouble and research, would seem a mild way of putting it after giving "The Pearl of Pekin" a calm and considerate hearing. The music is by Lecocq, and has been heard before under the name of Fleur de Thé, but the libretto, in the present instance, is the very clever work of Charles A. Byrne, a journalist who has not always placed the efforts of his pen to its best uses. There is a large amount of musical interpolation in the opera by G. A. Kerker, and while it is for the most part bright and “taking," it is very evident that many of the numbers would never have seen light if Gilbert and Sullivan's period began to exist after Mr. Kerker was dead. This is not intended for any disrespect, how

ever.

The presentation of this opera is a triumph. Never before has Mr. Rice given such an elaborate series of dazzling stage pictures and rich costumes. No comic opera of the kind has ever appeared to have had so much attention given to detail as this. If all the costumes are correct, they are by long odds more brilliant and agreeable than any other Chinese dresses that have yet been exhibited on the American stage. Doubtless much of the Oriental work shown in the "Mikado" was of finer and more costly stuffs, but in the general effect Mr. Rice's display admits more beauty in coloring. Of course the entertainment would not be characteristic of Rice if it did not introduce limited French costuming, and he has not failed here to again establish his delightful witchery by several choruses of pretty girls, who make a decided contrast in connection with the Chinese drapery. large number of people are employed, and the presence of a real Chinese band, with its concordant discord, heightens a number of admirable effects. Altogether, the entire management discloses a great deal of intellectuality.

A

Mr. Louis Harrison is very funny as Tyfoo, without indulging in the buffoonery he has often overloaded himself with in other pieces. He says many funny things, and says them in a pleasantly humorous

way. His make-up is original, and it is evident that the longer he plays his part the better he will become. Mr. Herbert, who played Koko very well in Mr. Stetson's company, is curiously ridiculous as Sosoriki, and without Mr. Leach's Sing High Mr. Harrison would have been deprived of several good bits which were equally well carried out by Mr. Leach. Of the women calling for special mention, Miss Lane and Miss Verona are to be noted.

"The Pearl of Pekin" should have no difficulty in reaching several hundred performances. It will interest the masses.

Fileur.

MR. BANDMANN AS "DR. JEKYL AND
MR. HYDE."

HAVING been deeply interested in Mr. Otto Peltzer's essay recently produced in THE THEATRE, entitled A Powerful Factor," I think it will be of interest to state that in a sermon, the subject of which was the "Durability of human nature," delivered by one of our most eminent divines, my attention was called for the first time more immediately to the play of "Dr. Jekyland Mr. Hyde," which the clergyman most earnestly requested his congregation to attend. I was one of the number to take his advice, and was most deeply impressed with the moral so strongly pointed out by the play, and I believe in common with many friends, that the chance cannot fail to be productive of great good, and that while Mr. Mansfield is working to increase his worldly possessions, he is at the same time doing some missionary work among that portion of the community who have so tampered with the Mr. Hyde element in their nature, that corns have grown on their hearts, and they scarcely realize the need of a spiritual chiropodist.

We are now presented with a new version, by Mr. Daniel Bandmann, who has dramatized it himself, and takes the title rôle after a week at Niblo's, and another in Brooklyn. He appeared in the Academy of Music last Monday night, and was greeted by an audience which in spite of the weather, was of good size and quality, and expressed its ap

probation in a manner which must have been gratifying to the actor-dramatist.

The first act is played in the vicarage of the Rev. Mr. Howell, and presents a pleasing picture. A procession of choir boys passing through the grounds into the church in the rear, while they sing the processional, is quite effective.

The transition from Dr. Jekyl to Mr. Hyde is more rapid than in the similar scene in Mr. Mansfield's version, and is done before our eyes, but there will be a diversity of opinion as to their relative effectiveness. Mr. Bandmann's change is made by means of a double wig, which, on Dr. Jekyl, looks suspicious, somehow, while on Mr. Hyde, though entirely changing the physiognomy, covers up the face to such an extent that the facial expression is difficult to discern, and the doubled-up being-thing, or whatever it may be called-looks more like an old witch with a frizzled bang than a guilty murderer, the grotesque rather than the terrible being depicted.

We have in Mr. Bandmann's version longer soliloquies on the part of Dr. Jekyl and more gloating over the pleasures of crime by Mr. Hyde than in Mr. Mansfield's. As to which method is preferable there will, of course, be a variety of opinions, and as comparisons are, to say the least, unpleasant, so let individual taste decide.

At the conclusion of the last act there was a tableau, but what it was it would be difficult to say.

Those who have never seen "Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde" should see Mr. Bandmann, while those who have seen Mr. Mansfield will be interested in the differences in the two versions, and both artists will have their partisans. Edgar S. Kelley.

SIGNOR CAMPANINI'S CONCERT CO.

LAST Sunday evening a large and appreciative audience assembled to hear Signor Campanini's group of artists who favored their hearers with those arias which appeal to those in sympathy with the Latin temper

ament.

A violin solo by Signora Torricelli was

succeeded by Signor Corsinini's rendition of "Madimina" from "Don Giovanni," and was well received as was also "Ella grammai m'ani" from "Don Carlos," which was admirably sung by Signor Bologna. Signor Gallassi then followed with "Sei vendicata assai" from "Denorah," giving for an encore "Eri Tu."

After another well-executed violin solo by Signora Torricelli, Mme. Scalchi, whose voice is as fresh, and as lovely as ever, sang with exquisite taste and feeling “Ah no, no, no," from the "Huguenots," and was greeted with the most enthusiastic applause, and favored the listeners with the lovely "Gavotte" from "Mignon," opened with a duet by Mme. Scalchi. The duo from "La Favorita," sung by Mme. Scalchi and Signor Bolona was heartily encored.

In fact, the audience seemed to thoroughly enjoy every number, and to those who had never before seen the beautiful auditorium, an additional charm was added by the novelty of the surroundings.

AN INTERESTING CAREER.

THE frontispiece of the THE THEATRE, this week, is a portrait of Mr. Frederic de Belleville, one of the strongest and best actors now on the American stage. During the heighth of the old Union Square Theatre Company's prosperity under the management of Mr. A. M. Palmer, Mr. DeBelleville, first came into notice in New York, and made a deep impression in his acting in "Daniel Rochat;" 'The Danicheffs;" "The Two OrFelice." phans:" "Lights o' London," and in " At the same time he appeared as leading support at a series of matinees given in that theatre by Clara Morris. He had a superb stage presence, his voice was of a splendid quality, and his pronunciation of the language was so perfect and agreeable, that much surprise was created when it was discovered that he was not an Englishman, and that this acquirement was the result of study in recent years. From that time on Mr. De Belleville has worked with increasing ambition and energy, and his successes have been numerous and notable. The facts of his career should be a necessary chronicle in THE THEATRE, and will be found interesting to those who watch the movement of actors and stage history. He was born in the usual way. The thought was doubtless far removed from the mind of his parents at that period that he would ever become an actor. This was in Belgium, and as not one of the family spoke a word of English, he began his life by a struggle in learning the French language. At the age of

ten he went to the College of Jesuits, and within a year was picked out to play in amateur theatricals, gotten up for the students, at which prizes were distributed. He won a prize by his performance of Henry II., on which occasion he wore a corked mustache and red tights! When he became a young man, and he was said to have been a fine strapping young fellow, he joined the army a regiment in which his father was a colonel. Here he learned a little English, but the only words in this language he ever heard spoken in his family, were by his father who in the Crimean War heard the cry: "Come on !" that became a sort of stock-in-trade with the old gentleman ever afterward. But young De Belleville did not like the army. "Oh, I have too many masters!" exclaimed he, and straightway sought the stage. In London he was introduced to G. H. McDermott, who was then playing Thos. à Beckett. The result was that in less than a fortnight he appeared as the “Champion of England” in Fair Rosamond." Then he joined a stock company in Cambridge, and obtained some valuable experience by playing in different pieces every night. Particularly in his memory now lingers such programmes as 'The Bridal" and "Winter's Tale" the same evening, and “Katherine and Petruccio" and "Othello" the next. Then in the pantomime season it was not an uncommon thing for him to put on a mask and play the part of a fairy. John Hollingshead saw him play a dual part in The Soldier of Fortune," and engaged him for the Gaiety Theatre, where he first appeared in " Much Ado.' Subsequently he created the character of Prince Kotchicoff in "My Awful Dad," with Charles Matthews, and the next morning awoke famous. He stayed at the Gaiety three years, playing with Toole, Genevieve Warde, the Kendals, etc. After this he played in the St. James Theatre, Opera Comique, and The Queen's. He was very fond of traveling, and could not resist an offer to go to Australia. There he made a hit in Sardou's "Our Friends," which has been played in this country by Mrs. Langtry under the name of "Peril.' After a year's sojourn in Australia he went to San Francisco. On his arrival "Tom" Maguire, the manager, sent him a box to witness Miss Neilson as Amy Robsart, and engaged him there and then. He opened in "Deception," since called "Legion of Honor." In the cast were James O'Neill and Samuel Pierson. It was in San Francisco that Mr. Palmer saw Mr. De Belleville and engaged him for his Union Square Company. After his season at this theatre he went to Boston with the company, but was there taken ill, and although he was confined to his bed for several weeks Mr. De Belleville says, with pride, that Mr. Palmer continued to pay him his salary.

At the expiration of this engagement he played in the "Corsican Brothers," under Mr. Stetson's management, and afterwards in "Monte Cristo," as Noirtier, then in the "Silver King," and finally in "Paquita," Bartley Campbell's play, wherein he made a distinct hit, but the play ended disastrously because of Mr. Campbell's affliction. Once again

he went to California as leading man in the California Theatre, and in that company were Mr. and Mrs. McKee Rankin, Frank Mordaunt, Joseph Holland. Then came a season with Rose Coghlan. Last spring he created the part of Duc de Beaumont in Steele Mackaye's play of "Paul Kauvar" at its first presentation in Buffalo, the memory of which he cherishes with pleasure and a proper degree of pride. Since then he has been playing in Hoodman Blind," and has just finished a two weeks' engagement in New York.

Among the criticisms on his work Mr. De Belleville has two in his scrap-book which he especially treasures. One is a letter from Henry Labouchere, congratulating him on his success in the impersonation of The Czar, which he performed in London, and of which Mr. Labouchere wrote: "It is the finest impersonation I have ever seen on the stage. The other is this criticism by William Winter: He is an actor who has manliness, grace, passion, nobility and presence, a rich voice, and finished style, and in whose acting the illusion is always perfectly preserved."

Mr. De Belleville is a student and a thoughtful man. His private life is marked by an air of distinguished courtesy and good breeding. Of him may be truly said: "Thou hast great allies. Thy friends are exultations."

SERIOUS MATTERS IN BOSTON.

BOSTON, March 27.-There may be another man of the John J. Ingall type in the National Senate, but the world-at-large will not hear from him for some time to come. I think. Boston journalistic circles have been recently disturbed by the appearance of an It with a nom de plume attached which has developed such an astounding resemblance to the aforesaid type that much comment has been aroused as to the possibility of this new, but not necessarily fatal, malady attacking other brethren of the quill. I venture the remark that there need be no fear of this, if the germ dies with the reputation of the victim. Vide J. J. I's obituary in the daily papers. His political future is ruined; his position is that of the Senate clown. Now it is generally supposed that where a contributor to a paper hides personality under a fictitious signature, the sex of the writer can be taken to one's taste, even if the title be masculine. That goes for nothing in forming the reader's opinion. I have been informed that the contributor of the "In the Looking-Glass" letters in the Boston Saturday Evening Gazette is a male. He can't be a man, else he would have been brain-proof to the Ingall malady. These letters are signed by "Howard Quincy Bellingham." As I have said, this means nothing to the uninitiated reader. Gazette has a good circulation, but not onethird of its readers know "H. Q. B." to be other than what these letters prove their author to be. Therefore I freely translate an old Japanese proverb that quaintly reasons a nom de plume into the neuter gender because such is without caste (in Japan), and have dubbed this "H. Q. B." an "It." This name has no value now to the unbiased. All claim toward influence and weight in the ranks of dramatic critics have been swept away in the eyes of those who accept these educators of publie opinion in proportion to their intelligence and ability. This “It,” in a recent letter in the Gazette, formulated an attack upon the management and company of the Boston Museum. While it is customary to pass such a screed as this without notice, in this case, however, the standing of the Gazette imparts a publicity to such a slur upon two of our prominent managers that a timely rebuke to its editor is within the limits of decent journalism. That he should allow such venomous stuff to appear in its columns, that an addle-pated scribbler can obtain a vent for a personal attack which is only a concoction of crazy mysticism and unrivaled mendacity, is a subversion of all

The