The price of yearly subscription to THE THEATRE is four dollars in advance. We cannot undertake to return manu script that is not suitable, unless it is accompanied by sufficient postage to do so. Care is always taken not to needlessly destroy valuable manuscript. The Editor solicits contributions from the readers of THE THEATRE, and suggests that old play bills, and scraps relating to the stage, notes, news and items appertaining to the different arts, would be acceptable. It is the desire of the Editor to establish a widely círculated magazine, and to further that end every good idea will be acted upon so far as possible. All articles appearing in THE THEATRE are written especially for it unless credited otherwise. Address all communications to the Editor. THE FIRST VOLUME. With Number 26 was finished the first volume of THE THEATRE. Anyone wishing to complete a file for binding can be accommodated with back numbers at the rate of ten cents per copy, Handsomely bound volumes will be supplied to any address for $3.00. THE THEATRE LETTER BOX. Letters addressed as follows are in the office of THE THEATRE, and will be forwarded FREE on receipt of proper address: "J. J. F.". Manager HALLEN & HART. Mr. CHARLES HOYT. ENTRE NOUS. ROLAND BUCKSTONE has all the proper feelings of respect for his distinguished father's name. At the Star Theatre on the opening night of Barrett, young Buckstone requested a seat on account of the profession" for himself, which was denied, on the grounds that Mr. Barrett had put a stop to "complimentaries," for, that night at least. "So you refuse me a ticket?" said Buckstone very solemnly. "I am sorry to say, sir, that's my order to every one," was the reply. "Oh, I do not care for myself, sir," said Buckstone with, much mourning in his tone. WHOLE NO. 27 "If Mr. Barrett refuses me I don't care for myself, sir; but I am astonished, sir, at this loss of respect for the memory of my dead father; it is for that I feel bad!” I UNDERSTAND that when "Hamlet is brought out this year at the Théâtre Français, the English traditions in regard to scenery and stage business will be adopted. * * * I AM glad to hear that that plucky girl, Miss Van Zandt, is now out of danger, and is rapidly. getting well from her unfortunate illness. * ** MLLE. RHEA has expressed to an American reporter her opinion of certain French actresses. She avoids, perhaps rather wisely, a discussion of that very peculiar and erratic woman, Sarah Bernhardt, but does not hesitate. to assert — and, what is more to the point, she. is right that the success of Sophie Croizette was chiefly a matter of handsome costumes and personal beauty. Mlle. Rhéa says of Desclée: "She went to half a dozen theatres, and she was everywhere abused by the critics. and laughed at by the public. It made her bitter. She grew to hate the theatre: and the public, but worked on. Two famous men watched her carefully. These men were Meilhac and Halévy. Soon they wrote Frou Frou,' and insisted on having Desclée for the leading part. They were laughed at, but they got Desclée. The first night came. In the opening act, the artist, for she was an artist, walked on to the stage as if she was in her own home. Everybody said She is not acting.' See how fine her art was. In the second act the spectators were watching her closely. When the climax to the third act electrified them, they stood up from their seats, waved their handkerchiefs, and shouted that Desclée had won at last." When Desclée was congratulated on her victory by her managers, THE ingenuity of managers is severely taxed by the effort to outdo one another in providing "souvenirs" for certain occasions, usually the one hundredth or the one hundred and fiftieth performance of a popular play. Mr. Daniel Frohman, formerly of the Madison Square Theatre, is chiefly responsible for this sort of taxing or "taxation." The souvenirs that Mr. Frohman dispensed during the runs of plays like "Hazel Kirke," "Esmeralda," and "Young Mrs. Winthrop," drove a capacious hole into the Mallory pocket-book. The popular Madison Square plays might properly be called "souvenir plays." Divest them of the plaques, picturebooks, decorated programmes, bas-reliefs, and flowers, with which they are associated in the public mind, and they would lose (oddly as this may sound) much of the small intrinsic value which they are supposed to possess. Other managers, inspired by Mr. Frohman's æsthetic example, have endeavored to imitate him, though not invariably with success. Rudolph Aronson, director of the Casino, is, however, confident that he has hit upon an original and striking idea which even Mr. Frohman may consider with envy. He proposes at the last performance of 'Erminie," on the evening of October 2, to distribute 500 baskets of flowers among the women in the audience. The chances are that the women in that audience will outnumber the men. Mr. Aronson's bouquets, by the way, should reveal a preponderance of violets, in honor of Lord Lonsdale's protégée. Mr. THE production of Mr. A. C. Gunter's latest play, "A Wall Street Bandit," is looked forward to with confidence by the admirers of this able and progressive American dramatist. "A Wall Street Bandit," as the play is called, was exceedingly popular, not very long ago, in San Francisco; and those who have read it in manuscript praise it with something more than common enthusiasm. Mr. Gunter has worked hard and patiently for success, and he has been obliged to rely for it, to a considerable extent, on himself. He is now in a fair way of achieving his ambition. Fortunately, he will have the help of several excellent actors in the production of A Wall Street Bandit." There will be in the cast, for example, Miss Georgia Cayvan and Mr. W. J. Ferguson, both of whom have recently been groping in the graveyard of the Higgins Brothers; Mr. Charles Wheatleigh and Mr. Robert McWade, old-time actors and thoroughly trustworthy; Miss Anna Boyle, Miss Fanny Addison, Mr. Frank Losee, Mr. Charles Bowser, Mr. Lysander Thompson — in fact, an altogether exceptional cast for strength and evenness. Now that General Sherman is making his home in New York - this will be his permanent abode hereafter the list of conspicuous first-nighters will undoubtedly be increased. General Sherman likes a good play almost as much as a pretty girl. There are more pretty girls than good plays in this neighborhood, but that fact will not prevent him from taking his chances now and then with the rest of us. * ** MLLE. ADELE CORNALBA, who is one of the half-dozen really artistic dancers that remain upon our stage, is traveling this season with the "Clio" company. Mlle. Cornalba makes, probably, more money by devoting herself to an enterprise of this class rather than to enterprises which seem to the outsider of a higher class. It would be pleasant to find her associated with an organization like the American Opera, for instance, and with a dancer hardly less charming and skilled than herself, Mlle. de Gillert. But it is a well-known fact that popular premières, both here and abroad, dislike, for one reason or another, to bind themselves to opera companies. * ** THIRTY-SIX new dancers, all from Italy, will appear in the ballet of the American Opera next winter, and there will be a new and famous première, Mlle. Giuri, who is extremely popular in Milan and other Italian cities. Mlle. de Gillert will hold her place at the head of the ballet and will divide the honors with Mlle. Giuri. ** THE next season of American opera will open at Philadelphia, in November. The reorganized company - and the public will find this greatly strengthened in many directions, though not by the addition of any specially brilliant names is not to be heard in New York until February. Mr. Locke, the indefatigable and shrewd manager of the opera, has not yet decided whether he will take his company as far as San Francisco during the present season. If he concludes to do so, he cannot make this important visit until May, when Mme. Bernhardt will, unquestionably, be the star of the West. It is a curious fact that Sarah Bernhardt has never acted in San Francisco. Her first engagement there will, in consequence, blind the public eye to other experiments, big and little. Even the American opera would have an up-hill struggle against a first Bernhardt engagement. ** A NEW play, by Victorien Sardou, which has not yet been named, will soon be in rehearsal at the Porte St. Martin, Paris, and, after its production there, will be placed immediately upon the stage of one of the leading theatres in this city. * ** It may not be forgotten that the blatant, yet clever, radical who calls himself Henri Rochefort is the author of a drama, which has already been done, and not without success, in Paris. Its title in English is "A Daughter of Erin." The piece has been adapted for the American stage, and will be presented here later in the season, possibly at the Standard Theatre. MR. GOODWIN made a rather shrewd remark when he pointed out that Mr. Dixey's success in London (or what success he really had there) was due in a large measure to the violent opposition manifested towards him. If Mr. Dixey had been treated by Londoners with contemptuous indifference, he would not, evidently, have been thought of seriously or discussed. In fact, he would have sunk imperceptibly into the annihilating obscurity of an English fog. MR. GEORGE GOULD maintains his reputation as a monopolist by monopolizing Miss THE facts about Mr. Augustin Daly's visit to Paris are now coming to light, and they are not creditable to the journalists of that city. In a letter to the New York World, Mr. Labouchére writes: The French critics certainly behaved very badly to Daly's American company. On their own showing, they banded themselves together to insult several estimable ladies and gentlemen, better artists than nine-tenths of the clumsy gesticulators on the Parisian stage - first, because they don't like the English and American custom of wearing evening dress at the play-house; secondly, because Mr. Daly was supposed to have insulted them by not flattering their petty vanity. Mr. Daly is a veteran dramatic critic, and has had some experience of the craft in New York and London. He did not suppose that French journalists required to be fed with a spoon. An English or American editor would be very much. surprised if any one on his staff were not sufficiently educated to be able to review a French play, or to understand the French language; but in Paris all these learned men are as deplorably ignorant of English as the wiseacres at French ports who arrest yacht owners for German spies. To vent their spite on Miss Ada Rehan for physical reasons was an ungallant act, but to select Otis Skinner as the best actor in the troupe, when James Lewis and Mr. Gilbert were present, is an instance of their silly spite or deplorable ignorance. While Mr. Daly was Berlin, a particularly stupid writer contributed the following paragraph to the Revue d'Art Dramatique: An American theatrical troupe is to perform English pieces at the Vaudeville. This is the announcement that everybody has read for the past few days in the journals. Posters on the walls inform us that the Bureau de Location is open for the first performance of M. Daly's English piece. Well! but these pieces are not English. The AmeriThis is false ! can actors pretend to come from London. These gentlemen are simply endeavoring to bamboozle the Parisian public. They are at this very moment in Berlin, where they are playing in the Wallner Theatre. The Parisian public comes after the Berlin public! This, at least, is something new. And the pieces that these Yankees are playing are German pieces translated into English. In other words, Mr. Daly committed the unpardonable crime of visiting Berlin before he went to Paris. This is a fair basis for criticism. * ** MR. NEUENDORFF was not as cordially encouraged as he should have been at the Central Park Garden. His summer programmes there were delightfully arranged, and his orchestra played with spirit and brilliancy. His audiences averaged 200 persons each night. Nevertheless, he has made a good beginning, and the Central Park concerts are likely to be popular next summer. Mr. Neuendorff, whose energy is tireless, is now arranging a series of winter concerts, to be given on Sunday evenings at Steinway Hall, beginning the first Sunday in November. * ** CARL GOLDMARK'S "Merlin" will soon be in rehearsal at the Metropolitan Opera House, and will be the most interesting production of the season there. This work is also to be produced in Vienna and Berlin. It is believed that "Merlin" will acquire even more popularity than The Queen of Sheba." The score has now been completely revised, and is practically the result of twelve years' labor. Goldmark, that is to say, gave "The Queen of Sheba" to the public twelve years ago, and "Merlin" is his second opera. The title of this opera recalls some of the most inspiring incidents in the Arthurian legends, and suggests a new and rich field in music. The characters in "Merlin" are King Arthur, Guinevere, Launcelot, Merlin, Modred, Gawain, Vivien, Bedwyr, Glendower, Morgane, and a Demon. The play is crowded with dramatic incidents and characters, and offers exceptional chances for spectacular effect. ON Monday last a private marriage ceremony was performed at St. Leo's Church, New York, by Rev. Father Ducey. The contracting people were James G. Blaine, son of the illustrious man who bears that name, and Miss Marie Nevins, who is of one of the old and distinguished families of Ohio. Her father is Richard Nevins, born of the Macalester family of Philadelphia, and her mother is of the wellknown Medary family of Ohio. Miss Nevins is known to a number of the leading members of the theatrical profession; she has had many offers to go on the stage, but has resisted them all. Two winters ago she took the leading rôle in the amateur performance of "Paul and Virginia," at Washington, which was organized by Mme. Nogueras, wife of the Portuguese Minister, and in which many of the society leaders of the capital took part, and this immediately created a reputation which was assisted by her beauty. She is a blonde, with superb figure and beautiful face. She has rare accomplishments, and speaking entre nous from the fact that I have long known her, young Blaine has won the capital prize in a big drawing, for she is indeed one of the most charming girls I ever met. She belongs to a family which has been singularly blessed by youthful attractions. Her mother is a remarkably young-looking woman, and she, her daughters and her son, are pronounced and handsome blondes. two MARGUERITE FISH, Soubrette, now playing with great success in Vienna, is announced to make her American début at the Thalia Theatre, New York, on December 13, in the German language. Her engagement runs through Christmas and New Year's, and she will be supported by the Thalia company. She will then visit the principal cities, and, returning to New York, will appear (in the English language) at the Lyceum Theatre. Miss Fish is but eighteen years of age, speaks and acts in English, French and German, and ten months of success in so critical a capital as Vienna is sufficient evidence that she is an artist of more than ordinary merit. She was born in this city January 7, 1869. * * * MR. ARTHUR WALLACK has given me a complete list of the members of his father's company for this season. It is as follows: Kyrle Bellew, Herbert Kelcey, John Gilbert, Harry Edwards, Charles Groves, Daniel Leeson, E. J. Henley, and H. Hamilton, who is the author of Moths" and "Harvest." The ladies of the company are: Miss Annie Robe, Mme. Ponisi, Miss Vane (formerly of St. James' Theatre, London), Miss Russell, Miss Carrie Coote, Miss Bartlett and Miss Blaisdell. The season will open with the play of "Harvest," which will be followed by "Sophia." The scenery for both these pieces has been prepared, and Mr. Wallack is enthusiastic. After “Sophia” and “Harvest” have had their runs, the new play, "Sister Mary," by Clement Scott and Wilson Barrett, will be produced, and later in the season "The Dominie's Daughter" will be tried. IT is strange that so many errors could have been made in the daily press about a man so well known as Samuel Colville. His first wife was Mary Provost, a great tragic actress of thirty years ago. This fact all the obituary writers have omitted. Then, again, it is said that he was a partner of George Wood when that manager introduced Lydia Thompson and her "British blondes" to America., Colville was Wood's agent, and he, Alexander Henderson and the blondes were all so hard-up in England that Wood had to send them money to pay their fares and buy clothes with which to make a respectable appearance in New York. Henderson recently died, leaving half a million dollars behind him, Lydia Thompson is a very rich woman, Colville has left a fortune to his family, and three months ago George Wood died and was buried by the Actors' Fund. Trophonius. |