Billboard advertising (Dec 1910)

16 The Billboard DECEMBER 3, 1910. ===== LONDON NEWS LETTER Multiplicity of Music Halls Stirs London County Council to Action — Legislators will Protect the Old Halls by Discontinuing Promiscuous Issuance of License During the put three yearn there ku been an enormous increase In the number of music haljs mod places of amusement In Loudon, and as I hare recently explained, those responsible bare itUl a huge building program before them. But now the London County Council, which grants the license thst sJlows a place of amuse- ment to open Its doors, bin made dp its mind to take a band In the game. • A majority of members on the council nave come to the conclusion that variety theatres In the metropolis are being multiplied to an extent, which, they say. Is likely to lead to undesirable results. In future, therefore, they hare determined that an applicant for ■ new It- cense should be called upon to prose that the On the whole the proposal Is ,_ "within the last few day* may be summarized thus: "The London County Council ban evidently determined but only Just In time—that Lon- don shall not be made the background of a manic ball war, whose consequences would be disastrous and widespread. "Not only would the east army of persons who are actually engaged In the business suffer, but the savings of thousands of small investors are threatened by schemes recently announced which would only have the effect of ruining the proprietor* in which they are Interested. "A music hall license Is granted nnder condi- tions which can only be complied with by a big outlay of capital. Is It fair that another hall "" be erected within a few yards of .a »al- whlcb has been built np under anee.? are being proposed in districts which are already fully provided for. Their erection on sites almost adjacent to existing nooses would simply have the effect of ruining the old balls without any compensating ad- vantages to the theatregoing public. The Ful- ham Empire, to' the erection of which local objection has been taken, la a case In point. Its position would be only a few yarda from the old established Crsnrlile at Walham Green, and If It should be built a fierce fight for mere existence would Immediately ensue. The King's Cross hooie would clash with the present ball In the Bus ton Bond, snd slmilsr objections can. be urged against nearly all the building schemes pot forward within the next few months.*' Of coarse the person who bss aroused this antagonism Is Oswsld BtoU. who Is a kind of Napoleon of the music balls over here. Ax I wrote you a week or two ago be bas Just sey- ered bis connection with the Moss Empires and has started to build halls on his own account ail over London. I see no reason why he should not do this ir be wants to snd am not aware of any cause wby existing halls should be given a kind or monopoly and be protected according, ly- In any case It seems that the artists mnst gsln in the end. But from sn Inside source I understand that the London County Council. In the present instance, will not oppose the build- ing of the balls which 3 toll bas already planned but will put all kinds of obstacles In the wsy of further building. Still, by the time he bas flnlxbed bis present program Stoll may once more be on the right side of his old friends, and tbst may alter the question considerably. I fancy that before very lone we are going to see a very acute Oghr In London between the electric theatres and the religious bodies. The Istter claim that tbe picture palaces tend to demoralize the young and accentuate the "Con tlnentsiislng" of tbe Sabbath. 80 far as I have been able to discover, no objection has been taken to the character of the Sims shown, bnt the objection will be lost on tbe general ground that It is wrong for any amusements to be Indulged In on Sundays. Tbe fact of the matter la that the picture abovt-a. where opened 00 Sundays, have proved an enormous success. They have clearly dem- onstrated that tbe public needs amusement dh Sundays. In fact, tbe popularity of the shows . goes far to prove that If tbe theatres and music halls were opened on Sundays there would be plenty of people to make them a great success What the religious bodies are therefore np - against la the growing tendency to make Sunday a day of pleasure In London. Only those who hare experienced one can Imagine how deadly dull a London Sunday can be although the Inno- vation of the electric theatres during tbe last two years bas brightened up tbe appear- ance of things Immensely. It Is unquestion- able that the great mass of the population waats Just as many facilities for amusement on tbe Sunday as on every other day. On tbe other hand the Sabbathsrlans are Just as deter- mined * that : the old Puritan Sundar shall re- main as firmly established ss even For this reason they regard the picture paUces as tie thin end of tbe wedge snd are dghtin^ them tooth and sail accordingly. But before Very long the matter will have to be settled on broad lines.' and then there wm be sl fight Indeed. When that time comes ' at point will hare to be taken ser- u-rotmt by the religious bodies them- It Is that at tbe present time there Is a working man and his Inaday evening. That la there they are not wanted once - tng the vDe liquor generally people of this class would be W. Kay Is shortly lent. If he doe. be of his notions con- Idea Is to shorten to their essentials. "We bare." be saya. "too much 'preparation.* too much 'atmosphere' and too much 'prelude.' Let us get to tbe story. I'lay your piece between nine-fifteen and eleven. People can come to the theatre leisurely then. That la quite time enough for your story." Bnt I am afraid that * there la one character- istic of an English audience that be bas not yet grasped. That Is that they Ilk* an awful lot for their money. As It Is. there are always grumbles when a piece starts st pine and finishes at eleven. A play lasting only an hour and a half—my word, what a roar there would be! PARIS NEWS LETTER Theatrical Offerings are Becoming Better and a General Aggrandizement of Conditions is Anticipated—Some ■ Generalities on the Amusement Things theatrical hare po|>ped In an Interest- ing way hereabouts Ibis w.ek. A couple of plays, not half bad. and several otber pieces of lesser Importance, have conic U|*ra tbe scene sod make us think that the season baa at last really got a' start. riiomme Mysterl. ux_ls the first on the bill. This happened at the Theatre Sarah Bernhardt don't anybody because the "Olvln For get It ica. her and dark. Not a bit or her son. Is on the Into tbrlr bead that Is away over yonder Is all shut up I piece. 1'Homme 3 Men). Is by th.- (The Mys- M. GALIPAUX, The French' actor who created the roll of tbe Magpie In Chantecler. - It Is become a member of tbe Comedle-Frsncalse. will Jay Gould, who has Just married Eddie Kelly, late of tbe Gaiety Theatre. For some time be has been bidding persistently for Gaiety Thea- tre shares and bas now acquired over four thou- sand of them. I hear that he la willing to buy tens of thousands of them and go on buying until he has acquired a preponderating Influence. But he refuses to «*ay whom he Intends to "star" when be bas got control." I wonder If be intends to give his wife a chance? Last Saturday eveulng'e production of The Quaker Girl, at the new Adelphl, had long been eagerly awaited and those who managed to book seats were In no way disappointed. Not only does, the niece for sneer magnificence snd taste and beauty take a place at once by Itself bnt tbe old theatre bss been renovated and brought up-to-date In each a fashion as to make it one of the finest theatres In the world. Of course one does not expect to find an elab- orate plot in a musical comedy but the one In the present Instance la quite up to the average. In any case- It Is a spl en d i d spectacle and a first-rate entertainment. The story is easily told. Mathllde. an exiled Bonapartlst princess runs away from a school in London in order to marry a soldier by tbe name of Charter!*. Sbe arrives at a little conn try village and thence comes the bridegroom.. accompanied by an American lore with - a little Quaker girl of the village, called Prudence. The Istter part is played by Gertie Millar and Is probably tbe best role she bas ever had. enterprise In which a large working capital necessary. Baymood Is seen to be one of tl class of mono maniacs who believe tberowl Andre de Lorde. and bis very el tor. Alfred Blnel. Tbe piece called a continuation of the c among which might be nsmed Dr. Gondron, The Fool's Concert, and so on. For It la a bo play, and has for Its principal character. Insane person. Raymond and Lionel Bercler are brothers. They, are engaged In a tremendous commercial Is that _ themselves persecuted, snd as a climax to the malady, be attacks bis wife. Louise, and all bnt strangles her to death before be can be stopped. He Is now piscrd In an asylum for treatment. There ir a law in France wblcb makes It necessary for sll money Invested by a man who loses bis mind, to be withdrawn. In this caae Raymond's money was taken from the enterprise carried on by tbe two brothers, and suddenly the business was plnngrd Into a condition bor- Lionrl Is d sperate. He must . a ruin and the only way to do that Is to secure tbe release of Raymond from the mad-house. He bes<eebes Louise to help him. but Louise is afraid. At last sb- gives ft D0 "1 TCT * » Dd ■ brT ■»>■ ■** Raymond's free- dom. The physician In charge Is violently cp- poaed to the scheme. He has se n too many strange crimes committed by Just such men ss Raymond. Lionel asks for an examination be- fore another phyalclan. This scene Is very strong, taking place as It Is supposed to do. In tbe study of the Insane asylum. Raymond Is brought F»le. nervous. He answers all rationally. He I* let go. Is horrible, la s hair-raising wife s second lime, thinking- her In a conspiracy to kill him. Lionel lutervroes to tbe nick of time. "You, too!" the Insane brother shrieks, and with superhuman strength, be burls himself upon Lionel snd shakes him slowly to death. Isngblng play. The audience Is keyed up to such "pitch of excitement that I bey don't get over It for a week. One critic had everybody, on the open- ing night, looking keenly Into the eyes of their coachmen snd bsck drivers' to see If by chance they were mad. lb- Attack In the Night (1'Attaqne Nocturne) follows this play at tbe Berabardt. and Is s cotnedle in two acta, by Andre de Lorde and another collaborator. Mauaaon-ForeMler. Both are well played and received good notices. PORTE SAINT MARTIN. Porte Saint Martin, was the scene of the 1 important premiere of the week. l'Aventarler Is tbe name of It. (The Adventurer). Alfred Cspus being its creator. Jacques Gueroy's father Is a Ig manufacturer, but the business trembles on tbe brink of ruin. Jacques, the vacillating spendthrift and weak- ling. Is the person who has' pot It there. There seems to b» no escape from bankruptcy. At thla Juncture. ETlenne Hanson, ocrthew of Gueroy. snd a rolling stone sort of fellow, drifts upon tbe scene. Be bas made his fortune In the colonies and Is expecting a home. Instead th -re is a cool tested In Uncle Gueroy's bousa which he resents. Also be has I In love with Genevieve, whose sister Is the 1 of Jacques, the rake. She. however. Is tbe promised wife of a rising young deputy, named vareze. and here Ransoa Is balked. Asked by Gueroy for a loan 10 save the business from ruin. he. sore from the chilly reception and bis failure In love, flatly refuses. Genevieve finds a note written by Jacques to bis wife saying he bas brought ruin on the fam- ily and Intends killing himself. She pleads with Jacques and makes him promise to recon- sider, that sbe herself, will try to help him and bis fath-r. Personally, now sbe appeals to Hanson, and be agrees to let Gueroy have the money. He does It tboogh. on one condition: That he. himself, shall be tbe master of the business. And master b- Is, In bis nigged way be sees tbe downfall of tbe "arrivlst" Vsrese. Tbe match * between the deputy and Genevieve Is broken off and you can guess tbe rest. Lnclen Gutrry. who nearly s year ago created Chantecler. this time created tbe part of Ranson. Jean Connelln Is tbe manufacturer. Slgnoret. the Mile. CASINO DE PARIS. La Crane use la called s ••mlmodrama." It Is wordless sketch In one act and two scenes, snd Is played by a very clever company of pan- minimis!*, beaded by Mme. Sabary-DJelL This novelty has Just been sdded to tbe bill st the Casino de Pari*. Tbe sketch Is at first mil of humor, but becomes almost a tragedy. Pascual Is very clerer. espeelally In the part where be sees tbe apparition of tbe woman be believes he has strangled. The piece la quite a success. THE MICHEL. There Isn't a theatre In Psrls which gives more fnn for tbe money than the Theatre Michel. First nights there are always s^drtlght.^ This crested Madame X) and Andre Brule (ere*tor of Arse tic Lupin), on tbe bill, added to the Interest. Tbe play Is In two acta. It la by Francis de Crolsset. who adapted Maurice Le Blase** ator- les of Areene Lupin to the stage. It » quite Parisian and thus defies description. However. It tells tbe story of a young EnglUbman who fall* In lore with a French girl and la fright- fully embarrassed when It comes to making love, because be can't speak French and sbe knows no English. There are all sorts of complication! and a good ending. Andre Brule la delightful »• the Englishman, and Mme. Jane Hading Is. of coarse, superb ss the French girl. A I'lmposslble, a one-set piece, by J. *• Frappa. beads tbe Theatre Michel bill, and La Dame du Second, by Miguel Zamacola. Is the good night vehicle. This Is also la one act. WOMAN'S THEATRE. The .loth of November arm see a re opening of La Haltr. the woman'a theatre, which was In- augurated last season by Mme. Bert be Dangen- Be*.-, under the honorary presidency of Mme. Judith Gentler. This tb-atrr, aa The Bilbosrd explained at the time, was organised for tbe purpose of pre- senting ibe works of feminine writer*' only, or the works where one of lbs collaborators Is s warnsn. It had a big success. Of course. It may be add d. there la no playbonae belonging to this theatrical association, but one of Ibe regular theatres Is used. This time It happens to be ibe Theatre Michel.- Tbe program in clndr* Feu Brown, hy Mme. Andre Onens; pie- A REVIVAL. Tbe Houlfes-I'srlslens bas placed another of lis revivals on the hoards. It Is Xsntho Cbex le* Courllsanes again, with tbe atar of th* " herself. Mine. Cora 1-aparcerle. In th part of Xsntho. 1 page 28.)