The billboard (Sept 1910)

14 T li c Bill board SEPTEMBER 24, 1910. PARIS LETTER The Bostock Losses at the Brussels Exposition Fire. Marie Colombier Dead-—The Sarah Bernhardt Incident—Motor Car Theatre is Invented LOND ON LE TTER Results of Last Season Satisfactory—New Season Commences — Great Productions at His Majesty's—News of English Stage Slow boslscfls. ' Marfcln^ time. EreiTbody Joit waiting. Not a great deal doing In tbe theatrical line, oave In the line of promises. Heaps and heaps there. Host tbeatiegoing folk are still oat of town, bat managers are taking tbe chance to bnuh np a bit and make ready for tbe grand rash. On tbe whole I believe the seasons are mnch later here than they are In the States—^they end np later In tbe spring and consequently get Into the game later in the fall. Tbe Nonvean-CIrqae, in the me Salnt-Honore, Is tbe only xeopailnc this week has seen. This drens has a good bill and attendance since the very first has beea phemAnenally good, consider- ing tbe spell c»f warm weather we are having, tbe llrat, by the way, of tbe sdtamer. And as I bare remarked before, things are reversed over on this side; hot daya and circuses don't go together as they do at home. Glrcnses are in regular, permanent bolldlngs and tbey open and close with the regular theatre season. Amonp aboat twenty nmnbera which misht be mentioned, arc tbose of Adas and Alex., equilibrists; Dekok and bis comedy horse; the Countess de Oally. horsewoman, who does a new and vez7 pretty flve-horse act;' BC. I.aszewskl, equestrian act; tbe Oglos Trio, aerial- gymnasts; tbe Wlttns Sisters, wire performers; the Six Hegelnuum's, with a bnlly trapeze act; and the Six Dankmar BcblUers, acrobats. IBss Dorcy. who. I bdleve. Is an American girl. Is likewise down ou tbe program as pre- senting some very -fine lions aaid lionesses. On tbe opening da^, jost before tbe time for the afternoon performance, one of the big beasts attacked her and bit and clawed her severely. It wsa at first thought that she was mortally wounded, but a doctor who was hastily cslled, declared ber. v^onnds painful and even possibly dangomu In.rase of complications, tbe chances tlioagta,^:beIn'g'."nmch In favor of her rapid re- covery- H« right bip and thigh were baffly bitten. She will go aa tbe bin as soon as she recovers. The Albano Brothers, Chocolate, Tablette, De- kok, Cbampagne, Detl7i Adrian and Adolpb lead the fun In downing. Hanager IMinqr has > fine season ahead of bimvfrom tbe way tUaga look now. OLYMPIA'S FmiUK. They've got a big winner at tte Olympla In the way of a freak. Boss-Joseta, the new Sia- mese twins., and "their" baby, are "It." Kosa-Joaefa are two fnny-developed women, or ratber yoong girls. Joined together as were the Siamese twins. Swne mooths^ ago one of the "slaters" brooght into the world a new baby, and, of course, tbe value of the "act" doubled immediately. The father of the child wished to regnlarize things by marrying the mother, but the laws held that be would be com- mitting bigamy and therefore the marriage would be illegal. Tbe only way out of it aeems for the "three" to go to the lltalted States and live In Utah wltb tbe Mormona. Tbe unof- fending sister vows abe .liad abadntely no Idea that sbe wsa soon to be an"annt." The baby Is normal In every way, and at the time of its birth, both the yonng women were desp«ately nu nyalelanB In Paris are taking a big In- terest In the case and Uanagera de Cottens and HarineUI, of the Olympla. on Tuesday of this week, befwe permitting tbe public to see the sisters, gave a private seance for the benefit of doctors and newspaper men. The vaudeville features are still drawing big, with many Americans and English in the house. ; IiOTB WATCHES. The exqnialte little comedy. Love Watches, by Robert de Flers and Henri de Calllavet, Is on the bm at the Comedle-nrancalae now. It la extremely popular flier^ by^ the way. A SUBPBISB. Suppose the New Theatre should engage Sliv- ers, tbe famous and craekerjack down, at an enormous salary to create the role bad by Francis Wilson In When Knights Were Bold, say, wouldn't tbe profession alt up and gasp and wonder what was going;to happen next. Well, that very: thing has happened In France, only instead oC being Silvers and tbe New Theatre, It la Draaem and the Odeon, tin lecaiid Comedle- Francalse. Bave Montgnnery, as Ifalvolle, wouldn't create a bigger surprise Is the Statea, than did this annonncem^t here. Branem Is a very funny comedian of flie Harry Watson type. Ble is tremendously popu- lar In Psrls and at the various music bslls be is sndi a drawing card that bla salary prob- ably runs as hlgb. It not blgber, than that of any other laugh-provoker on the Continent. And now M. Antoine, of the Odeon, has engaged hUn to play the doctor In Molere's Meddn Mai* gre Lul (A Fbyglclan In Spite of Himself. And that is not all: he has engaged Vllbert): from the Ambassadanrs as well. Vllbert la quite like Branem—they are two of a kind. I'm telling aU thia. not because I believe the profaaalon In America: Is vitally interested in Dranemi' and Vllbert personally, but because back of their engagement Ilea a question which strikes where we llve^ Some of the papers here were Inclined to poke fun—you know bow tbey do. Music - ball comedians were just IdloUe. Some of tiiem weren't real bright. Audiences laaghed at their antics as a crowd laugha at tbe. capers of a monkey. These are aome of the Jabs made by the long-haired critics. So I asked Branem what he thought abont It. What be said was mighty Interesting. Said be: "It is reaBy easier to succeed In a regular theatre than In a music halL In a music bail, good average talent won't do. Ton've got to be original and do something out of the common. MLLE. SPINELLI, Of the Capndnea. Paris. The words one has to eing are seneraUy less. It Is tbe actor who's got t» make- them intaeadng. ..In the legitimate' on the contrary, with Ingnnloas altaations. clever dialogues; and surrounded, by" otiicr actors, each ' contributing; and who give yon your cne and frequently play np to yon for a laugh or a,'scene. It la easy enough to be sncceasfnl. One is In a ready- made atmosphere. Audiences' know nothing of what it meana fw a singer'to have to go on alone, wiOi Juat a few silly, and sometimes very rotten songs, no situation, no acenery even, and make good with a bappy-go-lncky audience, at best paying but half attention."' By George I Talking -with good old Branem that way made me sort of wonder how an actor in the legitimate ever could be bad or a vaude- ville or music hall player anything better than passable. Anyway, we are going to have tbe chance to see whether his tbeon holds good In the real thing. For as I^aald, the Odeon Is not only a "regular theatre;? It Is the Comedle- Francalse No. 2. Tbere Branem 'wlU have "at- mosphere, scenery, actors and -actressea to ear- round him and even "feed"? him. I ahaU tell Tbe Billboard readers just how he cornea out, honesty, without fear or. favor, win w faU, bit or a frost. TBB BOSTOCK LOSS. Jamea W. Boatdek, brother'Of Frank C. Bos- tock, the vrdl-known abowmai,: baa left Farias where he haa been watching' otk Intereata at Luna Park doring the snmmer, for Broasda. He has gone to take charge of bis broUier's In- terests tbere. Tbe latter tells me that praeUeally the wh(de of the Brussels branch , of his animal abow was wiped out by the recent ezposition lire. Includ- ing $10,000 worth of animals newly purchased. Hany of the old favorites, smong the lions, tigers, etc., lost their Uves In the fire. 'What the fire didn't destroy the soldiers shot, this pre- caution being considered necessary on account of danger of escape and possible injury to peo- ple In the crowd. Some of the elephants and monkeys and other animala of a harmless type, were mercifully al- lowed to escape to the woods, where tbey were later recaptured. From tbese anlmala.a neu- cleua at a new idiow waa formed^ and.' by the Sunday followlilg the Are, aolBeUDt odds and ends had been gotten together to make • fair tent-show. Over 2,500 francs were taken In on that day. In tbe Kermese, popular "Jimmy" Bostock Is getting together a brand-new lot of attrac- tions, bat the animal show la not to be replaced. The tent show spoken of was. of coarse, only a temporary affair and wbat few animals were left In the Brnssels show will be shipped else- where. LUNA PABK, Lona Park Is still open and probably will. be for some weeks to come. Jim Connera^ acmle railway. George Homback'a water chutes, Cur- tis' mysterloas river, and other sttractlons, sre stilt tbe big favorites. Tbe electric fldipond is likewise a good bet among the concessions, this being a Coney Island Importation Mke most of the other attractions. Crowds gather about it all day, two "ponds^> being at the park. Mae Nab. a Buffalo man, lua tbe coaeeaafon. Percy Ross, a wen-known Cockney abowmaii, assists him. STROLLING PLATERS. Manager Oemler, of the Theatre Antoine, bas bit upon wbat seems to be a corking Idea for a coantry with roads as good as those of France. He bas abont completed a motor-car ontflt. carrying all tbe essentials for a flrst-class tbeat- rlcal performance. It Is a 'teotor-csrsvsn-play- boase." And if that Is not modem, wbat IsT Tbe theatre—house, • seats, stsge, wings, scenery, properties, costumes, lights and what not. all go along. One of tbe motors In one of tbe cars, drives a dynamo, making aa line i aet of Ughta as one wonld cara to lee. Obn- (Continued on page 00.) With the antnmn season joat beginning, it la aatlsfactory to know that the theatrical year joit ended may be regarded as a soccess financially and in most other ways. This Is all tbe more satisfactory because two Important factora mili- tated agaUiBt every form of entertainment, namely, the «K>cb-maklng general election and the death of King Bdward. It was also feared that vrlth the coming-of tbe picture tbeatrea In legions the drama and vaudeviUe palaces -would alike suffer, but tbe theatres, at all eventa do not seem to have suffered in tbe leaat. Probably this mnst be ascribed to tbe number of good. If not exacUy startilng pmdnctlona In- cluded in the year's achlevementa. Leaving out two great anccesses In Oar Miss Glbbs and Tbe Arcadians which belong to a prevlons aeaa<m, something like sixty new pieces <tf varlana typea were brought forward In tbe West End. This does not include either the revivals, of which there were 25, the varioos new and old plays put on by Charles Frotunan during the repertory season at the Bake of Xork'a; tbe Shakespeare festival plays at Bis Majesty'a, or the operas at Covent Garden, and those produced under the auspices of Mr. Beecham. Seventeen of the new plays rogistered under fifty performancea each and a good deal of money was dropped cm tbese but a set-off waa found in tbe many suc- cessful revivals which took the place of the failures. Taking the season aa a whole the two most successful comedies were Bon and Smith. The Girl In the Train has proved ' the best of the new musical comedies while from tbe point of view of Uterature, tbe palm mnst be-given to Brtenx's False Gods, Maeterlinck's Bine Bird, John Galsworthy's 'Justice, and FInero'a Mid- Cbannel, although IJondonexs only took a very lake-warm interest in tbeae except the Blue Bird. Coming to the new season. Miss May Bobaon was first off the mark with tbe Bejuvenation of Aunt &^ry. Miaa Bobson la not only an act- ress of genlns but she is a brainy -woman. Tbe piece was weU advertised beforehand but ahs waa careful to see that playgoera were not flood- ed -with notices to tbe effect that "Miss Bobaon Is the greatest actreas of the century," and that "the fiay la the greatest ever produced In America/* 'I: have-known American' playa in England kOIed'by tbla aort of thing before tbey were'ever staged In london. Mlsa Bobson waa cute enough to . let the play go on Ita merits and abe -haa scored a very big success Indeed. On the first night tbe audience waa exertmely enthuslaatic and I bear tbe bouses bave been ex- ceptionally good ever since. F^rsonsilly I don't think tbe play will ever be a success in England In the same.way aa it haa been-in America bat May .Bobson wlU alwaya :o just as .well here as she done on your side. J^hs play Itself aeema ratber too bolsterona to suit the taste of the average En^isbman but the acting has been greatiy admired and aa I bave indicated Miss Bobson scored a great per- sonal triumph. Altogether, more on her account than anything else, I anticipate the play will bave a very good ran in London,^ and Is certain to do weU If taken into tbe provinces. Last Saturday evening saw the production of Han Calne's new play. The Eternal Question, at the Garrick. NatnraUy, like aU the other work- of tills ultra-modest genUeman, who posi- tively «brinin« ttom the very thongbt of pub- licly, the play bad been boomed more loudly than any play alnce his last and somebow or other about fifteen columna of matter emanating from the author managed to get Into tbe papers every day for about a month ptevloua. Some yean ago the play was prodaced under the name of The Eternal City, by Sir Herbert Tree, at Bis Majeaty'a. What has happened to It since to bring about tbe change of name, I faU to understand. The only thing one can think of is that the-antbor -recently gave evi- dence before tbe Blvorce Commission, - his qnali- ficationa for so doing, I hare never diacovered, and since tliat time be has filled several col- umns a week of a morning newspaper with bis views on divorce and the relations of the sexes. These consisted of either Inappropriate plati- tudea or else childish commonplacea expressed at inordinate, length. AU this bss subsequenUy been embodied In tbe play which, in its resnr- rected form Is, 1 snppose, regarded aa "toplcab" and even as a contrlbutim to modem aoclology. Tbe atory Is so old and baa been used so much by French - dramatists during tbe past century that It hardly beara repetition. Donna Roma Tolomia having lived with Baron BoneUa, wlsbes to leave him. To thla he retorta that once hav- ing taken the path in question tbere is no tam- ing back. Tbfai gives her tbe opportunity for . a long screed on. the rights and dlsabUlUes of women. Later she falls In love with a socialist deputy, David Boss!, who is almost as long winded and as banal as herself. He haa to flee In consequence of a riot and accidentally sbe betrays his addreaa whereby the Pope ia enabled to discover that BossI la bla long-lost son. As a piece of sheer bad taste thla Incident about takea the biscuit. After some more intermin- able and totally aninteresting harangues Kossl accidentally, and there Is no reason why be shonid bave Insisted on the accident, snoots Boselll, and both be and Roma are imprisoned and about to be banged, although each wishes to be aacrlficed for tbe other. But tbla time the author risks a ssd ending and both suffer together, although their end Is greaUy delayed by the discourses which tbey feel it their duty first to deliver. No one denies Hall Calne's sblllty ss a writer of drama, but bow people stand for tbe flood of cheap newspaper talk which goes to make up nine-tenths of this plsy I cannot understand. Even If tbe Interminable discussions on the re- lation of tbe aexes were not such utter piffle, the time taken np by them la sufficient to con- demn tbe play on tbe spot as a stage production. In the paat Hall Oalne haa made a great fol- lowing for hlmaelf among the pnUle, but even the moat hardened can welcome such a piece of work aa thla latest one. . As far aa tbe performance waa concerned, tbere la no fault to be found. Hiss Tittell Brbne as Boma, If • trIBa bard and lacklDg In anbUety, la a lady with considerable TeraaUllty and dramatic power and she mads the nMat of the part. Vernon Steel was earnest and hard working as Bosal. Guy Standing waa auffldenUy villainous as the Baron, and Halllwell Hobbaa waa exceedingly distinguished aa the Pope. To turn from the Garrick to Hla Majeaty'a la Indeed a relief. Here Henry VIII, aa staged by Sir Herbert Tree, baa acored a verltabla triumph and eUdted a deafening chorua of ap. planae. Thla la the cast: „ Hennr VIII Arthur Bourchlar Cardinal Wolsey Herbert Tree Cardinal Oampelua (Legate from tbe Fope) • a. .. .. .. .. ..... .. 8, A. CookaoB (3ranmer (Archbishop of Oaaterbury) .... .. .. .. Charlea Foliar Duke of Norfolk .A. B. George Duke of Buckingham Benry Ainley Duke of Suffolk .. Bdward O'NMU- Earl of Satiey Gerald Lawrence IKXA Chamberlain ■• .. Edward Sasa Gardiner (Blahop of Winchester) .. .. .. .. .. WUIIam BurchlU Lord Abergavenny .. .. Clarence Derwent Lord Sands Walter B. Crelgbton Sir Heniy Guilford .. .... Edmund Onmey Sir Thomaa Lovell Henry O. Hewitt Sir NlcIiolaB Vanx Charles Jamae Thomas CromweU (Secretary to Cardinal Wolaey) Beglnald Owaa Grifllth (usher to Qocen Katherlne) .. .. .. :. .. .. .. .. Henry IforraU 1st Gentleman .. CyrU blrorder 2nd Gentieman .. Charlea Howard Garter Klng-at-Arma .. .. (Slfford HeatboJeF Surveyor to the Dake of Bocklngham .. .. .. .. .. *• -. >• ' ...... Acton Bond Setgeant-at-Arma .. .. .. .. Arthur OaafclU Servant .. W. B. -Abingdon A Crier .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Bdmod Oololag A-Bcrihe '•• -.. •• «• a* Vtaada Chamler Jeater .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Baaa Shoe* Queen Katharine .. .. Miss Violet VanbmA -Anne Boleyn .. Mlaa Laura Come An Old Lady .. .... .. Mrs. Charles Calvert Patience (waiting Maid to Qoeen Katha- rine) .. Miss Ula Barday Act I—Scene I, The Clolstera; Scene 2, The Council (Hiamber; Scene 3, The Banqueting HaB, Wolsey'a Palace;. (Oeslgiied by Percy Mae- qwdd, B. I.) Aet II—Scene 1, ne Blver Gate; Scene 3, Tbe Gallery; Scene S, Tbe Pteaaaonce, Windsor; Scene 4, A BaU In Blaekfrlars. Act III—Scene 1, The Pleaaanaee; Scene 2, Ante Chamber -with adjoining Chapel; Scene S, KImbolton; Scene -t, weatmlnater Abbey. Aa prevkmaly Indicated tbe piece la one so- perb piece of artlaUc pageantry, and one that mnat appeal to the Imagination of every play- goer. And there la every precedent for tts pageantn. It waa the aenaatlnial atage : Ing of tbla piece wblcb reanltcd In the I down of tbe old Globe Theatre la 16U, <3barlea Kean and Benry Irving never eerlonaly regarded tbe play except from the apectacular Eoint of view. But their efforta oonld never ave compared with thla latest production at His Majesty's. Accnstomed aa one la to dis- play and wonderful aettlnga at tbU theatre the present spectacular effects almost takea one'a Dteath away. Not only Is it a great pageant 'With Intensely dramatic momenta, but It la a liberal edncatlon in the mannera, dress sad architecture of medievalism at tba time of Ita most snmptaons splendor. Tbe ban) acting ball scene In tbe llrat act la perfect pictnre. Here we see the great car- dinal, right at tbe top of hla ancceas, putting oat all his energies to make tbe occasion one that abould stand out even In tbe memory of bla rayal maater. We see elaborate -ceremoalaa of medieval courtesy: wonderfnl gold plate and (Oontlnoed on page DO.) VIOLET VANBRUGH. London atage celebrity.