The New York Clipper (February 1912)

8 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER February 17 A FEW SUGGESTIONS TO THE YOUNG DRAMATIST. II DITTO BBI.ABCO. Personally I *» notbolleve very much in *^lce-*th«r In too «Wn« otf it onittt one bind op the following of ft on toe otter. I ama profound believer in.the theory of ta- dlrl(haai«m, end I bellere that be works best who laboriously develops and exploit* toe ego within aim, unmindful of criticism, however well merited, and ignoring aili mw when that advice doea not coincide with hit own private intuition. The wisdom of thta creed of mine was moat forcibly brought home to mo toe other night in listening to a paper on Whitman read In the drawing room of a cultivated and pointed critic* that the "good grey poet might hare attained the same, perhaps greater, results In hla "Leavea of Or***," bad ho exercised somewhat of that reserve which hit* marked even too frankeat of the singers who had preceded him. And In proof « Ana- country and study It* peopU ana R« >»•»• tut Aifof which 1* bnt to say, In ■tort-* 1 * what the American thcatrrgolnx public want* more than anytblngslse, I. a *^«J*g5g lomo phase or another of Its n*Ulon*l arpiri^ and that the task before the n ffitjagggj dramaUat ia to rind some one of these phases, study It thoroughly, and then tSMWll«*t matlcally. In his own manner. And when i Sy national spirit, I do not mean to, r str social Idea underlying his race—caste, lyxe any English Oram*, novel or poem, and you wifl too* that It treats of taste to some shape or other, either to extol, t» deplore, to " Of fricso forcgMng characteristics predicated thJt'word'to the narrow Tlmlt's of"either local of these respective peoples, we Americans. national patriotism as Americane, have flrtJe or none. We wll not countenance the "eternal triangle In real life, we wBI not even wink at ft, so to enewk, aa It Is countenanced and winked at In France, Italy and other Latin countries. On the contrary, we visit our severest pen- alty—inexorable social ostracism—upon the man end woman who have the hardihood to For Instance, Will law C. D» Mn e .% p LZi "The Woman," dealing with, political life aid eminently patriotic in Ita Import, reflects one phase of our national aplrlt. but not more io than does Bdiward J. Locke a "The Case of Becky," wTltton for Prances Starr and treating of dual persomfllry. As a nation we are vitally Interested, not only with sclen t KnUM COKIAWINO «H« NOTABM PLAWBS AlUAM bac* aumitmrnm ^ ro(f application. Ftjbusbid Had JOSEPH JEFFERSON. oo uut nvwiu w»v« uu« wvm-«— —. -. --- amove mi vmv iu tur «.«,.«««—»■- —r, " r> duct we have set for ourselves, we burn the d w herever possible to the reformation of offender at the slake Just as surely as we lhe yjdou, and criminal. Any drams deal- burned the witches at Balein les* than two lng conscientiously, honestly, with sny oMhe Joseph Jefferson was born In WlladeJphla on Feb 20, 1829, of an old theatrical family, he being {he third of that name At the early age of four years he »»de hlsjJebut at the Washington Theatre, Washington, u. u, as a pickaninny, with Thomas D. 1Rice, when that negro impersonator sang the original ing conaciraniuiMij, miiiim ji.f-r --» -i_vr; ,iti m Crow" sons:. Little Jefferson was car- t-™~T c "rSi.« Ti Mr Jefferson had a brief season as- a the- atre manager in 1800, when on May 16 of that yeor he opened Laura Scene's Theatre, uudcr his own management, with "The In- visible Prince." His company Included, among others Mrs. John Wood, Mrs. Henrietta Cbanfrsu and J. H. Stoddart. In June he produced "Our Japanese Embassy," and In "The Tycoon." He closed the house Man's throbs with mighty rhythms, rhythms so tremendous that they absolutely defy all toe measurea and metres set by lesser poet* feci'and believe to bo right can hardly be very far wrong. And In any event they; are LAST WEEK. fered many hardships and privations, mastered his art.._fie matohU flwt apnjar- mastered »•» un.. *-» w "'via i in iBift ps^« 35a«s&..^« jwiKSfissss HSSKsjin&s S^SRSSsH S^aHSfsS k^^s^^ B«BKiffivB nML r 'H?» genius is"unique, distinctive, es- exceedingly good plays—Caste. Caste we do 4 > the Gratld je^kta Tale of Enchant- KShal^'^e&and of.'America, .or,as ^S^^^l$^^^SSS& log on aristocracy in this country, that we ntre Vvnitm.'n ffi5? n h.". na cxpS«cftry' :r put' Itl'-of SS these United Statts." ment, called THE FORTY THIEVES, In which the Stud Hoibh will appear; with all the original Chorusses, Duetts, etc. Ac. Music composed and arranged by Mr. Kurds. Scbnbbt by Mr. Mllner; Principal Machinist, iMr. Cammell, Dresses by Mrs. Morse, Properties by Mr. Ruggles. The whole got up under toe Immediate direction of Mr. Fuller. Mondat Evening, Octobib 1, 1888. Will be presented, the Melo-Dramatlc spec- tacle of THE FORTY THIEVES. CaslmlrBaba, (the rich Merchant,).Mr. Rug Tho following season, 1852, Mr. Jefferson attracted considerable attention as a member of the Niblo's Garden Company, in which Thomas, William W. and Joaeph Jr. adopted Sta /oseph r Jefferson died April 28.1900, at his Florida home, "The Reefs," Palm Beach after an Illness of several weeks. He had made a stubborn light, and up to the day of his death there had been three days of Im- provement, following a rally. But shortly before noon of April 28 tfr. Jefferson an- nounced his belief that he could not live, lie was conscious up to a few moments be- fore be died. Although too weak to converse with those at his bedside, he uttered coherent ;l<-8 DAVIT) BELASCO. Now the oxsmplo of Walt Whitman Is one that I cannot too strongly commend to the at- tention of all those earnest, ongor young men and women who would give expression to themselves through the medium of to; drama. I would Ilka to say of fiction, too, but Ml believe In the shoemaker sticking to his last, and aa I am not a novelist but a dramatist, I shall leave that to the deration of some- body elae better qualified for tho task. And as I am Importuned by somo several thousand of these ambitious young people In the course of the year, each of them asking my advice In relation to some phase of dromatic con- atructlon, 1 feci Justified, In spite of my scruple* against It, In giving tnem, If not advice, at least a few suggestions. To this end 1 will) soy that the spirit of Whitman must of necessity constitute too aplrlt of anything worthy, o! anything worth their while In American drama. I will also go great further and say that something of tho spirit given of Whitman haa had its influence In anything worth while that we have done. Whitman It wiu who first sang to us of the length end breadth of our land, of its glory. In peace and In war-time; of Its populous cities Its teeming life, in factory and shop on ses and ashore, of Its rushing river* and Illimitable plains and ImpregnabTo mountain fastnesses—all the things, in short, some one or other of which toe essentially American dramatist must embody in his drama if ha would have it reflect the spirit of his land aa other dramatists have reflected the spirit of theirs. _ „. , It ll this perhaps more than anything else that the American dramatist falls to take cognisance of—tho things that are essen- tially American—In thought and In feeling, are becoming "class conscious" as the social- ists say. But we are nothing of the sort. Possibly we may do to some day, but It Is a long way off. America wa* never so demo- urntlc. so splendidly, prodigally democratic, as It is right this minute In the year of our liOrd nineteen hundred and twelve. As a matter of fact, It pleases my fancy to believe that we are almost as democratic In America to-dny ns was Elizabethan England—too great, glorious Merry England of which BhakcBpcare Is the lengthened shadow, ...Jlugg] All Baba, (the poor woodcutter,).,Mr. Fuller Uancm, (his Son.) .Mr. Browu Mustapha (the Cobbler,)... .Mr. Huutliigton Abdalioh, (Capt of tho Robbers,).Mr. Archer llasarac (his Lieutenant,) Mr. Mllner First Robber.... Mr. Bpraguc Second Robber Mr. Terry Orchobrand, (Enchanter of the Black Forest), Mr. Derr War., f 1 Mr. Sweet Famine, n» mn «. I Mr. Noblo Rapine,' Demon '- Mr. Curtis 1 'i Hud, I I Mr. Moore Fairy of the Lake, (Protectress of All Baba,) Mrs. Gulllon Gossamer. Master Miller Zalda Bab *' 1 M "' Hummer Morgl'ana Mrs. Gulllon Act 1.—Scene 1. A Fairy's Grotto; sub- marine representation. Enter Fairy In a shell drawn by Swans, Ac. iSceno 2. A Wood. All Baba. Scene 8. A Forest, with high rocks. All Baba and Qanem discovered cutting wood. Robbers seen crossing the mountains on horse- back ; enter and deposit their treasures. Rob- bers chaunt; the rock opens and discovers tho Brasen Gate: robbers chaunt and gate opens. Chorus of the Bandcttl—"Like the wind driven sand." Scene 4. The interior of All Baba'i Cottage. Act 2.—Scene 1. The abode of Orchobrand, the enchanter of the Black Forest, with his attending demons, Bcene 2. An apartment In Caslm Baba's house, Scene 8. A street In Bagdad. Song—"Last week I took a wife," by Mustapha. Sceno 4. Tho Verandah and Oil Jars, Act Last.—Scene Last. Tambourine Dance. Death of llasarac. Qanem and the Morglana United. Orchobrand destroyed. The Fairy triumphant. The Grotto. MEVIOtJB TO THI BPICTACLI A WALTZ AND COTILLION ENTREE. OLYMPIC GAMES By the Whole Company. Horsemanship on two Horses, the COLOSSUS OF RHODES, - '"'-•■ -'.'■•' '('<'; *' , t,>'ip ■ • ! rf' ■ V'.v'.V. • ■ ■. :;.'''■ JOSEPH JEFFEHSON, were also Lester Wallack, Rufus Blake, Mrs. John Drew and Charles Wthcatlclgh. Mr. Jefferson then managed his own company and went on a tour through the South, conduct- ing brief seasons in various places. He con- cluded this experience with a stay in Phila- delphia, and a short season in Baltimore. In i860 he made a tour In Europe, and stud- ied the methods of the actors of London and Paris. In the Fall of 1857, at Laura Keene's The- atre, New York, he made a decided impres- sion aa Dr. Pangloss, In "Tho Heir at Law," and In 1858 he made his first great hit at that house, as Asa Trenchard, In "Our Amer- ican Cousin," In which E. A. Scthern created his famous chnrsoter, Lord Dundreary. Mr. Jefferson acted Asa Trenchard over ono hun- dred and fifty consecutive nights. He then went to the Winter Garden Theatre, which was under the management of William Btunrt and Dion Bouclcault. Tho toiler's dramati- zation of "The Cricket on tho Hearth" was brought out and Mr. Jeffersoi placed before For aSlitabethan IPngland was not^tho poj to conclude by carrying Master Miller on hla the public h'ls embodiment of Coleb Plummer. Shoulders his Horses at full speed llto well-ordortd, properly regulated England of to-day. It was an England tilled with tumultuous life and color, an England vi- brant with emotion, palpitating with pas- sions long since burned out: an England where all gentlemen prided themselves upon their prowess at tho tankard, and where the ' indies sworo like fishwives; an England to riot and revelry, both In tho cottage and In the hall; an England heedless of the morrow, unmindful of aught save t" lug gA.vcly of the day and tho hour. In such an England only was the genius of f.uikespcnre possible, and out of that Bng- lond haa the polite, well-bred England of to day evolved—the England which her mod- ern dramatist* have very appropriately cir- cumscribed within the narrow limits of a well appointed drawing room with a glimpse of quiet garden beyond. A pretty drawing room and a quiet garden—that la England to-dny. An Impoverished youngor son, a slern nobleman, a haughty duchess, an am by Mr. Sweet. COMIC SONG BY MR. DERR. Mr. ARcnmt will appear on his courser and go through bis Dramatic Bcene of THE SAILOR'S RETURN. He also wrote a version of "Oliver Twist," In which James W. Wallack Jr. achieved a suc- cess as Fagln. Shortly thereafter, finding lilraself In poor health, being rcrlously threat- ened with pulmonary consumption, he went to California, where he acted for some time, and then went to Australia, where he gained both fame and fortune. In 1805 he arrived In London, Frig., and sentences and bade all farewell. He ex- pressed a desire to see the ocean In his last few moments. At the bedside when the end came were Mrs. Jefferson, bin sons, Charles B. and Frank Jefferson, his granddaughters, Marlon Jefferson and Mrs. C. Bymons; the physicians, Dr. R. B. Potter and Dr. S. G. Worley; Mabel Bingham, the nurse, and his Becrctary, Carl Eettlor. The remains were taken to Sandwich, Mass., where, on April 80, they were In- terred at Bayview Cemetery, after a service marked by simplicity. Mr, Jefferson's five sons, a score of intimate friends, and a hundred or more villagers gathered about the open grave while the committment services wore read. At 11 o'clock In toe morning a brief service was held at Craw's Nest, the Jefferson Summer cottage. Only Immedlato relatives and intimate friends wore present. There wore no honorary pall bearers, the nctlug poll bearers being: Glen MacDonough and Charles J. Rolf, who married jrrand- (lniiEhtci'H of Mr. Jefferson; Samuel Phelps. Mr. Jefferson's former stage manager: Carl Kettler, his personal attendant; Richard Watson Glider, EdwaTd Black. Dr. George Unrry and J. A. Walker. While the procession was on Its way to the cemetery a public memorial meeting was held In tho Sandwich Town Hall, at which all the clergymen of the town participated. A eulogy was pronounced by tho Rev. 0. L. Urlswold, pastor of the Methodist Church. tho hall: an Englnnd heedless or the j/ r> KoB j e wi u apfttar <„ t he dramatic scene on Sent. 4, of that year, at the AdelpEl The- r ° the memorial services In honor of Jo- , unmindful of aught save tho fleet- 0 f tht Flying Indian. otre, he made bis first appearance in that *n>h Jefferson at the Church of the Trans- city, in "Rip Van Wlnklo, T ' which play had figuration, better known as the "Little Church Plats Balancing and Spinning bi Mb. Nobli. bltlous tradesman r>ari><mtie, icveral pretty and more or less ineffective young Indies, and last, but not least, tho Inevitable rector no (ess than In geography and topography, It I* these ho muBt seek out for hlmsolf and, having found them, his task Is to interpret them In terms of dramatic action. The Fiench, tho German, tho English, the Scan- dinavian dramatist .suffer* no confusion ai retards this first essential to sound dramatic interpretation. He recognises the psycho- logical And physical characteristics of his race instinctively, as It were, and he writes hi* drama* around them. . For instance, the Frenchman sees In the "eternal triangle" a sort of national domestic institution and around that Institution he Is able to wesve absorbing drama—absorbing to Latin peoples, however, much more than to us, however well adapted and however well acted. Similarly the German, with his In- herited passion for philosophy and meta- physics, finds In this province bis character- istic Inspiration for his best poetry as well ns bis best drama, as docs likewise bis cousin, toe Scandinavian, As for the Englishman, bis expression, Whether In pastry, In fiction or In drama, Is pivoted around the one great -that Is English society—the dramoKs prr- tonne through whom the dramatist must ex- press his message. With us of America how very, very differ- ent I What richness of life wo have spread before us, what abundanco of virgin ma- terial. Too much, perhap*, for our own Sood A very well known visiting English racialist remarked to me several years ago: "How I envy the young Americans who will have an opportunity of Incorporating this material Into national drama. It Is posi- tively a feast of Tantalus to a seasoned playwright like myself, but unfortunately one cannot teach nn old dog new tricks. If one could I'd spend the rest of my days hero Magic Change; or,— Splmdtd Feat of Hone- ffianship. By Madamo Gulllon. NEGRO B ONG BY M R. DBRR. Mr. Abciihb, tho Daring Horseman, will ap- pear on a single horse, and leap 'Whip, Hoop, Garter, Canva* d> Balloons. Tho domestic* mare Ue&ora will be Introduced and go through her pleasing tricks. Mr. Fuller would say one word as to prices: when tho small site of the Uoimo Is con- sidered, and the expenses being double the amount of a theatrical company, It is actually necessary to maintain the present prices In order to cover the expenses. Doors open at half-past Six, and perform- ance to commence at Seven o'clock. Prices of admission—Box, 8s. Od.; Pit, Is. Od.; Children under ten years of age, Box, is.; Wt, Is. 8d. ' and try my hand at It myself." This man was 'particularly Impressed with Tickets to be had at Mr. Nelson's book . _-... „_._-......-.;, ._ r .—_ r ..- store, J. Ganong A Co.'*, at tho St. John the dramatic possibilities Inherent In what be Hotel, and at the Box Office, from 1 to 8, been rewritten for him by Dion Bouclcault. The following year he returned to America, und made Els reappearance hero at the Olympic Theatre, Sept. 8, 1880, in "Rip Van Winkle." Tho American public repeated the opinion of tho English playgoers, and for years Mr. Jefferson traveled through this country acting tho simple minded vagabond of Irving's creation, winning unqualified suc- cess by his pathos and humor in depleting tho character. Other parts In which Mr. Jef- ferson made an eapoclal mark were GollKhtlv, In the littto farce, "Lend Ms Five Shillings,'' nnd Bob Acres, In "The RlvaU." The latter ho first acted In Philadelphia In 1880. At one time he made a considerable tour In this role, In company with William J, Florence, who acted Sir Lucius O'Trlgger. On April 27. 1882, he appeared at Yale University, making his first essay as a lec- turer, and delivered an address on "The Art of Acting." That address, with various modi- fications, ho repeated many times afterwards. On May 7, 1890, ho presented in New York a scar company of players, which ho had organised, In "The Rivals," which was cast as follows: Bir Anthony Absolute. Will- iam H. Crane; Captain Absolute. Robert Tabcr; Falkland, Joseph Holland; Acres, Jo- seph Jefferson; Blr_LucIus OTrlggor, Nat a; David, Around the Comer," afternoon of Sunday, April 80, went nearly eTery well known actor and actress in New York. The ushers were David Warfleld, Harry Woodruff, Vincent Serrano, Joseph Ellgour, John Malone, Henry Benrtmo and Wright Kramer. The services, conducted by the Rov. Mr. Houghton, were held undor the auspices of the Players, of which Joseph Jefferson was one of the founders. Mrs. Edwlna Booth Grossman, daughter of Edwin Booth, was present with her husband, Ignatius Gross- man, and her daughter, Miss Grossman. Also there were Mrs. Richard Watson Gilder, Ed. mund Clarence Stedman, Daniel Frohmon, Margaret Illlngton (Mrs. Daniel Frohman), Margaret Merrlngton, Mme. Modleska, Charles Genung, George Irving, Milton Nobles. Fred Thome, James L. Metcalfe, Giles Bhlne, William Hazeltlne, William Nor- rls, George Dcnham, Charles 8. Abbe, Julius Steger, John Jack, vernor Clarges, Ffolllett Paget (the three latter members of Jeffer- son^ last company), Barton HID, Charles Dade, Frank Aiken. Anton Rolff, Wlllard L. Motcalf, F. M. L. Tenettl, David A. Munroc, Edwin T. Emery, Charles Lothran, R. U. JohnBon, John Glcndlnnlng, E. L. Walton, Henry B. Bhephord, Ada Oilman, Paton Glbbs. Charles Btevenson, Marcus Mayer, Mabel Nor- C. Goodwin; Fag, B. M. Holland; David, ton, Howard Kyle,'Joseph Holland, Mrs. Hart, giancls Wilson; Mrs. Malaprop, Mr*. John F. F. Mackny, William A. Crozlor, Dr. Ramon railed our "middle and lower classes"—that Is to sny, in our prosperous trades people snd professional folks, and our workers In storcB and factories. I may say hero that he was, like myself, a great lover of Whit- man, and that tbe poems of Whitman had p. m., where scats may be taken snd secured. Officer employed to keep perfect order, GOD SAVE THE OUEEN. Iliaus nun ninx ius a,pirxTM»rj vi is ajiLuinu u*»u ■ —■ ■ — Inspired In him hl» first desire to visit thl* 8». John, Oct. Ut. H. P. 8nncton, Printer. Drew; Lydla Languish. Julia Marlowe, Lucy, Fanny Rice, Joseph Jefferson's last appear- ance on any stage was mode at Patorson, N. J., as Caleb Plummer, In "The Cricket on the 1 f art S; „? Dd , Mr - pol'Rhtly. In "Lend Me Five Shillings." on May 7, 1904. HI* stage career, accordingly, covered a period of sev- enty-one years. OulteraB, Col. William C. Church, Jesso Lynch Williams, William W. Ellsworth, Albert A. Hoyden, Lorlys Elton llogors, 10. F. Gethney. Rankin Duvall. Royal Corlisses, Joseph Weaver, Booth Tarklngton, Arnold Brunner, Guy Nichols, W. K. Otis, Campbell Gollan and William Bsge. David Blapham was In the choir and sang "Crossing the Bar."