The Billboard 1903-10-24: Vol 15 Iss 43 (1903-10-24)

TESS, ? = PY FRR eR Ne ES a ES EMIT Fo AR coated ES Sn ca ee See SF 5 Ee NES, ~ a eee 4 SES. at vn E \ i, l he 4 i ae Faas tg Ea > ee Oh aN iT ie Reet se data +t Gye ¥ Se RG EE EI UN RE AIRE wedi ea = “ete: = ae NS THE BILLBOARD PROBLEM PLAY.S Their Influence On the Public. A Case in Point. The mayor of Detroit is no doubt a conscientious and a worthy man. Hig method of edure in the case of E. H. Sothern’s play, wever, Was very unhappily conceived. Imagine an actor of Mr, Sothern’s ability impairing his reputation by the production of a nasty play! Imagine his sacrificing all the success be hes achieved as an exponent of what is edifying and educational in the drama! Imagine his adopting the principal role’ in a play whose only claim to patronage is through its power to please the sensuous! It is absurd. These conelusions are reached only through a controverted process of reasoning. Mr. Sothern is a clean man. His domestic life bas been set forth as an example of intellectual domesticity. Mr. Sothern is more of an actor now than he ever was. His histrionic ability is at its acme. If he were in his detardy, the criticisms of a few of the Detroit critics might be explained or even excused. But he is not in his dotardy. it is deplorable that he had to change a single line of his play to confer with the perverted ideas of propriety held by a few captious critics. The problem play is not lascivious to the pure mind. He who gets evil out of a play that contains a moral has an evil mind busy with evil thoughts and incapable of intellectual and lofty ambition. The cardinal characteristic of the problem play lies in the character of the moral pointed and the process through which any evil is made obnoxious, and that what is good obtains and what is bad perishes. We ean not proclaim the perennial qualities of virtue without assuming the opposite aspect to show the perishable qualities of evil. In other words, we can not in any walk of life avoli eontact with impurity. But the problem play never sets forth the impure in alluring guise, In tempting form. Impurity never triumphs in the problem play. Evil is never glossed over. The argument may be advanced that the problem play is only for the intellectual and shouta be witnessed only by intellectual people, but if this is the case how are we going to discriminate? Who is going to judge what peopl are intellectual enough to see problem plays? We do not want to eliminate this character of play if it is intellectual, and we never saw @ problem play that was not intellectually couceived. Some of our best literary minds have worked for the good of humanity, for the perpetuation of morality by setting forth their teachings in the drama. They have written what are called problem plays. The thoughts, the aspiration: of these dramatiste are interpreted by our best actors and actresses. The problem play may be only for the intellectual. Then let us have it for them alone. We surely have eneugh plays that cater to the ordinary capacity, to the mind of mediocre qualifications. A great many of these plays pander to the passions of the ordinary mind without even hinting at a moral, without pretending to show the evil influence of evil things The problem play ig not of this class. Let it stand. THE STAGE KISS. The stage kiss has been the subject of much discussion by both professionals and laymen It has never been objected to, to our know!ledge, on the ground of transmission of germs, notwithstanding the prevalence of germ cranks during the past two or three years. The sole nd of objection to this osculutory maniestation of affection is based on the propriety or the a ny of the act. This pertains to the exchange of a kiss through the medium of two persons’ lips exclusively. In all dramatic action there is a deliberation of movement for the sake of effect. The stage kiss can not be hastily snatched. Therefore illusion is not possible in the process. The actor’s lips must meet those of the actress, and to be consistent with the general, deliberate, slow movement of things, must remain there a enfficient length of time to give effect to the action. Of course, this would not be severely critieised in the case of husband and wife, but the theatre-going public indicated its objection to having husband and wife play opposite leads. In all stage love scenes there must be the fervor of realism and assimilated warmth of feeling calculated to maintain the realism of the action. Kissing on the stage between lovers, no matter how vivid and real the scene may be, carries with it the suggestion of its unfitness. it is a superfluous manifestation of affected devotion. It is one of those things which are better imagined than seen, as many plays are successful for what they leave unsaid more then for what the exponents of the author's ideas are made to say. The love scene on the stage can easily be earried to extremes. Only the best dramatists are capable of handling it successfully. When a love scene reaches that climax which is be the embrace it is all too apt to become revolting. The spectator’s attention is apt to relax, he can not help but speculate upon the number of times this same scene has been aeted with only histrionic ability to carry it to a successful issue. It is better to eliminate the osculation. there are a number of intense la m press their lips together in a us. Mies Bardine, who has been play the opposite leads to Leonard Scarlet, in the ard Scarlet Stock Company, raised serious objection to allowing Mr. Scarlet to kiss ber on the lips. Scarlet insisted that the succese of the scene rested upon this one action. It may be that he wags somewhat influenced in his conelusion by the fact that Miss Bardine is a very pretty and kissable brunette. He further maintained that she did not display « & necescon the company. ever, it may be said that this is not the only _% Miss Bardine had certain part, ass to in apother play because did not think it was the leading role. She said that she had been engaged to play leads, and would not interpret a juvenile or ingenue part. Miss Bardine claims that her contract with Mr. Scarlet is for a year, and that she will have a years’ salary whether she works for it or not. ENCOURAGING APPLAUSE. Mr. Philip Hare, in the ‘Boston Herald," rebukes the custom of applauding stars upon their first appearance before an audience and before they have demonstrated their worthiness for this applause. We do not a with Mr. Hare implicity. gree The actor with a long line of successes behind him worthy of encouragement in a new undertaking. If he has shown himself competent before that audience at a previous time and in another role, is no reason in the world to doubt that he can depict the one he is about to assume with equal ability and success. course, the actor, or the musician, as the case may be, is responsive to the sentiments of his audience, at least in the beginning. They may become the passive body ultimately, but during his first effort he feels the influence to a sufficient degree to put him either at his best or at his worst. A _ cold, unsympathetic, captious audience takes all the inspiration out of him. It hampers his efforts at interpretation. It makes his work an uphill climb. On the other hand, if the audience greets him with cordial and enthusiastic applause upon first appearance on the stage, he feels the encouragement, and all the effort he has expended in perfecting himself tn the role is recuperated, bis power is reinforced, his lines or bis harmo come to him through inspiration; his exp’ on is not of himself, but of a spirit born of determination and encouraged by sympathy. We say by all means give him applause in the beginning. It ig true that it may prejudice the audience in his favor, but if he fails to vindicate the trust and reliance in his ability. the audience has not lost anything, and if he makes good, he has achieved what he hag been striving for. CHOICE OF VEHICLES. It is remarkable and deplorable to note the want of judgment shown by some artists in their choice of vehicles in which to give expression to their ability. Two notable cases in point just at the present time are Blanche Ring’s Jersey Lily and William Collier's Are You My Father? It does seem that a performer ought to be conversant enough with his abilities and his shortcomings to know the play that will fit him when he readg it. A failure in the premfere is a permanent failure as far as that particular play is concerned. The stage vehicle may be of as lasting qualities as the One Horse Shay, but if the trial trip is not successful it is very hard to get it to run right afterwards. More discretion in the choice of plays would save much valuable time, hard work money. Mr. Collier is an artist and Miss Ring is a clever performer. are handicapped with vehicles that could not possibly be made to win in a race for success. A man’s personality, no matter how fetching. and a woman’s voice, no matter how melodions, are not going to bring them the plandite of the public and the encomium of the press unless they are surrounded by ubove the mediocre stage of ability. All stars should choose their own plays, except in the most exceptional cases where their play readers understand them better than they understand themselves. DRAMA AND STAGE. AMONG THE GREAT MASTERS OF THE DRAMA. By Walter Rowlands. Illustrated from celebrated paintings. Small 12mo, net, $1.20. Dana — & A BUNCH ROSES, AND OTHER PAZLOR PLAYS. By Mrs. M. E. M. Davis. 12mo, Small, Maynard & Co. DAVID AND BATHSHEBA. a Phillips. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DRAMA. By Brander Matthews. 12mo, $1.25 net. Charles Scribner's Sons. FAMOUS ACTORS AND ACTRESSES Fain ns THEIR HOMES. By Gustav Kobbe. trated. , $3 net. Little, Brown & Co. FLODDEN FIELD. By Alfred Anstin. A drama in blank verse. . Harper & Bros. A HISTORY OF THE NEW YO T. Allison Brown. By Col. boxed, $30, Limited edition. Three yls., Dodd, MARY OF MAGDALA. special net. Mead & Co. The stage version used by Minnie Maddern Fiske. Specially translated from the German of Paul Heyse. 12mo, $1.25 net. Macmillan Co. MONNA VANNA, Post Svo, $1.20 net. SHE STOOPS TO smith. tury Co. = J Maurice Maeterlinck. arper per & Bros. CONQUER. By Oliver Gold“Thumb-Nail Series.’’ PLAYS AND SKETCHES COPYRIGHTED, THE CALIFORNIAN; four acts. Written and copyr Haslett and G. A. Denison Francisco, Cal, MR. PIPP; comedy in hted by C. E. ted by H. H. York ~@ “ ON THE ROAD TO BATH; a in three acts. Written and copyrighted by J. Barton, New York, N. Y¥ THE ROGERS RROTHERS IN (New York: The Carey Printing Co., Copyrighted by J. J. McNally, New York, N.Y. A SCARLET SIN; in five acts. Written and copyrighted by J. Hunt, Brookline, Mass. THE SWORD OF LIBERTY; romantic drama in four acte. Written and copyrighted by C. R. Foster, Boston, M ass. WINSOME WINNIE; musical comedy in two acts, American version. Words, lyrics and connotes by ic Ranken, New York, “IN SOUTH CAR’LINEY; a rural drama in four acts. Written and copyrighted by H. D. Cottrell, Oakland, Cal. a company that ‘is A play by 16mo, $1.25 net. Macmillan K STAGE, 32mo, $1. Cen a comedy drama in meda and San three acts. Written Grapewin, New DRAMATIC. Sonne Shetome WHE bo gentues te Chtage Sat anuary, Ouw Wife Company stranded aear Salt Lake City, Utah. Sir Henry Irving and bis company have arrived in New York. It is reported that Along the Mohawk Company has disbanded. Florence Roberts, in Zaza, will play the West before her return East. A Fool and His Money is to be put on shortly by William Collfer. The new Faust Company is reported to have stranded near Greenville, Andrew Mack, it is stated, will become a comic _ star after Oct. 31. The Guy Stock Company in repertoire is offering some clever presentations. H. I. Stone is managing Walker Whiteside during the illness of Edward J. Stone. Aubrey Bouctcault will star his first season = year in Captain Charlie, by Theodore Burt re. Blanche Ring and company, playing The Jerom. uty, were stranded in Bavsee Conn., Miss Anna Marble bas been engaged as advance agent for the No. 2 Facing the Music company. , The American Gentleman Company ts ed as meeting with mach success throughout the Middle States. On account of the sudden illness cf Miss Price, the Bowman-Price Co. did not play Winfield, Kan., Oct. 6. The advance sale of Richard Mansfield brought the ladies out with dinner pails, determined to buy or stay all day. Mr. Horace Oppenheimer has been transferred from the Prince of Pilsen Company to the Silver Slipper Company. Mrs. Patrick Campbell will be seen before long in an English version of Phedre, writtem for her by Mr. John Davidson. Miss Katie Emmett in the Waifs of New York is being royally entertained by the local Elks wherever she plays. Col. Frank Robertson, late of the Otto Floto Show, has become business manager of the Payton Sisters’ Comedy Company. Effie Shannon and Herbert Keley in their western tour of Sherlock Holmes, are reported to be playing to capacity business. The Pit, in which Wilton Lackaye {fs to appear. this season, will heve a cast of 400 people, and there are fifty-eight speaking parts. Richard Mansfield hag secured the rights to George H. Broadhurst and Justus Miles Forman’, dramatization of The Garden of Lies. The Paul Gilmore Company lost a portion of its special ccenery fn a fire at the Stone Opera House, at Binghamton, N. Y., Oct. 8. Mrs, Alexander Salvini ig to return to the stage after an absence of six years. She retired at the time of ber husband's death. Miss Marie Cahill has the enviable reputation of baving missed fewer performances on account of sicknees than any other woman on the stage. It is reported that Robt. Hilliard will quit vaudeville to star in a new play entitled Tha Man and I, by Mrs, Frances Hodgson Burnett. Ted Marks is going to Europe to bring bere Rosarie Guerrette, a Spanish actress. Marks brought over both Anna Held and Yvette Gilbert, The members of The Hidden Crime Company were fined $5.00 and costs at Anderson, be Oct. 5, for giving a performance on Sunday. Jefferson Winter will be leading man this erason with Joseph Jefferson in Rivals and John Peerybingle in The Cricket on the Hearth. Miss Winnie D. Crawford closed with the Payton Sisters’ Comedy Company and joined Eeeate & Watt's Company at San Antonio ex. John J. Dixon hag been appointed receiver for H. B. Sire, the theatrical manager of New York, who was sued by John Wanamaker for The De Beers Diamond Company has advance’ the price of all ‘‘rongh’’ 5 per cent, and the price of the larger “‘rough’”’ diamonds 10 per cent. It is said that the performance of Jesse James, the Bandit King, was stopped by the police at Lincoln, Neb., while playing at the Auditorium Theatre. The Two Orphans, popular twenty-five years ogo, Was revived last week at Proctor’s One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Street Theatre, New York City. Mr. Israel Zangwell, anthor of The Mantle of Elijah (Harpers), has written a pley for Mis« Cecilia Loftus, which is entitled SertoComic Governess. Mr. Kipling’s story of the Gadsbys, which ts to have a preliminary trial in this country, will probably be produced at the London (Eng.) Haymarket Theatre. Oswald Yorke has joined Annie Russell's company as leading man, succeeding Orrin Johnson. who is meeting with success ag the star of Hearts Courageous. The benefit tendered to J. Sherrie Matthews at the Columbia Theatre, Brooklyn, N. Y., Oct. 11, was well patronized, and many actors and managers sent checks. Payton’s Fulton Street Theatre, Brooklyn, N. Y., has recently added a very fine collection of rare paintings which are on free exhibition in that theatre. The managers of the telephone excha Jackson, Tenn., engaged all the box sea their operators to witness The Telephone Girl, Le Compte & Fletcher, owners and managers of the Morey Stock Company, have announcea that they will abandon ire next season and play one-night stands. e at for the performance of Ellen Terry and Alice Nielsen rchased the rights to Dorothy Vernon, , from Obas Major, the Indiana attorney, author of When Knighthood was in Flower. The formal opening of Miss Viola Allen’s production of Twelfth Night, in which she will impersonate Viola, will occur at the National Theatre, Washington, Oct, 26. Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, ig the title of the play Eugene Presbrey has written for Henrietta Crosmon. It now being rehearsed and will be presented in November. Frederic Belasco, the well-known San Francisco manager, will start next June upon a tour of the world, for pleasure and observation, which will cover twelve months. On Nov. 1 more than 500 English actors wili be acting im seven complete companies country. Double that number of ~~ § Ad suid now to be playing in lar \. George C. Sackett, for five yeurs a mMewber of the Register-Gasette staff at Rockford. 1)) cud for three years city editor, has quit the newspaper fleld and will manage Ghosts The manager, Fred Malin of For Hearth sud Home Company, bastily left Portland, Ind. Sept. 30, leaving the company behind, after « tour which embraced only fourteen stands. It is rumored that James K. Hackett is back ing a new venture called The Year One. A» actor named Stuart is said to have been brought over from London to create the leading part. It is reported that Joseph Arthur is at work dramatizing Pilgrim's Progress for Klaw and Erlanger. As the book can not be copyright: u. it is likely to be produced under another name The Metropolitan Stock Compa has been = at a. o. “hadie Foyer ag director. e company dur: winter in Cleveland and Leas —— | = Miss Isabel Irving's second season a stor will carry her from Matne to California during a period of forty-six weeks. The supporting company is that of the original production of The Crisis. President Roosevelt gave his family a theatre party in Wasinhgton to see Sultan of Sulu, and seemed heartily to enjoy the travesty on the American of the Philippines and the on on the government. The cast of The Best of Friends, which ned its season at the Academy of Music, New York, Oct, 20, includes Agnes Booth, Joseph Wheelock. Jr., Lionel Barrymore, Ralph Delmore, Katherine Grey and many others. Miriam has been eelected finally as the name ef the new play which Stephen Phillips bas written for Mr. B. 8S. Willard. The ptece is i. three acts, and deals with the troubled English period between 1640 and 1645. The roster of the Flora De Voss Stock Company consists of William Fitssimmons, Ernest Pitsor, A. EB. Robinson (stage manager), W. J. Turner, Misses Irma Lehman, Louise Taylor aad Flora De Voss (manager). It ts now definitely announced that Mrs. Carter Harrison's successful book of fairy tales, Prince Silver Wings, has been dramatized and will be presented next season as a summer attraction at one of the large Chicago houses. The Injanction against Mabelle Gillman e-eared by the Seven Sires to prevent her from playing under the management of Shubert Pro« in Dolly Varden in London, has been dissolved and her contract with Shubert Bros. holds good. Will G. Stewart, Captain Graham of When Johnny Comes Marching Home Company, and 'erd Abercoed, of the original Florodora Company, hes entered Swarthout play om the football team. pounds. lege and will e weighs 200 for At the same time he rs of that city kins’ new melo Office will be sho the thea ‘a Winning Hand, J. W. drama . Frank Yelveington bas joined The Price ‘f Hover Company as leading man. Mr. F. Arthur Ruff, who recently joined the company, proves to be a clever character actor. The company on thelr frst trip West scored a success. Theodore Kremer ig euch @ prolific writer ef melodramas that he generally bes three Fre from his pen running at one time tn each the cities where there are a number of theatres. Such has been the case three times this season in Philadelphia. Byron Douglas, for the past four years lea’. ing man of the Pike Stock oe Cinctanet!, es been engaged by Charles B. Dillingham to aueceed Arthur Byron, a man In Her Own Way. Mr. Byron stars ip Major Andre, a new play by Clyde Fitch. ° For the second time Robert Taber, the Ameri-— can actor, fs about to try management in London. He will begin business with a sew play which has been written by C. M. 8. MclLellas (Hugh Morton) and in which Miss Lena Ashwell will be leading woman. Miss Jane Oaker, who was leading woman of Mies Mary Shaw's section of the George Fawcett Btock Company last season, will be the leading woman this season of the company presenting The Pit, Channing Pollock’s dramatization of Frank Norris’ novel, The Great Hewitt and Company opened their season at David City, Neb., it. 4. and found ‘usiness bad all month In the state, due to their opening up a little too soon. made s jump of 800 miles Sonth to Herington, Kan., snd played three nights to 8. R. O. Mr. Chas. H. Young, manager of the Through Fire and Water company, left that company at the close of its oe Y.) engagement, and is Palace of the King company. Mr. L. ©. Youman ancceeds Mr. Young as manager of the Throngh Fire and Water company. The press agent of Checkers, playing In New York, states that Thomas W. Ross, star of the plece, got a good aum of money down on The Fiddler and retired from the track with a large roll of greenbacks. He gave the members of the company the tip, end in return they gave him a dinner. Arthor Forrest, who well remembered for his recent snccessfol rformances of Petronias tn Quo Vadis and are Antony to Mansfield’s Brutus in Jnoliugs Caesar is to be a atar. He will fnangorate his season next month tn a play called Rembrant, by Mra. H. C. De Mille and Harriet Ford. The i were washed away at Little Falls, N. J., on ae rating the manager and treasurer of thwell's Comedians from the company. Mr, Sonthwell and @tebhner admitted a« slight unwillingness to swim acroms. company report ten days’ of good business at Pompton Lake. The New York engagement of Francis Wilson <oaeee Oct. 19. The east of The funawa cludes William Broderick, 8 Perngini, AlWilliam Laverty, Miss bert Parr, Joseph 47 A Marguerita Sylva, Mise Jessie Bartlett Davis, Mies Madge Lessing, Mise Jennie Weatherby, Miss Leura Butler and siiss Locille Egan. Miss Eleanor Robson, when she New York engagement at the Garden tre, New York OW. Coste in ry: will have two of them fs a dra new ee. matization by Israel Zangwell of his own « , Merely Mary Ann, and M the other an origina by Mrs. a” Ward and Louls N, Parker entitled en inte 2 and ene oe a8 ite Momeni <2, < se mene. SS as ee