The Billboard 1905-10-21: Vol 17 Iss 42 (1905-10-21)

The Billboard ~ LONDON, ENGLAND. 23 Oxendon Street, 8.W. London Rialto C.C. BARTRAM, Rep. Tel. Garrard. Telg. Breather. \ A By C. C. BARTRAM. T has happened! The Palace Review has taken place and still the heavens retain their place. Nor does it appear that the Theatrical Managers’ Association intend to go either on the war-path or out of business. Im fact, five whole days have fled and no action on the part of the Theatrical Managers’ Association has threatened to upset the equilibrium of the Sims’ Review, even though it did exceed, on Monday night, the time limit of the compromise by ten minates! So we have had all this trouble and excitement for nothing. We rushed from our business, even formed an expectant circle— and there. isn’t going to be a fight after all. I call it a disgrace, obtaining public atten tion under false pretenses. The Palace Review, which has had such extensive advertisement in the theatrical reopening of the ‘‘sketch question,’”’ is a sort of dramatized or glorified ‘‘Mustard and Cress,”’ the title of a potpourl of wit and wisdom which the author, Geo. R. Sims, serves up each Sunday in the Referee, a semi-theatrical weekly. The Palace Review is the title of paper produced fer the Earl of Fitzradium at the Palace Theatre in the year 1910. His lordship does not wait for news; he Spends money enough to make it. His paper is edited by the Duchess of Doric, assisted by many other men, and lady M.P’s. The Duchess of Doric is quite en up-to-date duchess. She has a passion for addressing large crowds ‘of working men, and even wears her coronet to lend lustre to the meetings. She has a decided talent, too, for journalism. In the last scene we have a glimpse of the printing works of The Palace Review, and the entire edition is to be distributed nightly among the audience. Of course, there are playful buffetings of the municipal authorities, Tall Gibson Girls and Palace Girls, and as much action and bright music as can be compressed in the brief “half hour,’’ was applauded by a large audience on Monday evening, to the echo. THE NEW SCALA The finest theatre in London, the Scala, which is a phoenix risen from the ashes of the Bancroft’s old Prince of Wales’ Theatre in Charlotte street, Tottenham Court Road, was opened for the first time to the public, on Saturday last. So, after twenty years, the glory has returned to the wonderful theatre site, and the aforetime ‘‘Dusthole’ has become the most beautiful theatre in the metropolis. For ten years Dr. Sdmund Distin Maddick the origmator and proprietor of the Scala Theatre, has labored to eccomplish the great task he had set himself of building on the site of the old Prince of Wales’, a new playhouse. Rich in traditions and names was the old house which was first named The West London then the Regency, afterwards West London Playhouse, and, with the accession of William IV., the Queen’s, in honor of Queen Adelaide. On a change of management it was called the Fitzroy, and then again the Queen's, whilst lastly, during its gvlden days under Miss Marie Wilton (now lady Bancroft), the Prince of Wales’ Royal Theatre. Now, the new theatre has been named the Scala, after the most renowned theatre in Italy, La Scala, two words which, translated into English, mean The Staircase. In the present magnificent Scala has been retained the old porch, once the main entrance to the Prince of Wales’, under which have passed as regular patrons such great men as Beaconsfield, Gladstone, Salisbury, Ruskin, Huxley, Cockburn, Coleridge, Millais, Leighton, Dickens, Lytton, Tennyson, Browning and Wiikie Collins. This porch will in future be the stage entrance. In the erection of the new theatre there has been introduced a unique feature, “the staircase,"’ which has given the name to the playhouse. This staircase, a double flight of marble steps, leads from the street level on either side of the theatre, with a gentle decline down to the orchestra stalls. architectural addition to the building, and unites the stalls with the entrance direct. makes a lounge promenade and forms an easy and most desirable means of exit In case of emergency. The interior of the Scala is like that of some splendid marble temple, and has been described as ‘‘for all the world like an Alma Tadema picture.”’ It is said that no modern theatre is so worthy to be a national theatre owing to the features which make it unique aloong London houses of amusement. Mr. Ferbes Robertson opened the new house with a mew piece, The Conqueror, # romantic It forms a fine drama, as the title suggests, of medieval ages, which is produced in the most gorgeous fash-4 ion. A word as to the plot. Morven, Lord of Abivard, and conqueror of all surrounding peoples, was at birth supremely fortunate, yet a wicked fairy gave him a dangerous gift, that of a complex and imaginative character. At his bidding everything falls within his grasp, until, satiated by victory, he comes at “last to confound aspiration with achievement, amd in his arrogance demands too much of+ the gods. Then, Fate intervenes. Morven, as shown in the first act, falls a victim to a mysterious love for Amoranza, the ten-year-old child of his fallen foe, and, believing that in her influence lies the only way to redemption, he asks to walk with her ‘‘where in her garden grows the eglantine.”” From the hateful stupor produced by material success, he awakens in short, to the power of Love. But Fate has not yet done with him, for the act closes with a powerful scene, in which the child’s old nurse, Margaret, predicts in forcible language the downfall of the Conqueror. The second act starts with the escape of the young knight, Sir Beauvis of Degrevant, from an encounter with Morven, and shows his accidental arrival as a fugitive at the Castle of Abivard, where, for eight years, Amoranza, now grown to womanhood has been awaiting the coming of her lord. Confused by the likeness of the two men the girl mistakes Beauvis for Morven, whom she had seen for only a few minutes in the first act. The expected happens. The two young people fall passionately in love with each other. Beauvis accepting the position Amoranza has created for him, as though it were by his right. Eventually comes the predestined meeting of the two men in the presence of Amuvuranza herself, and now it only remains for the dramatist to reveal in what manner he has elected to round off his story. Moved by a tardy spirit of renunciation, Morven determines to sacrifice himself and his desires, but, as it happens, it is this very act of renunciation which wins him back to the love of Amoranza. Needless to say that the theatre was packed on the opening night. But one must admit that more interest seemed centered in the building itself than in the entertainment provided. This,) of course, will change when the first few weeks have passed, and when The Conqueror has settled down as the attraction we will be better able to judge of the merits of the Duchess of Sutherland’s ambitious play. PERFORMER SENT TO PRISON Maxim Boyd Hart, years of age, described as a scientist, was convicted at Old Bailey for forging an endorsement to a bill of exchange for £100, and an amazing story of his career was told. Born in America and educated in Germany, he has several times suffered imprisonment for fraud and forgery. After cheating London landladies and others with worthless checks, and acting as clerk at 25 a week. Hart wax engaged at the Hippodrome in an exposure of Magic Kettle from October to December of last year. Among many of his exploits he secured an engagement with a Court dressmaker for a lady he said was Madame Hart, on the pretext that she could introduce actresses and other customers. He obtained a number of motor cars on trial from the English Motor Car Co. on worthless securities, and used the ears to get credit from various tradesmen. He is a clever forger and is wanted in Scotland. The prisoner, who said he was a doctor of science and philosophy at Leipzig. was sentenced to three years penal servitude and five years police supervision. LIGHTS UP | | twenty-eight While the proposed new regulations of the County Council as to ‘‘Lights up” in the auditoriums of theatres and places of amuse ment during a performance is being considered, Mr. Arthur Collins has hit upon an expedience that may svulve the difficulty. At Drury Lane Theatre during the dark scenes in The Prodigal Son the attendants carry electrie torches which enable them to distinguish the number of the seats the visitors are in search of, and the experiment has, so far. been very successful. It also makes for the greater safety of the audience, as hitherto) thoughtless people have been in the habit of striking matches to enable them to locate their places, a practice that is highly dangerous. MOVING WEEK IN PLAYLAND We might well call this “moving week’’ in playland The Walls of Jericho + oN moves from the Garrick to the Shaftesbury Avenue on Monday, to-make room for a revival of The Merchant of Venice. What The Butler Saw moves to the Savoy to make way for Public Opinion at Wyadham’s. The Duffer moves to Terry’s to make room for On The Quiet at the Comedy. Great idea, that, peculiar to London. Put a piece on in a favorite house, assure its success, then find some place that is going cheap, move and bring your own audience along with you. ‘‘Attune ye your minds to watch a sacred story, A story of one—a gvod and upright man— Who, sore oppressed by malice and temptation, Sinned not, but triumphed by true faith and pray’r.”’ are the word¢ with which the narrator introduces the Scriptural episode, Joseph and His Brethren, at the Coliseum, It is a play with out words, with a strong and familiar story, full of incident and action. The Biblica) narrative is closely followed. The story {s «un folded by pantomimic tableaux, in which the revolving stage becomes an important lear and between which some, not exceptiona.S good, pictures are thrown on a screen. Live sheep, goats, asses, add to the realism, and the Ishmaelites have a camel in their train, bound to which Joseph, taken out of the pit, is borne captive to Egypt. The production, doubtlessly, draws its in spiration from the Oberammergau Passion Play, and the assistance of the narrator and chorus adds largely to the effect. The expected burst of indigation from the Church party has not been forthcoming. The Biblical story of Joseph and His Brethren has been used for dramatic purpose before now. Ten years ago a play, entitled Joseph of Canaan, bad a run in Australia, at the Theatre Royal, Melbourne. It was written in cellaboration by the Rev. George Walters, .a Sydney Unitarian minister, and Mr. George Rigold, lessee and manager of Her Majesty's, formerly a well-known London actor, CLOSING OF HIS MAJESTY’S His Majesty’s was suddenly and unexpectedly closed after the performance of Oliver Twist on Monday evening. The explanation is that, owing to a slight subsidence in the theatre foundations, a crack occurred in the great arch of the proscenium. If not at once remedied this might result in the collapse of the arch. Fortunately one of the theatre staff noticed the crack in the arch, which is visible only from the back of the stage, and Mr. Tree was at once informed of the discovery. This happened early Monday afternoon, and Mr. Tree at once called in a building expert, who advised immediate repairs involving extensive reconstruction of the walls supporting the arch. Mr. Tree accepted the inevitable, decided to close the theatre after the evening performand sent for the building inspeetor in order to inform him of the course he has decided to adopt. By arrangement with the Shuberts and working all night and the next day, Oliver Twist was ready for the usual evening performance on Wednesday at the Waldorf, where the piece will continue until the necessary repairs are made at His Majesty's. HALL CAINE INTERVIEWED Mr. Hall Caine, the popular novelist, was a passenger on Saturday from Liverpool to New York on the steamer Umbria, which had on board a large number of passengers. In the course of an interview Mr. Caine said that although bis main object was to witness the production of one of his pleces in the United States, be desired to make the visit one of advantage to himself from a literary point of view. NOTES OF INTEREST We hear from fairly good authority that Gatti's will shortly be reopened as a music hall. . . . W. Ul. Broadhead, director of the Broadhead Tour of eight music balls, in Manchester and vicinity, has been elected Mayor of Blackpool, the Atlantic City of England. . The Moss Tour will assume direct control of the Zoo and Hippodrome, Glasgow, on Oct. 2. Mr. Bostock remains as manager. A NEW HIPPODROME Mr. Walter de Frece, husband of Vesta Tilley and head of a rapidly growing tour of music balls in the Provinces and in London, bas, in conjunction with Mr F. Moull lot, opened a new Hippodrome in Margate, which will be devoted to vaudeville and booked in conjunction with his tour. DRAMATIC Notes from the Carroll Comedy Co.: We are in our seventh week playing to packed houses. We play West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York. Following is our roster: lon Carroll, manager; G. Gordon Hamilton, Rert Crowell, Anna Gardner, Baby Doris, Jean Worth, Jas. C. Rooth, A. T. Storch, W. ° Pierce, BE. J. Lister, Prof. Grove, May Carroll and Bob Fitzsimmons the bag pnnehing dog. Our specialties are The Great Booth, comedy eyclist; Prof. Grove’s motion pietures and filustrated sungs: Baby Loris in songs anid dances; and Crowell and Gardner, comedy sketch team. He is the well known lessee and manager of Albaugh’s Theatre, Baltimore. Notes from the Jack Hoeffler Show: This show is under the management of McKee & DeHollis. We just closed a big week's bus! ness at Des Moines, and play Marshalltown this week with Ottumwa, Burlington, Quincy Alton and St. Louls to follow. Bud Branuan has been engaged for the asvance. The show numbers twenty-two people and rries a sixty foot car of scenery. We nave fier vaudeville acts: DeHollis and Valora, coMedy jugglers Nina, electric dancer; Eddie [T’aulter, acro batic comique, and Borns’ Living Pictures and the biograph. George A. Childs, of His Father's Sin Co., assistant manager writes: ‘“‘We are now in our sixth week, and Manager Carlton says business is at least 25 per cent. better than last season over the same territory. lils Father's Sin is making a hit. The stage car penter at Clarinda, Ia., says our scenery is the finest he had ever hung in the house. Our roster is as follows: Jed Carlton, manager Geo. A. Childs, assistant manager; Lem Ed Owing to the congested condition of the hotels at Lexington, Ky., Oct. 3-4, be cause of the large attendance at the fall meet ing of the trots, the members of The Education of Mr. Pipp were compelled to remain ip sleeping cars during their engagement in that city. This discomfort was off-set, however, by the pleasure afforded the company in its afternoon visits to the trots. Grace George has begun rehearsals of The Marriage of Wm. Ashe, in which she will bid for histrionie honors this season. Mrs Humphrey Ward is the author of ber new plece; and H. Reeevs Smith, Ben Webster. Alfred Woods and Mande Williamson will e* sist ber in its interpretation. Josephine Jefferson Rolfe, the sixyear-old great-granddaughter of the late Jo seph Jefferxon, made her debut on the stage in Boston lately, being carried on the shoulder of Thomas Jefferson while the latter was play ing In Rip Van Winkle. The A Human Slave Co. was the Salt Lake City to Los Angeles. They arrived at Los Angeles, Sept. 30, after having e0 joyed a very pleasant trip. The Suitan of Sulu Co. came next, arriving in the Californis eity Oct. 1. Tom North is making a great showIng this season as buxiness manager fer Lin coln J. Carter's Ber Only Sin Co., starring Julia Gray. North bas had ripe experience, an¢ knows bow to bill an attraction. Will Chatterton, formerly a member of A Texas Steer, is now carrying an im portant role in ‘Texas, which ts running to definitely at Chicago, Dave A. and Percie Martin are with R. A. Tanks’ (eastern) A Little Outeast Co. playing genteel, heavy and the title parts and doing the saxoph and tr b duets. The western Human Hearts Co. is delivering the goods in Iowa, From Lincoln, Neb., a correspondent pronounces it one of the best performances he had ever witnessed. Wm. Reed, a member of Our Pastor Co., is convalescing after a serious attack of, typhoid fever at the home of his father !r enn Yan, N. Y. Billy Walsh is playing the principa! comedy part with the eastern Fenberg Stock Co. Billy ts preparing to enter musical comely next season. It is reported that Isabel Irving and W. H. Thompson are considering a proportion to go starring a la Hackett-Mannering. German translations of The Walls of Jericho and A Wife Withont a Smile wi!!! be produced In Berlin and Budapest. the Great Northern Theatre !0 Dorothy Grimston, a daughter of Mr and Mrs. Kendall, will be a member of figs Nethersole’s company this season. Chas. Frohman will produce La Berle Marsellaise first in Baltimore, Virginia Harned is to have the title role. The J. Y. Lewis Comedy Co. opened its season at Duenweg, Mo., Sept. 30, to * packed house. Cole's The Little Minister Co. ts_re ported to have closed in Terre Haute, !0° last week.