14
THE COURIER
AMUSEMENTS.
New York, Oct. 1st.
The newnesses of the week are, Mr. Crane in "Merry Wives of
Windsor"' at the Star, and Timothy Murphy at the Bijou; and both
are failures. Crane gave an adequate and expensive production of
the play, but not in a single respect did he fulfill the preconceived,
or rather inherited idea of Falstaff. Mr. Crane may be an excellent
comedian, and if he is, it only shows how much the balderdash of
the present age unfits an actor for the legitimate, or, let one rather
say, the classic. He really never struck the right key, and his per
sonation of the old swashbuckler lacked conviction. Timothy Mur
phy failed, not because he is not a good comedian, but because of
bad management. His play "ijem Kettle," is about as hackneyed
and threadbare a comedy as could well be conceived, and the whole
thing shows that Tim Murphy's manager io not worth the salary of
an office boy. Murphy was a valuable adjunct to the man whs
employed him formerly, but as a star it is pretty safe to say he will
never succeed. When I think of such clever actors as Hackett,
Ben de Bar, William Blake and even John Jack as Falstaff and
then look at Tim Murphy for whom, by the way, I have a great
personal liking it makes me tired. dunlop.
Flora Finlayson, formerly of the Bostonians and Dixey's company,
and Lea VanDyke, well known as an actress and singer, dined not
wisely but too well last Thursday evening, and as a consequence
were locked up over night in the cells of a New York police station.
They didn't know where they were at until the next morning when
arrainged in court. The judge lectured and discharged them, and
they are now drinking lemonade and "polly.".... Pauline Hall
appears to have made a success in her new operatic comedy "Dorcas,"
the book of which is by the Paultons, with music borrowed from
Offenbach, Flotow, Hirschfield, etc
James T. Powers has been engaged by Charles Frohman and will
be starred in "The New Boy.". . . ,W. T. Price, author of that valu
able work, "The Technique of the Drama," has just completed a
biography of Charlotte Cushman, whicn Brentano is to publish. . . .
E. J. Henley will probably return to A.M. Palmer's company this
season. . . . Al. Hayman has returned from his long tour in Europe,
Asia and Africa.
Telegraphic accounts are not, of course, invariably to be trusted,
but the despatches from Chicago concerning the debut as an inde
pendent star of Otis Skinner in the romantic drama, "His Grace De
Grammont" by Clyde Fitch, author of "Beau Brummell," indicate
that Mr. 3kinner and Mr. Fitch will shake hands.
The cablegrams that passed between Lillian Russell at the Ly
ceum theatre in London and Canary and Lederer at the Casino in
New York make interesting reading. Here they are: "London,
Sept. 18. To Canary and Lederer. Have authorized Schoeffel to
offer you 5 per cent gross receipts from Oct. 1 to June 1, providing
you stop at once all litigation and let me go with Abbey. Otherwise
sail Saturday for America to stand trial. Answer Lyceum, Russell.
Answer paid for ten words only." "New York, Sept. 18. To Lillian
RuBsell. Absolutely only conditions will take are 10 per cent, of
gross receipts, guaranteeing our share $500 weekly. Agreements to
continue for thirty-five weeks consecutively. You pay our repre
sentatives transportation. Much prefer your returning. Will hold
you liable for damages after Oct. L Company organized and re
hearsing. Canary and Lederer.' "London, Sept. 18. To Canary
and Lederer. Will give five per cent, of the gross receipts, guaran
tee you $500 weekly from Oct. 1 to June 1 or $10,000. This is final.
Answer yes or no. Russell." "New York, Sept 18. To Lillian
Russell. Positively will not deviate from original offer cabled today
or $20,000 cash. Canary and Lederer." "London, Sept. 19. To
Canary and Lederer. Impossible to accept your terms. Have wired
Schoffel authorizing him if possible to come to some agreement
with you. Russell." That night Schoeffel met Canary and Leder
er. The result is that Lillian Russell tours this country this season
under the management of Henry E. Abbey. But Canary and Led
erer, who hold the original contract, are to receive a weekly guaran
tee of $500 and 10 per cent, of the gross receipts for thirty-five weeks
and all the advertisement of the Russell company is to read: "By
special arrangement with Canary and Lederer." Furthermore $10,
000 is to be deposited in bank by Abbey, to be deducted from the
last week's guarantee, simply as a guarantee of good faith. Who
would not lose a prima on these terms?
"Aladdin, Jr." in a few days will reach its 150th performance, but
packed houses a-e still the rule at the Chicago Opera house, and
there seems no doubt that the extravaganza might hold the stage
upon which it was produced throughout the entire season. New
York, Boston and Philadelphia want to see it, however, and unless
Manager David Henderson can procure a modification of arrange
ments entered into several months ago, he will be obliged to bring
this long and profitable run to a close and bring his superb produc
tion east early in November.
Ada Rohan had a most enthusiastic reception in Boston on the
occasion of her first appearance as" a star, on Monday evening last.
Every seat in the Hollis street theatre has been sold for her entire
engagement.... Boerbohm Tree and his company went from London
away up to Balmoral, in Scotland, to give a performance of "The
Red Lamp," before Queen Victoria. . . .Mdme. Melba, the prima
donna, is expected to arrive in New York this week.... Annie Russell
will make her reappearance on the stage, after several year's absence,
on Nov. 15, at Palmer's theatre. New York, in the principal role in
Sydney Grundy's comedy, "The New Woman."
"A Trip to the City' is the title of Nell Burgess' new play. .. .
Milwaukee is to have a winter circus May Irwin will be starred
next season by Rich and Harris in a new plaj by J. McNally. . . . Jean
ette St Henry, long with De Wolf Hopper has been engaged by
Pauline Hall.
Mr. Felix Morris will open his season wi)h the production o&.
Ralph Lumloy's play, "The Best Man." The American rights to
"Florian Geyer," a new play by Gerhardt Hauptman, the author of
"Hannele," have been secured by .Carl and Theodore Rosenfeld, who
will produce an English version of the piece at a New York theatre
the coming winter.
It is probable that Mile. Calve will come to this country next sea
sen to star at the head of an opera company under the management
of F. C. Whitney Manager E. E. Rice has obtained a temporary
injunction in Boston restraining Camille d'Arville from singing
under any other manager. She claims that Rice has broken the
contract he had with her It is more than probable that Georgia
Cayvan will make a starring tour next season under Daniel Froh
man's management.
The story of Henry Arthur Jones' "The Bauble Shop," which John
Drew produced at the Empire theatre, Tuesday evening, concerns a
member of parliment, who falls in love with a poor girl whose father
is a drunkard. J. E. Dodson and Agnes Miller, of the Empire stock
company have been added to Mr. Drew's support for this production.
"Gloriana," which will be presented at the Lansing theatre Mon
day evening, has been seen twice in this city. It is one of the breez
iest of recent comedies, and has enjoyed much popularity. Gloriana
is a character for unusual ability, and the part was well sustained
in the previous performance in this city. The company that will ap
pear in next week's production contains some well-known people
and the people who go to the Lansing theatre Monday night to be
amused will not be disappointed.
"Charley's Annt" will be attraction at the Lansing theatre next
Thursday. This comedy, which is an adoption, was introduced in
New York by Charles Frohman and no piece produced in late years
made a most decided hit It ran during the entire eeason in New
York end this fall. There is no less than the first class companies
playing "Charley's Aunt" In the comedy line it was the greatest of
last season's successes.
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