Life — November 15, 1900 — page 20: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

392 Ballade of the Modern Play. HEN folk in this cnlightened age Fare gayly forth to view the play, They see, adapted for the stage, ‘The book they finished yesterday, Beneath the dramatizer's sway Its characters to being spring, They speak and move in lifelike way— ‘The acted novel is the thing. “ Revivals? now lack patronage, And dead is that romantic day lodrama was the rage illains sought to slay ; But villainy is in decay, And melodrama's had its fling, Its reign is o'er the critics say, The acted novel is the thing. ‘The enterprising author sage Evolves a taking theme which may ‘The minds of managers engage, And lead to contracts sure to ‘A hero, skeptic or blasé, Perchanee may fame and fortune bring When advertised with much display, ‘he acted novel is the thing, ENVOL. Oh, Shade of Shakespeare, wisely stay Where Avon's stream goes wandering, Lest you discover with dismay ‘The acted novel is the thing. Jennie Betts Hartswick, Among the Fun-Makers. as it been Asserted that ‘Women possess no real sense of b humor. Like most general as- sertions, this is doubtless more or Tess false. At all events it > doesn’t hold true in the case of May Irwin. Authors and stage-managers may do their respective sh down just the words and actions that shall provoke audiences to laughter, but with Irwin, the author and stage-manager nthe case of * T Belle of port” — might drive her audiences to neholla, were it not for her own evident appreciation of the humorous side of eve thing she says and does. Nature has been good to her in giving her mirthful dimples and an incredulous, half-laughing baby st which of themselves invite her au- diences to join with her in smiles irrespective res in laying ‘LIFE - of the stage material provided. Pernaps no higher proof of her powers could be given than that even at this late day she ean make “coon” song funny to New York au- diences, who have had “coon” songs forced into their ears until the very suggestion of “coon” in music and song has become sickening. a Last week Lire took occasion to commend Mr. Peter Dailey and his fun-distributing abilities, on account of their cheering and stimulating effect on persons who are made by them to forget every-day cares and worries. May Irwin and Peter Dailey are humorists of the same species, and in a laughter - provoking match between the two artists it would be difficult to render a decision. In both cases the personal mag- netism of the individual rises above what is said or done or sung by either of them, and ‘audiences are content to laugh without tak- ing into account whether the subject-matter is worth while or not. In the present in- stance, ‘The Belle of Bridgeport” and its presumably funny situations are, if con- not worth two whoops from Halifax, but May Irwin manages to make the piece an adequate setting for her own gift of chasing away melancholy. ° ° ° © crowd the passages in a theatre as is nightly done * at Weber and Fields’ Music Hall, should be a criminal offence—and it might possibly be made a criminal offence, if the police and fire officials did their duty. This place of amusement is notorious for the ingenious methods by which its patrons are made to pay far more than its advertised prices for seats and admission, Even if the crowding of the passage ways does not endanger the lives of those who pay extortionate prices for uncom- fortable seats at this house, it makes it annoying and exasperating for would-be spectators—especially decently clad women —to be compelled to squeeze and elbow their way through a mass of people to reach places that have been more than well paid for. Whether this year's entertainment is worth the money and discomfort it costs to witness , is for each individual to Jecide for him- self. Weber and Fields person: shrewd enough to see that their particular kind of German fun and German dialect has grown somewhat tiresome, and do not make themsel: great a part of the show as formerly. The two débutantes, Lillian Russell and Fay Templeton, are as coy and diffident as ever, but are thoroughly competent in what they undertake. In the present burlesque of “Arizona” Mr. De Wolf Hopper, as Henry Cannedbeef, gives a really excellent, and at the same time, humorous imitation of the original in Mr. Thomas's play. In the first part, called for some reason ‘ Fiddle-dee-dee,” Mr. David Warfield is as fanny as always in his im- perso nm of the Polish-American Jew, but in “Arizona” neither he nor clever Mr. Charles Ross is given much chance to dis- play his abilities. The entire performance seems to lack some of the go, dash and fun of previous eflorts ct this house, the music being especially below former standards in catchiness and popularity. Still the piece is funny in spots and makes the usua? appeals to the Tenderloinese. Metcalfe. LIFE'S CONFIDENTIAL GUIDE TO THE THEATRES, Academy of Music, — Monte Cristo” in spectacular guise. Worth seeing. Broadiweay.—Jerome Sykes and company in Ught opera, “ Foxy Qailier."” Notice next week. Rrpubdlic.—* Sag Harbor,” artistic, humorous 5 carefally written and acted rural realism. Eepive—" Richard Carvel” tn dramatic form, with Jobn Drew as the hero, Not remarkable, Garrick.—* David Harum" tn dramatic form, with W.H. Crane as the hero. Humorous and amusing. Madison Sqrare,—Peter P. Dalley in Hodge, Podge & Co."* will make sou laugh # lot Bijon.—May Irwin. See above. Watlack’s,—Olga Nethersole in Clyde Fitch's version of Daudet’s “Sappho.” The courts have decided It s not immoral and general optnton that It is not very interesting. Garden.—Richard Mansfeld tn “Henry V." Drawing tos close. The stage picture in the last act is worth seeing. Lyceum.—" & Royal Family." Annte Russell 1s sweet and the play wholesome and fairly interesting. Metropotitan Opera Honse.—Grand opers in English, with excellent chorus and fairly com petent princtpals, Daty's.—""San Toy"* ts about to leave us, but should be seen before tt goes. Satoy.—Henrietta Crosman’s “ Mistress Nell."* Brightly acted and tnteresting. Worth seeing. Knickerbocker. —Maude Adams in “L'Aigion * A sumMctently good production of a remarkable Diay to make {t worth seeing. Fictoria.—The Rogers Brothers in Central Park." Mediocre fun. Herald Square.—Picturesque and well-acted “Arizona.” Very well worth seeing. Weber and Pietds’.—See above. Criterion.—John Hare in “The Gay Lord Quex.”” Notice next week. Bat the World and Sun and other papers of that tlk have had their fan, ete., etc. — Boston Transcript, GINCE when, pray, was an ilk de- ‘veloped that is large enough and loose enough to include both the World and the Sun? comicbooks.com