PUNCH,
OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
VOLUME 98.
May 17, 1890.
ALL IN PLAY.
My Dear Editor,—Whilst you were feasting in Burlington House amongstthe Pictures and the Royal Academicians, I was seated in the Stalls ofthe St. James's Theatre, lost in astonishment (certainly not inadmiration, although of old the two words had the same meaning), at theantics of a minority of the Gallery, who amused themselves by shoutingthemselves hoarse before the performances commenced; but not satisfiedwith this, they continued their shrieking further: they howled at theoverture of the first piece, they jeered at the scene, they yelled atthe actors. However, as it happened, The Tiger had been alreadysuccessfully played on two occasions last year, so a verdict was notrequired at their hands. Had Mr. Solomon, the composer, conducted, hewould have taken The Tiger away, and left the howlers to theirhowling. Since Saturday the piece has, I am informed, "gone" with whatthe Americans call a "snap." The music is charming. Mr. Charles Colnaghimade his bow as a professional, and played and sang excellently, as didalso Mr. J. G. Taylor, in spite of the riotous conduct of the"unfriendlies."
Then came Esther Sandraz. Mrs. Langtry looked lovely, and played withgreat power; but what an unpleasant part! Until the end of the First Actall was right. The sympathy was with the heroine of the hour, or,rather, two hours and a half; but when it was discovered that Estherloved but for revenge, and wished to bring sorrow and shame upon thefair head of Miss Marion Lea, then the sentiments of the audienceunderwent a rapid change. Everyone would have been pleased if Mr. Sugdenhad shot himself in Act II.; nay, some of us would not have complainedif he had died in Act I., but the cat-and-mouse-like torture inflictedupon him by Esther was the reverse of agreeable. Mr. Sugden was only a"Johnnie," but still "Johnnies" have feelings like the rest of us. Mr.Bourchier was rather hard as a good young man who does not die, andMr. Everill (steady old stager) kept everything well together. If theplay keeps the boards for any length of time, it will be, thanks to thepower of Mrs. Langtry, the natural pathos of Miss Marion Lea, and theunforced comedy of Mr. Everill.
On Monday Miss Grace Hawthorne produced Theodora at the Princess'sTheatre with some success. It cannot be said, however, that Mlle. SaraBernhardt has at length found her rival, but, for all that, the heroineof the moment might have been worse. "Sardou's masterpiece" (as theprogrammes have it) was very well staged. The scenery and costumes wereexcellent, and great relief was afforded to the more tragic tones of theplay by entrusting the heavy part of Andreas to Mr. Leonard Boyne, whois a thorough artist, with just the least taste in life of the broguethat savours more of the Milesian Drama. Mr. W. H. Vernon was theJustinian of the evening, and looked the Lawgiver to the life;although I am not quite sure whether a half-concealed moustache wasquite the fashion in the days of the Empire. Mr. Robert Buchanan, theadapter of "the masterpiece," introduced several nineteenth c