1933-06-14 — Page 5

Page

WEDNESDAY, JUNE- 14, 1933.

Art and Drama

FRANCES "TOWER OF

LONDON"

Historic Castle As National Museum.

MANY FAMOUS RELICS.

Peria.

THE CHINA MAIL-

Centenary Of England's MUSIC HALL VETERAN DIANA WYNYARD'S

Greatest Actor

Early Struggles Of Edmund Kean

France's "Tower of London," the great Donjon at Vincennes, is to become a National museum. It was in this keep that Henry V. of England, victor of Agincourt, died In 1422 from a fever.

THE

Souvenirs of Henry V, will be shown in his death chamber.

The chateau at Vincennes was

once the residence of kings and

In it, Charles IX of France died and the Cardinal de Retz was im- prisoned. Museum pieces from the Middle Ages through the 17th century, will be placed on view.- Reuter.

ncties!

"SPLENDID VAGABOND”

(By Philip Page.)

estimate can ever be cut and dried,

PASSES

Famous Comedian's

Long Career.

60 YEAR'S AN ARTIST

London.

*

RETURN.

To Act In Bronte Play

.

-Miss Diana Wynyard is return ing from Hollywood, where she made an taimense success in the "Cavalcade" film, and her first ap pearance in London will be under: The one subject of conversation in "Wild Decembers," by Miss Mr. C. B. Cochran's management in the theatrical world recently Clemence Dane. has been the death of Arthur part of Charlotte Bronte.

She will play the Miss Roberts, the 30-year-old comedian. yayard arrives in England next

He

SUMA

А survivor of that

E

He

original band of music-hall artists month, and rehearsals will start at which included Dan Leno and once with a view to an early pro-

duction. Marie Lloyd, and he was on the Miss Dane's dramatic study of stage to the end of his life.the Brontes is one of at least half-a- Five go he was seen. at the dozen plays that have been written The uncertainty in estimating [perty sword that had been used by Lond. Pavilion in a tiny part in

of C.B. Cochran's revues entitled "Charlotte Bronte," by recently, on that subject- Another, the quality of the great actors of Kean, and mutter, "Ah, he was an the past has about it a touch of splendid vagabond!" The pebble Then he toured the provinces with dates back to Philip Augustus, a fascination. Speculation on such that was cast in the pond so long other "Veterans of Variety." Rachel Ferguson, is about to be contemporary of Richard Coeur de lines can only end in-speculation. ago must have been a large one for may be said to have been a "star" published by Messra. Benn, and Mr. Lion. The Donjon was built by Perhaps it is just because no such its ripples still to be perceptible.

Alfred Sangster's "The Brontes," for 60 years, Philip V. of Valois.

The Facts Speak as it can be of the players of to-

Finally he retired to

done recently at Croydon, has been a little Yet certain theatrical facts in house in Westminster, where he announced for production in the day, for our grandchildren as well the early part of the 19th century could often be seen, sitting at his West-end by Mr. Arthur Gibbons.

"Wild Decembers" is in nine has the allure of fantasy. as for ourselves, that to attempt it speak for themselves. "Let me window, smoking a long black

once get on the boards of Old cigar and talking to his canary.

scenes, the first of which is set at To picture to ourselves how Drury," Kean had said in the days Roberts made his first appear-

Haworth on Christmas Day, 1842, David Garris, John Philip Kem- of his early provincial struggles, ance on Yarmouth sanda when he and the final one just before Char- ble, or Edmund Kean acted may be "and I'll show them what I can was twelve. His father had in- lotte's death in 1855. likened to trying to peep at the do." He did. Drury Lane was intended him for the law, but he Mr. Cochran is also to prescut the other side of the moon. We have a bad way in 1814, Audiences

Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammer- 'preferred the stage. For years he only contemporary criticism to were wretchedly scanty, and all led a dual existence, working hard stein operetta, "Music in the Air," guide us. Distinguished criticism, London was flocking to the rival as a clerk by day and giving per at His Majesty's

which is to succeed "The Dubarry" Wanted Exact Colours. sometimes, by famous writers. theatre, Covent Garden, which formances afterwards for one and

But what were its standards of could afford to pay B dazzling sixpence a night. New York, comparison? By what anxious wasigalaxy of favourites. On January Then he went on to the regular 140 ACADEMY PICTURES SOLD An artist at the American acting called great? Would what 26 Kean's chance came, the com- music-halls and extablished his re-i : FOR £5,420 Museum of Natural History, who is accepted as great acting in one mittee of Drury Lane having "reputation in ten years. He was at has been preparing a new coraljcentury receive the same verdict in solved on a desperate throw" by the old Galety Theatre at the reef group, has arrived from the the next?

allowing an unknown actor to ap-height of his fame. Bahamas, where among his other To-day the cinema solves the pear as Shylock. Here is a con-j His audiences loved him. When Since the opening of the Royal duties he made oil paintings while difficulty. Playgoers in the year temporary account:

he grew old, a special benefit per-Academy Summer Show on May 1f standing on the ocean floor in 2033 may not admire our "stars" of By the conclusion of the first formance was held for him at the to May 12, 140 pictures were sold diving helmet.

-day, but they will at least know scene all doubts

as to success Alhambra Theatre in 1924. That for an aggregate total of £5,420. had vanished. He went on win-show alone realized more than This compares with £4,720′ in the ning his way, step-by step, until£2,000. Roberts sang

song.corresponding périod last year. he made his final exit in the Then he looked across the foot- Five pictures were bought under trial scene, accompanied by peals lights at the enthusiastic, cager the Chantrey Bequest for a total of of acclamation. Such acting had crowd and said with some emotion: nearly £1,000. One of these,

ARTIST PAINTS ON SEA FLOOR.

;

He was so anxious to be exact what they could do. Even a bad In his colour reproductions that he factor is pickled for posterity, like descended on to the coral reef at a monster in a bottle of spirits.on Rose Island to do his painting on the shelves of a mtiseum, the scene. He found that under

Many Pictures,

опе

Girl Student's Success

water he could work better with a Not so Edmund Kean, 'who dien

not been witnessed and such "I don't know whether to stand "Criental Portrait," a painting ini palette knife than with brushes, as 100 years ago. What, beyond bio-

universal applause had not for on my head and let my heart fall tempera, by Miss Janet Cree, iB the latter would float to the sur-graphical details, do we know of

many years resounded through out of my mouth, or wait till it the Arst made under the Baquest face if he put them down.—Reutor. the man who is still spoken of with the walls of Drury.

drops to my feet and then kick Itjof the work of a student, still at hushed breath as the mightiest

"Now, Mary," said Kean to his away!"

school. Only six other women actor England has ever LOUIS XVI'S BOOK

known? wife when he returned to their It was Roberts who invented the hare had work purchased under WA see many portraits. With humble lodging, "you shall ride in word "Spoof," which afterwards the terms of the Bequest since it ON VIEW.

arms akimbo one knee bent; your own carriage and Charles went into the dictionary. He was began to operate more than half a costume-dare one say it?-slight shall go to Eton." Mary did ride an irrepressible wit.

¡century ago. Spain's Royal Library Toy ridiculous, and an expression of in her carriage, though her hus-! His most famous "spoof" The portrait of Delius, by H. terrifying grimness, the great man band later treated her disgraceful speech was the one he made dress-James Guna, was bought for Be Opened To Public. scowls at us from canvas-andly. And Charles did go to Eton, ed as a barrister. It was supposed £1,250, and its destination is ba

affords not a single clue. The im-which he had to leave prematurely to be a speech for the defence.lieved to have been Manchester, Madrid.pression, indeed, is unfavourable, in order to work to keep his Roberts would adjust hir gown, Other purchasers included Vis- "Holy Week," the book which and tbeatricality of the genus mother, whom his father had de lean forward earnestly and Bay; count Leverhulme, the, Japanese Louis XVI. clasped in his hand barnstorming is only too apparent serted.

"I submit, me Lud, that there is Ambassador, and the Corporation: when he was carried to the guil- Accounts by contemporaries, not The financial aspect of Kean's no case to go to the jury, or that of Stoke-on-Trent. Southampton, lotine, may Boo be fingered by necessarily professional criticism, first Drury Lane engagement is in-alternatively, if there is, it must Blackpool, Bury, and Preston. citizens of the Spanish Republic are much more fruitful, but with structive. He pulled up the re-be returned empty." when the Royal Library, once the inevitable limitations. Most valu-ceipts from under £100 a night to

Drink, landladies, property of ex-King Alfonso. is able testimony of all is that awe to over £500. The theatre, cleared, law-all the traditional phases of opened to the public-

which I have referréd. It has been by his Individual circumstances, low-life" were the subjects of his It contains 300,000 printed handed on by word of mouth across upward of £20,000 in five months. jokes. He was a typical product volumes and 6,000 manuscripts and a gap that is a large one now..but Success was to be his for another of the days when music-halls had is the finest collection in the coun- is still spanned.

fifteen years, and his triumpha sawdust floors and a "chairman" For there are men alive who were repeated in New York. Then presiding. His good-natured Among its valuable treasures is knew men who Baw Kean. My drink and other irregularities caus humour will be missed.-Reuter. the Aragon Hour Book, bound in grandfather saw him. Sir Arthur ed these mighty powers to fail. He criamelled covers and worth Pinero had historic as well was even hissed, thought that was as in re-creating the great roles,† £5,000: the "Durandus" dated dramatic sense when in "Trelawney in part due to his appearance as awe must bear in mind of what taw- 1459; and a Visigoth Text of 1059. of the Wells" he made the crabbed co-respondent in a particularly dry stuff the new plays of his per- Most of the modern books are in old judge, who had raged at the scandalous divorce case, Kean iod consisted. English. They consist chiefly of shabby Bohemians Invading aia was never of an accommodating na-| "By Jove, he is a soul! novels and works on art.-Beuter. home, handle with reverence a pro- ture, and he made many enemies. nature, truth, without exaggeration But he never lacked courage. or diminution," wrote Byron, who

try.

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A violently hostile audience in en another occasion admitted that the now decorous Old Vice be ad-'he was "sent into hysterics of fear" dressed as follows: "I have acted by Kean's Sir Glies Overreach. "He every theatre in the United exhibited humanity," says Hazlit, Kingdom of Great Britain and Ire-,"in an its aspects, varieties] land, I have acted in all the prin- and conflicts to passion. Hence his cipal theatres throughout the aupreme ascendancy over the feel- United States of America, but in ings of his audience." Again my life I never acted to such a set, "Keau was his school alone, for it of Ignorant, unmitigated brutes as than neither founder nor follower I now see before me,"

but himself and its spirit was vivid- The last appearance Was In ness, poignancy and intensity." "Othello" at Covent Garden on Fanny Kemble, a wise critic, March 25, 1833. His son, Charles, writes of his eye like an orb of who was playing fago, found his light, a voice exquisitely touching father' "shivering and exceeding in its tenderness and in the harsh ly weak" in his dressing-room. He dissonance of vehement passion was, however, able to proceed, and terribly true... Intensity, amazing brandy and water was, as usual, power of concentrating effect.". administered. Before the curtain

His Pluck.

rose on the third act he whispered When Kean's debauchery, his feebly, Mind, Charles, that you wild eccentricity he would ride, keep before me; don't get behind half, drunk, through the night, me in this act. I don't know that jumping turnpike gates-his... | fre- I shall be able to kneel; but if I quent callousness, his utter noga- do, be sure that you lift me up." tion of all that goes to make the He doggedly did his best until the domestic animal, are chonicled (us, end of the "Farewell," when e in glit detail, they have been for a reeled towards his son with the century), let there be put against words, "Speak to them, Charles, I this not only his consummata gen- cannot. The curtain was lower- ius but his pluck.. ed and he was carried to his dress "He had an independent spirit,” ing-room and thence to the Wrek- writes his biographer."He was in Tavern, where surgeons attend- proud. He stood up for the cause ed him He died at Richmond on of his prefession. He gave away May 15, his wife havlug visited large sums of money to fellow-nc- him after seven years of estrange tore in distress. Sometimes he ment. He was only forty-six. wrote cheques at night, when he

Kean was & small man, with a was in a state of intoxication., II- slightly Jewish physiognomy and a his delinquencies barelorted upon voice that had some harsh tones in us, we may reply that years, a pen- it. But as an actor he must have. ury and suffering should be taken been? a. Titán. ~ Coleridge's "Sveing, into account, and that sudden, and him set was like Tending Shakes- unparalleled fortune that lifted peare by, flashes of lightning" "has, him, in a moment, from obscurity been oft quoted; but there is about and want to the very summit: of it the ring of inspired truth: When prosperity and f wa read that he was not s0 - SUC- ~ A vagabond, yes, But a very cessful in creating new characters splendid vagabond.

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