"WHEN ARTHUR FIRST AT COURT."
Last week the Court Theatre was advertised as a "Company, Limited." The cast in the bill was given as Chairman, Arthur W. Pinero; First Director, Sir Arthur Sullivan (with a song?); Second Director, Herbert Bennett (Director also of Harrod's Stores, Limited, the success of which establishment has been so great as to now out-Harrod Harrod); and then Arthur Chudleigh (who was jointly lessee at one time with Mrs. John Wood), as Director and Acting Manager. The Solicitor is down as Arthur B. Chubb ("little fish are sweet"), and the Secretary is Mr. A. (presumably Arthur?) S. Dunn. Most appropriate this name to finish with; "and now my story's Dunn." Fortunate omen, too, that there are two "n's" in Dunn, which otherwise is a word associated with a Court not quite so cheerful as the Court Theatre.
But the curious note about it is the preponderance of "Arthurs." Arthur Pinero, Arthur Sullivan, Arthur Chudleigh, Arthur Chubb, and Arthur (?) Dunn. If they have power to add to their number, why not take in Arthur Jones, Arthur Lloyd, and Arthur Roberts? That would make the Dramatic Arthurs and the Musical Arthurs about equal.
Matilda Charlotte Wood is mentioned as having had an agreement with one of the Arthurs yclept Chudleigh, and probably also a disagreement too, as their once highly prosperous joint management came to an end. But now "she will return," at least, everyone hopes so, as, after her capital performance of the Sporting Duchess at Drury Lane, she has shown us that she is as fresh and as great an attraction as ever. Some of the Arthurs will write for her, one Arthur will compose for her, two Arthurs will act and sing with her, and Arthur, the managing director, will direct and manage her. May every success attend the venture! But how about authors and composers offering their work to so professional a board of directors? Doesn't Sir Fretful Plagiary's objection to sending his play in to the manager of Drury Lane, namely, that "he writes himself." hold good nowadays? Hum. A difficulty, most decidedly; still, not absolutely insuperable.