Evening star., 1898-12-24
THEATRICAL GOSSIP,

Washington has always been a FORUM
ate starting place for every play that
David Belasco has written in the last de-
eade and even longer. II was here that
his Heart of Maryland" first saw the foot
lights, and in the enthusiasm and success
which marked the opening career of the
play may be reck0ned the first decisive
step that Mrs Leslie Carter mad= as an
acknowledged dramatic star of the first
magnitude. 1t may be said truly that her
Tate depended upon the reception that
Washington gave to play and actress. The
triumph that she achieved there led on to
1he ree-hundred-night run in New York
and to the subs equent receptions In Boston.
Philadelphia and London. But it was the
first Washington verdict that made the
rest so certain. And so, obeying a natural
law, it is to Washington that David Belas-
co as author and Mrs Carter as star will
first intrust the fate of ..Zaza" the new
comedy-drama, which Will subsenuentlv he
Seen in New York al the Garriek Theater
II Will be the very height of the Washing
Ton season, and Mrs. Carter's popularity
mere as an actress will have the very best
opportunity to attest itself. Mrs. Carter
VINO had been given to understand that
New York was to be the first stage of the
play. begged the management for be-
ginning 10 get some theater in the capital
my greatest success started there. Wash
mgton is my mascot
1t was more owing to her earnest insist
ehce on thus point, TO her superstition in
TACT, that Washington was chosen for the
initial representation of the new pIay in
which. by the way, Mrs. Carter has a role
that will probably become one of the most
celebrated in the history of the modern
drama.
James O'Neill in a reminiscent mood is
quite an interesting person to meet, as he
was personally associated with all the
great ones" from Cushman to Booth
Talking about the latter the other day, he
said: N
Edwin Booth was perhaps the greatest
traSedlan the world has ever seen. He was
great not alone in his Interpretation of
characters. but in voice feature and form
pot TO say ANYTHING of that indehnable
something called presence which only one
man in a generation possesses
I think the most thrilling experience I
ever passed through was in New York city
One time when quite by accident a num-
ber OF foreign diplomats from Washington
a Few American statesmen, some prominent
New Workers and one or two of US profess
slohais were gathered together in smok-
ing room OF the Fifth Avenue Hotel. when
somebody asked Booth, who by the merest
chance happened to be there if he would
not repeat the Lords Prayer for the as
semblage. / was sitting not far from the
frageiian, when he fixed his eyes upon The
1t was Lord Sackville West, at that time
British minister to the United States and
shall never forget the peculiarly search
ing expression that Booth shot out of his
Ozark eyes They seemed to penetrate the
Very soul of the man at whom they were
directed. and then, if satisfied resumed
their wonted yacuOus density.
We were all breathiess with anxiety-at
least, / was-for seldom would h,. ever re-
cite off the stage: but al length he arose
~alked 10 httIe cleared space at one end
or the room and began recital that even
after all these years makes me thrill
through and through. He said, Our
Father and never before had those two
words neen clothed with the majesty and
reverence with which his look and tone en-
Seloped them. And then he carried us into
celestial regions. our spirits seeming to
leave our bodies and to follow his behest
He lowered US into depths too dark for
Dante's genius to conceive or Dore's pen
10 portray. The power exerted over MS
was simply unnatural His musicaII reso-
tant tones sounded slowly through the
room, and as he swayed his 1.-THE body we
unconsciously followed his motion. 1t was
something horrible beautiful, terrible fas-
cinating-I cannot find words In the lam
guage to express II. There are none
Il would not go through the scene again
FOR a thousand worlds. and yet IL had the
opportunity i would brave any danger TO
hear 1t once more. Do You understand? ?
Those few score words as delivered by Ed
win Booth were the most powerful arg1I-
ment for Christianity that | ever heard.
and could every being the face OF the
globe have heard them there would no
longer be atheism Booth strobe ont of
the room when he finished and a simulta-
neous sigh OF relief arose, while without a
word we stole away singly and on tiptoe
and do not believe that any Of us think
OF that thrilling evening without a shud-
der. He was great man. a great man."