The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-11-04

easily fill up a seasons engagement II
he were willing to leave the stage.
At this time the adapter has usurped
the place long held by the inventive au-
thor. The pieces that have made most
money recently tav; been scissored and
pasted out OF books. such as The Little
Minister The Christian Ben Hur,'
Quo vadis.' Richard Carvel' "sapho,
David Harunl, and 'I,acky Sharp.
"Zaza' and "Cyraro de Bergerac' We're
adapted from the French, as is Il Atg-
Ion. Happily. however. the best plays,
the plays that make dramatic history,
are written primarily for the actor.
Hamlet" and THE School for Scandal
Camille, 'Richelieu. Beckett. Tire
lawny." "Cyrallo de Bergerac" and IL
-Aiglon." Dora and Fedora" do not
ask US to spend n week in the library in
preparation for an evening in the thea
tre.-HilIary Bell in New York Press.
Paul Potter, who is now in New York to
superintend the production of several plays
and incidentally study the conditions of the
theatre as they exist here, in behalf Of
of the French Dramatic Authors Society.
Of which he is member. has already
found one feature Of American audiences
that makes them different from any others
n the world. After having been away
from New York only few years" he said
Yesterday. Il am astonished on my re-
turn to see the preponderence of women in
the audiences here. In the evenings as
we'll as at the matinecs the women are
so much in the ma jority that they must
decide the tendency of theatrical taste in
this country y play to succeed must be
liked by them. and the dramatist must
keep this in mind when he is writing for
the United States There is no one fea-
ture Of American audiences SO striking as
this. and ii impreSses stranger or one
returning here after any long absence
because exactly the reverse of this stu
alton exists in Europe There it IS 10 the
men that plays must appeal and it must
be the man who comes out IN the first
place at the end of the play and not the
woman. The extent of wonea's Influence
in the theatre here explains a great many
facts that are not understood abroad
''Herod.' the new tragic play by Ste
phen Philips which is to be acted in
London this week at Hsr Majesty's The
atre, likely will be seen on our own stage
before the season is finished I was writ
ten for Mr.. Mansfield, who holds the
American rights, and may produce it at
the Herald Square Theatre in the Winter
Herod a predecessor of the King of Judea
III the New Testament. is man of culture,
who has Travelled and studied art. He
has b the friend OF Mare Antony. and
is going to Rhodes to make his peace with
t-deStf, ut. fuit:r Oh llIS NUiiu
He is deeply in love with his wife, Mari
anne, and on his departures leaves secret
orders that if he does not return. Mari
anne shall be put TO death. For he fears
that Caesar may take his life and he
will not have his wife live after his death.
But instead of obeying his grim command,
his confidant the Gaul who loves the
Queen himself. betrays the secret to Mari
anne, tells her the extent of Herod'S Jeal-
ously, and that it was he who had ler
young brother killed because she loved the
boy. This revelation turns Mariamns's az
lection for Herod to hatred. Thus there
is a great conflict Of passion In the last
episode the distacted King. triumphant in
all affairs of state, has ordered his Queen
murdered, and then is seen pretending she
still lives There is one scene room in
Herod,s palace, for the three acts. The
theme promises well. much better than
the Paolo and Francesca theme did. The
signs actually point now 10 a renascenee
OF poetic drama. which would be most
wholesome and gratifying