Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-22
COMING ATTRACTIONS.

NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-Next
Monday evening Viola Allen is to be seen
at the National Theater In her new play,
by Lorimer Stoddard, I'm the Palace of the
King" While this will be the formal OPEN
ing, the piece was presented 'out of town
last Monday evening, and according to all
reports at hand, promises a notable success.
The production is described by those who
witnessed performances as one of great
magnificence. The story depicts Incidents
supposed to have occurred at the palace of
Philip II, monarch famous for the splen-
dor Of his court. There several inter-
esting facts regarding this new play. Mr..
Crawford wrote the novel I'm the Palace
of the King" with Miss Allen constantly in
mind. The actress journeyed to Italy to
visit the novelist that he might study her
personally. 1t is on account of this fact
that Dona Dolores de Mendoza of the story
is a true likeness Of the actress. Miss AL
lens greatest hits have been in the por-
trayal of womanly women-characters of
noble aspirations and strongly marked fem
mime traits. Yet withal, Miss Allen Is a
forceful actress, powerful in the portrayal
of the emotions. the supreme test Of d
great actress. She has the true dramatic
instinct, is a cultured artist, possessed of a
personality which charms the auditor and
enthrallS his attention. To these supreme
qualities might be added highly cultivated
and sympathetic voice, capable Of depicting
all the emotions of the human heart. In
the Palace of the King is an intensely
dramatic love story, founded upon an in
cident in the life of Don John of Austria,
brother Of Philip II, of the most pic
turesque, yet cruel monarchs of past time
Dona Dolores de Mendoza Is the daughter
of the captain Of the household guard in the
palace of the king. He worshiped his mas
ter, and for this reason objected vehemently
to Don Johns attentions to his daughter
Philip, jealous of his brother account of
his popularity with the people, secretly
loves Dolores. Old Captain Mendoza knows
! naught Of this; that Philip objected to Don
Johns marriage to his daughter was enough
9 "a QS tho hra
has good reason to fear his cruel brother
and how he set to thwart him is depicted
in this stirring drama. True love never
runs smooth, and there is enough contention
here. art and artifce, plot and counterplot,
for a dozen dramas. To defy Philip was no
trifiing matter at the court where the pom
lard and the poison cup were ever within
reach, and with an Antonio Perez close at
hand to carry out Instructions Two high
| tempered lovers. such as Don John and
Dona Dolores, could not have been placed
In a more trying and thrilling position.
How the dramatist, however. has worked
out these circumstances has not yet been
divulged. To assist the actress In the
proper portrayal of these historic charac-
been engaged Philip II will be imper-
sonated by Charles Kent. and his brother
Don John by Robert T. Haines a romantic
actor almost unknown to Washington. but
! who has been spoken Of with much favor
William Norris. whose hit in Zangwilrs
Children Of the Ghetto will be recalled,
will be the Adonis. the court Jester. Mar
wicked Princess Eboli; Edgar L. Daven-
port. Cardinal de Torres: Clarence Handy
side. General Mendoza; c. Leslie Allen, An
tonic Perez. and Gertrude Norman. Inez,
the blind girl. Viola Allen will. Of course,
appear as Dona Dolores de Mendoza. Don
| Johns sweetheart.
COLUMBIA THEATER.-crestonL .ar,xe.s
annual engagement In Washington will be-
gin on Monday evening next at the CO.
lumbia Theater, the occasion also mark
ing the opening Of the regular season at
that playhouse. His repertoire indicates
the most satisfactory series of perform
ances which he has ever given here. Three
Of the plays are Shakespearean. Hamlet"
Richard III" and Romeo and Juliet"
The other three are plays which from the
day they were written have remained
favorites In the renertoire Of the great
David Garrick'' and ''Richeiieu." On
Monday evening Mr.. Clarke will be seen as
Hamlet" in which his success has been
so pronounced as to be almost called sensa-
tional. Physically he Is well formed for
the part, his presence being one Of power
and his carriage that of a prince His
clear-cut face lends itself well to the por-
trayal OF the somber moods, the mental
suffering OF a Hamlet. Creston Clarke
comes by his taste and his aptitude for the
poetic drama naturally. for the blood of
great actors pulses through his veins in
Junius Brutus Booth, was the paramount
tragedian of this country during the first
half of this century: his uncles were actors,
Edwin succeeding his father and duplicat-
ing his name; his father, John Sleeper
Clarke, was a noted comedian and his
mother. Asia Booth. a woman of exquisite
artistic taste and feeling. Creston pos
sesses to an extraordinary degree the per-
sonal attractiyeness of his mother her
luminous eyes, classic profile and graceful
bearing; from his grandfather come his
Shakespearean instincts, his tragic endow-
ments and his scholarly inclination: from
his father, the ability to blend the best
comedy with the highest tragedy. the light
er with the loftier expressions of dramatic
art.
During his Washington engagement Mr..
Clarke will be seen In diversity of roles
which nearly comprises the full scope Of
the actors art, and In all of which lis
past achievements warrant the belief that
he VIII BE- Ominently satisfactory. Perhaps