Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-17

SrnSp..r &Sc
for week. but the change at the Acad-
envy gave him an opening for employing
the SIX days time, thus making the run OF
his company an uninterrupted one.
1t is a fact becoming more and more APP
parent each year that the dramatizaticn of
novels has become more and more a mark
OF each successful theatrical season. Chas.
frohman has said that the successful nov
eilst is the playwright of the day That
is dictum from one who ought to know
what he is talking about and which tersely
calls attention to the most interesting the
atricai feature of the day. This is a re-
markable difference from the time when
the novelist who offered dramatiZation OF
his work or a dramatist who offered play
based upon novel was looked upon with
pity in the managerial office. Just now, as
soon as a novel begins to show signs of
success, even though it is still running in
serial form. the author begins to receive
offers from managers quoting terms for
the dramatic rights. 1t is a fact that man
ayers regard a dramatiZed novel as sue
cess already won before the curtain goes
up on 1t. People who have read the book
want to see the characters reproduced in
life before their very eyes on the stage.
The title attracts them to the theater be-
cause they are familiar with the book and
II the play is at all we'll done and well
cast it is sure Of good run: hence the
Hood of dramatized novels which began
with The Prisoner Of Zenda' and was
swelled by The Little Minister and now
bears on its triumphant crest such plays
as Richard Carvel, - David Harum' and
Sherlock Holmes'' The question naturally
dramatize books WI, affect the stage
whether it is mere .Tfd and II 1t is what
effect will it have oHeoriginal playwright
ing, and will it stunt original efforts, or will
he writ Of -ifyj,. Low
spite Of it. Perhaps no one is more capable
Of giving an opinion on the matter than
William Gillette who as an actor, a pro-
Queer and an Orator, keeps a distinctly
prominent position in the theatrical world.
Mr.. Gillette has distinct Discrimination to
talking for publication but the author OF
Secret Service Held. by the Enemy
and various other plays. not to mention his
latest success, Sherlock Holmes, is of the
opinion that dramatized books are not al
ways Successful as drtmatizatf0ns. lie
said: MY opinion Is that good plays sell
dom result from TING ratization of books
possibly never, though l have an impress
sion that an exception or two has. occurred
But though plays from such sources may
not be dramatically admirable, they are
quite often interesting entertaining,
either upon their own account or because
they crafty a natural curiosity to see the
characters in a celebrated work of fiction
presented visib!y In either case 1t is good
thing The public Is that much entertain
ment or amusement or gratified curiosity
anead. Nothing OF value is crowded OUT
and lost because OF these demonstrations.
for good and successful plays are exceed
ingly scarce and will always be in demand.
Moreover. the decentralization of populal
stories often attracts to the theater people
who would not otherwise attend, and
tain percentage of Them finding it is not
as sinful d place as they have been led to
suppose, will go again. and in the end be-
come theater patrons. As for any harmful
effects resulting to play writer's from
casionally devoting themselves to the dram
atizatiOn of novels l do not think there Is
the least cause for alarm 1t is much
more difficult piece OF work to make a play
out of novel than out of nothing at all.
The limitations are painful. SO far from
being harmful. 1t would not be surprising
if the unusual exercise We're beneficial,
though liable to be "A trfie severe. In any
event. those people who object to this form
of entertainment can so easily stay away
and thus avoid all Inconvenience that 1t IL
hardly necessary to be concerned regarding
their welfare. There seem to be many
other things to divert them. Al the pres
ent time there are twenty-Seven theatrical
entertainments of various descriptions TAX
ing place in New York every evening. anI
out Of these only four are dramatizations."
The dramatized novel will again be rep
resented in Washington Thanksgiving
week by Janice Meredith Miss Manner
ing has paid great attention to the details
of costume in this piece. All her gowns
have been carefully reproduced from pic
lures of revolutionary date, prints, wood
cuts etc, published during the period of
our great struggle for independence. The
greatest care has also been exercised to
obtain-so far as is known-just the same
color and materials which were popular at
that time The cut of the gowns is cor
rect of course, and the star does wonders
with the ''tichu,'' showing how beautifully
and artistically this article of feminine at
tire can be used, and in how many differ
ent ways. 1t is coming back into fashion
again, by the way-and Miss Mannering's
use of it will give valuable tips to girls
anxious to be up-to-date in this particular.
In fact, the young stars desire to be per-
fectly correct in the matter Of dress has
carried her so far that 1t is even whispered
that all the clothing one does not see Is
also Of the colonial period. This may seem
ridiculous at tirst-and at any time to the
male mind Is rdiculouS-but 1t appears (this
is from reliable feminine authority that
the outer raiment will pot hang as it ought
to-that Is, as it did in revolutionary days
unless the underclothes are also of the de-
scription worn at that time. In any case
this whole view of the case will be of in
terest to the curious fair sex. Miss Man
nering has also collected number of odd
pieces of colonial jewelry-the funny hair
brooches and SO 'op which our great
grandmothers wore-and in this respect also
her costuming of the title role of the play
will be absolutely correct.
There was more excitement in the quaint
little town of Swanzey, n. H., one quiet
day last summer than it has experienced
since the day the first circus arrived there
Dell Washburn, the proprietor of the coun-
try store, was sitting in corner Of his
establishment near the ice chest. and with
the glasses on the end of his nose was
drowsily scanning week-od copy of a
New York paper, when his eye fell on an
item to the effect that Denman Thompson
his own townsman-"was in Central Park
yesterday in his"-this was as far as he
got as a wild yell from the front of the
store nearly knocked him from his seat. and
dropping his paper he rushed to the door
the turnpike, where. In the distance, was
an object unlike anything he had ever seen
before, moving steadily along the skyline.
This was too much for Dell and he grabbed
his hat, left his store open and Joined the
into a lane Of naples and was lost to view
for a moment. which gave the bewildered
crowd a chance for conjecture. Mrs wiz
kins from ''Farminton' said she guessed
II must bs "ons Of them nsw-fangled