The Washington times., 1901-07-21


week, Mir. Berger discovered that he did
not have The time to devote to the de
tails of running the company in addition
to looking after the front of the
house. and managing his trio OF road at
fractions. so the stage manager, Walter
Clarke Bellows, was entrusted with the
care of the company, while Mr.. Berger
gave his entire attention to the business
of the theatre The change was advantag-
eouS all around. for with a freer reign.
Mr.. Bellows made changes that he deemed
wise and instituted change IN the style
of performances. Persons who attended
the Lafayette throughout the entire sea-
were treated to some really excellent
performances-presen esentations OF standard
and well known plays that would have
been exceedingly creditable to more pre-
tentious organizations, and IT is worthy
of note that this effort on the part OF the
management to supply good entertain
ments was so well appreciated that the
same policy will be continued next sea-
son. which will commence in September,
with Mr.. Bellows once more at the helm
and Mr.. Berger attending to the finances
of the theatre.
Mr.. Bellows. writing to The Times from
Denver where he is at present conduct
ing a stock organization at the Elich Car
den with more than ordinary success,
states that he will have a number of new
players when his company opens the sea
son here in the fail. He has not decided
upon the principal members. but viii
make an effort to bring Herbert Bos-
worth. his leading man, with him. Many
friends of Eugene Ormonde have re-
quested that he be engaged for another
year. but this will be impossible as the
actor will be with Blanche Bates in
Under Two Flags and his services,
therefore. will not be available But.
says Mr.. Bellows, there are great. num-
Der of clever actors and actresses who
want to come to Washington, where the
work with the-istock company is much
lighter than in other cities on account of
the absence of daily matinees, and the
Lafayette's patrons will find that there
will be no diminution in the excellence or
the company or the completeness OF the
productions next season
A glance over the list of productions
made by the Lafayette company reveals
the fact that more high class and eNpen-
siVe performances were given here than
any other city boasting "A stock company.
The list includes The Masqueraders. The
Countess Velaska. The Senator. The Last
Word, The Great Ruby, Hedda Gabler,
As You Like 1t, Madame Sans Gene,
Rosemary. The Lottery OF Love. Aris-
tocracy. The Gilded Fool. Friends, Frou
Freu. The Charity Ball in Mizzoura. a
Cyrano de Bergerac, Camille, Held By the
Enemy, Sowing the Wind. Moths. The
Only Way, The Amazons, The Moth and
the Flame. The Bankers Daughter. Under
Magistrate, Captain Swift Alabama, Be-
cause She Loved Him SO. Secret Service,
The Jilt. The Lady of Lyons, Captain
Lettarblair. Uncle Toms Cabin, Young
Mrs. Winthrop. In each case. with the
exception of ..The Great Ruby the pro-
auctions occupied the Lafayette stage for
one week. The Great Ruby proved to
be so popular that it was continued into a
second week. and was played for three
nights during the latter period, being fol-
lowed with three performances of "As
You Like 1t
Washingtonians will undoubtedly well
come the Lafayette company when it's
second season is inaugurated in Sep
TEN ber.
Dore Davidson. well-known character
actor who has frequently appeared be-
fore Washington audiences, writes TO
The Times to the effect that "a Royal
Intrigue written by himself and the
late Felix Morris, was produced in
Rochester. N. Y, early this month and
made a success.
a minor incident in the play deals with
Nell Gwyn and her influence at the Court |
of Charles II. AS this episode is about |
exhausted in the popular version of Nell |
Gwyn-" Mr.. Davidson intends to remove |
this character. also Charles II, from the |
play, and substitute other historical |
and localities, all of which should |
add to the general merit of the drama.
Mary Mannering has never yet been |
seen on the stage in male gsrb. according |
to her press agent. When her new play, |
'.Graustark is presented she will have |
officer in the incident where the
Princess Yetive aids Grenfall Lorry. the |
American. to escape from the Graustark |
jail to The monastery on the mountain |
the city. Lorry is charged |
with the murder of the Princess unloved |
betrothed who is really murdered by a |
Jealous rival prince on the eve of his |
coming duel with the American champion
of Yetive.
From all accounts OF Miss Mannering's |
play. there will be superabundance OF |
thrills when she sets out to disarrange |
the plans of the villain, and her ad- |
mirers are promised more excitement |
than was furnished by her talented hus- |
band. .Ar. 4iackett. last season IN his
u he Pride of Jennico. |
Coqueiin.- Bernhard and Rejane have |
been playing in Lonoon for some time |
past, the two former IN the repertoire |
they presented at the National, this city, |
last january, and Rejane in all of her |
plays except ''Zaza.' which the owners |
of the English rights refused to allow |
her to use. very much to her disgust. All |
three of the eminent players have been
for the Paris Figaro" and !
all of them nf course, lind the English |
public more than charming. Aiglon,"
despite the rakirg II received at the |
hands of the London critics, was played |
thirty-twO times in succession. record |
for French play in London; but Mime.
Bernhardt bows her head reverently. and |
says with that self-effacement which has |
been her chief characteristic since she |
has known Rostand, The honor is no5 |
mine but Edmond RoStand s."
The English public. says Bernhardt. |
is more serious than the American The |
amused; the Englishman goes TO reflect.
to educate, and instruct himself, and |
they have more consideration for the |
French than have the Americans. The |
A anvifs q a \
a people a Iittle-how shall l say tide
generate. Why? | ask myself that"
AS to Bernhardt pTofessed INTENTION
to establish French theatre in London.
that must be regarded in the same WIZ
as her desire to play Romeo TO MaUde |
Adams Juliet. She is very vague about |
II and II is more than likely that her in |
tention will go no further than the mere
intention. London has never had "A for
eign theatre. Through the winter spo- |
radio performances of German plays in
German are given, but every attempt |
which has been made to establish a Ger
man theatre has failed. y French the
atre would probably meet with the same !
fate.
CoaueIin Is of the opinion that audi
cnces are much the same the world ov-
er, but he thinks the English take pains
to read up on an important play before
they go to see it, rather necessary prep
aratfon since SO few of them understand
French. The English public usually has
more consideration for us than get |
n our own country, SaSS IoHueilHs with
us most people go to the theatre oniy
after dining and regard IL not so much |
as auxiliary 70 their intellect as to their
more or less labOrious digestion"
In connection with David Warfield's in
teiltion to be one of the first Of next sea
sons stars there is new point Of inter
est His will be one of the earliest OPEN
ngs, and the straw hat will not have
vanished when he greets his first audi
ence as star.