The Washington times., 1901-12-08

two clever players in emotional work. the
excellent result achievr. by both was
convincing prSnf not only OF their versa
! tiiity. but OF their determination TO put
their talents to higher aims than mere
/ farce comedy.
Miss Lipman's work as Mona was cap
ital. She proved her ability for emotional
| work of superior order and completely
surprised everybody by her artistic por-
trayal
| Miss Lipman will not return to musical
comedy. neither will she go a-starring
next year in "All on Account Of Eliza. ="
| The actress herself is authority for both
statements. despite reports to the con
! trary which have been freely circulated
| during the sast few weeks.
IT'S very strange" said Miss Lipmar
to a Times interviewer. how ones af-
fairs do get mixed up. 1t is true that Mr.
| Mann and shall separate professionally
next season. We don't want to do It, and
have tried to see our way clear without
/ it. but it seems impossible Somehow
VIC cannot find anyone to write a play
which will afford each OF us equal oppor-
tunities One part invariably dominates,
and necessarily one OF us must he, com
paratively speaking, in the background.
Last wear l told The Times OF our
plans. which were to play repertoire. in
cluding 'Frou Frou,' but you see they
have amounted to nothing. Our managers
were willing to make the venture. but
| theatre managers refused to take what
they believed to be a risk. 1 wanted TO
appear in All on Account Of Eliza. be
cause the play is not being used, and II
was a success last year.
The roles which Mr.. Mann and ] are
now playing are on rather serious lines,
and believe that the people would like
to see us in lighter work, as we'll. In fact.
| am sure they would, for 1t has been and
still Is very difficult to convince the pub
lie that we are in earnest in presenting
something of n higher grade and OF
more ambitious character than anything
which we have heretofore attempted. We
have been working against great odds, and
it's woefully discouraging- Sometimes l
wonder what has become Of art or IL II
will ever govern the theatre in this coun-
try. We have no philanthropists. What
the press should cry and fight for, is the
endowed theatre. and then the dramatic
profession might cease to be CONNER
cial centre.
That's a little hard. isn't IT? But
really the supreme idea r0wadays is
money, without the slightese regard for
the artistic, and to me IL is =. FALLING.
THE report that / shall return to musi
cal comedy is absolutely without founda-
ton. In the first place, | shall never be
free from colds unless l can get in one
place and stay there, and again, 1 have
finished with productions which require
great big chorus and great many un-
necessary things. The idea Of carrying
chorus / dislike for many reasons so when
! do go out for myself next yeai. It will
be in high class comedy. Just what |
cannot say now. because / do not know
mvself.
We, are having several plays written.
one OF which may be selected. but / shall
not play All on Account of Eliza My
role in that was decidedly secondary to
Mr.. Mann's. so it stands to reason that
should not use that unless l contemplated
playing Mr.. Mann's part which Is hardly
probable"
One need not read far in the annals OF
the stage to realize how peaceful and
decorous period we are living in. The
brief records of the American theatre
are alone sufficiently fertile of instances
illustrative of ruder manners. The first
half OF the last century left record OF
many extraordinary outbreaks within
and about the doors of the theatres.
eliminating in the tragedy of the As or
Place. New York, in 1919.
Striking in contrast. indeed, is the most
recent warfare of the footlights with
which the public has been regaled, and
which the newspaper chroniclers have
captioned The Battle OF the Nells."
On one side was Henrietta Crosman,
acknowledged an actress OF brilliant ac-
complishments who suddenly leaped into
what will no doubt be enduring fame,
and whom Washington playgoers will see
in Mistress Nell" at Chase's Theatre
this week
On the other side was Ada Rehan. for
a generation the most admired actress In
America, and who played for season in
Sweet Nell Of Old Drury."
Miss Crosman was first in the field with
Mistress Nell" which was copyrighted
in England and this country long ante
dating the Neil Gwyn craze. This actress
had for years been ambitious to get
hearing in that great reputation factory,
New York. and. as the story goes, was
we'll on the way TO a realization Of her
hearts desire when she encountered the
opposition Of Miss Rehan, who had pro-
cured play dealing with the same gen.
eral subject as that in Miss Crosman's
vehicle.
Whatever the merits or demerits Of the |
case. the accusation is that the latter was |
barred out Of New York for fear Of in
reference with Miss Rehan's success. The |
barring was not effective, however, for |
Miss Crosman managed to make a sort of |
felt slipper" entrance into Gotham The !
result is known. Her success was in |
stautaneous. and she became an artistic |
sensation.
Then the Battle Of the Nells" broke
loose in earnest. The details have already |
been given in these columns. IL has.
however. been fought without the use of |
brickbats or other missiles OF violence
Miss Crosman's parttsans say that she |
has had a heart rt-breaking experience. de- |
spite her success; but there have been no |
heads broken.
Compare all this with the earlier dis
turbanccs of the theatre. and the refine |
ment Of the present day civilization Will
not be readily questioned
The first half OF the nineteenth CEN
tury saw several serious outbreaks. semi
political in character. resulting from un-
friendly comments made by English actors
then touring in the United States.
Edmund Kean, the great English trage-
dian, was made the subject of the rough
est treatment during his tour in 1925. At
one Of his performances he was greeted