Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-19

gives Ii enough and the right KIND OF audi
tional attention 1t has some striking quail
tiles. The panoramic automobile scene or
the fret act is a very clever conceit. ana
when it gets to going reliably so that the
wheels of the automobile and the moving
scenery can be depended on to act in con-
cert is sure to rank as one of the things
worth seeing in theatricals, The play
wright has displayed great deal of cour-
age in letting the curtain descend on some
inciaents of little dramatic force, and de-
pending on the. audiences recollection of
what has gone before for the applause
which at such a juncture is so essential
The last act, which on Monday night repre-
scented a deplorably lame conclusion, has
been rewritten so that the election of the
principal male character to the governor
ship is distinctly told in the text.
Miss MarIowe played to extraordinary
large houses and when Knighthood Was
in Flower proved that the dramatized
novel is welcome form of entertainment,
provided the dramatzation is competent
one. The supporting company was one of
Uniform and harmonious inefficiency. The
work of the star. however, was equal to the
task of redeeming all that the cast lacked
in other respects
The Lafayette Square Theater has inau-
gurated its season with substantial, even
brilliant prospects. Mr.. Bellows has organ
lied a company of unusual merit. There
is judlcious blending of old favorites and
new performers and the attendance for the
first week gave assurance that the sincere
efforts of last season to establish confidence
and secure clientele have borne fruit.
Chase's Theater had one big audience after
another for the twelve performances. The
show was one of rare merit and the public
was prompt to respond. The Academy re-
yived the White Slave with standing
room only results. The Bijou continued to
offer an array of talent which indicates a
purpose on the part of the management
not to let the question of expense interfere
TO any appreciable extent in securing tai
ent. and kernan's had a bill which gave
abundant satisfaction to a large and stead
fast patronage. 1t was the most generally
prosperous week that the season has
brought to the Washington theaters.
The tireless and prolific Clyde Fitch,
whose dramatic output covers a play for
every thirty-five years of his busy life,
may yet become a rival to the veteran
Dion Boucicault. who was peacefully gath
cred to his fathers with the record of 400
plays and adaptations to his credit. That
a mere bagatelle, however, compared
with the achievements of the Spanish play
wright Lope de Vega, who produced 500
plays, witty, vivacious and sensational, to-
gether with some 400 minor pieces.
And yet it is doubtful if all the products
of both the English and Spanish drama
lists yielded anything like the financial re-
wards of authorship garnered by the in
dustrious young American. whose income
from royalties has been estimated at from
100000 to $4,000 per annum, results that
can scarcely be grasped by the modest and
lesser known toilers in the literary vine
yard
Clyde Fitch Is very much in evidence To-
cally just at present Still another of his
plays, Lovers Lane" stamped With the
hall mark of many months success in New
York and Chicago, will invite criticism the
coming week at the Columbia. From al
accounts Lovers Lane" is very different
from the dramas of romance and comedies
of society which this author has such q
clever knack of turning out.
A good deal of surprise was expressed
when ii was announced that a scenic-rustit
play from his pen was in contemplation
Fitch had touched previously upon early
English life and the romance of the colo
NAL period and had freely satirized tbs
pie.
Julia Mariowe recently expressed hel
views on the modern school of historical
drama What seems particularly to have
aroused her is the accusation that royal
personages of no time nor country con.
Quoted themselves as do the Princess MARY
Tudor. her sister-in-law- Katherine of Ara
gon. and her brother, Henry VIII. in this
play.
1t is whispered, says the Providence
Journal, that one reason Miss Marlowe
comes so breeziiy TO the defense of ''Wher
knighthOod Was in Flower is that she
herself had more than small part In
shaping the dramatization of Charles Ma
jors story, even il she did not take q
hand in the actual writing of the play.
She hurls broadsdes of historical lore
ana the drift of it all is that not one OF
the remarkable scenes in "Knighthood'
which have been described as improbable
however effective they may be Electrically
is without parallel in actual history
Miss Marlowe takes up the bed room scene
which occurs in the second act of her play
and which introduces the august defender
of the faith and his termagant sister in a
pillow fight This particular incident has
been source of unbending shocks to those
who pose as sticllers for the maintenance
Henry in a pillow fight" they cried land
that too before his courtiers, Impossi.
ble'
The scene impossible is itq'' saws Miss
Mariowe, briskly, and thereupon she gives
legal weight to her contention by intro
cucing IN the form of an exhibit an ex-
tract from the recently published Love OF
an Cncrowned Queen. which consists OF
history of the famous intrigue carried
on during the closing years OF the seven.
tenth century by Sophia Dorothea. wife
of George OF England. and Phillip Count
Won koenigsmarck The particular ex
tract Miss Marlowe uses relates the seen,
which follows the announcement to the
Princess Dorothea of her betrothal x
George L. The point Miss Mariowe draw,
IS that royal personages in a passion ar,
not so different from humble folks ant
that there are stranger and more theatri,
things in history than the most audaciou.
OF modern play builders would dare t.
weave into one OF his plots.
Guiz6t. the French historian. is alst
summoned Into court to support Miss Mar
loves claim that the amazing plot o.
When Knighthood Was in Flower" 1.
within the pounds of the possible, and sh'