Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-05

MUSIC

Pride of Jennco' and Marie Burroughs
Battle of the Strong2 both pleasing their
audiences. Manager Daniel Arthur expects
10 make some changes in minor parts of
The Battle of the Strong" and take it
into New York few weeks from now for
a run.
1t would be difficult to imagine a more
embarrassing situation than that in which
Maurice Barrymore has just found him
self. He has been busily denying the re-
ports of his own insanity. The cool good
humor with which he has undertaken this
extraordinary task should of itself be suf-
ficient to refute suspicion as to his intel
lectual equipoise. If there is anything that
might be expected to overturn mans rea-
son it would be some such undertaking as
this 1t Is the fate of theatrical celebrities
to serve as targets for gossip of all kinds.
1t may be that the mediocre mind takes
certain pleasure In the belief that the nerv-
Gus, magnetic temperament which enables
d man to so outshine his fellows is hurry
ing him on to paretic doom. Mr.. Barrymore
is instinctiyely an ep!grammatist, and his
cauStic wit has made him many enemies,
some of whom have very possibly embraced
this opportunity to speed rumor so detri-
mental to him. both personally and profess
sionally. He discussed the matter frankly
and amably, though with natural indigna-
ton.
1T is hard for a man to have to deny
rumors Of this kind at my time or life,
he said, in his frank, almost boyish man
ner The phrase lat my time of life
sounded oddly enough, for he has a clear
ness of eye and complexion and compact
ness of figure which a youth of twenty
seven might envy. Yet Mr.. Barrymore has
son Lionel. who is making rapid strides
toward a rivalry of his father, and in an
other column may be found a reference to
the doings of Ethel Barrymore. young
woman who reflects credit upon her parent
age and gives the volatile Maurice per
feet right to speak in the phrase OF OF
paternal dignity If he chooses to do so. Il
have put the matter in the hands of my
lawyer" he said, land he will see that such
reparation as may be possible is made. 1
am and always have been hard study
the hardest in the world. l had no idea
that my forgetting my lines would be
seized upon as so important circumstance
in Louisville
1t would certainly seem that in a case of
this kind it would be only common justice
to give a man the full benefit of the doubt.
In the last two acts of the pride OF
Jennico' James K. Hackett carries the
part of the picturesque, though caddish
hero, largely by force of arms. In the pur-
suit and search for his royal wife, the
Princess Ottalie, he is beset by plots and
ambushes laid to accomplish his downfall
by the ambitious and villainous Prince
Eugen who desires the princess for his
own. No one who sees Mr. Hackett en-
gage Prince Eugen and his bravo hirelings
In the third act and his vigorous sword
play In the last would imagine that he
was outraging the strict advice of TWEEN
tieth century physician in so doing, but such
is the case. Mr.. Hackett has been al; ~
since his Philadelphia engagement, and his
work at the National this week has hecn
"a the expense of his nervous energies,
which, although far above those of thu
average man, have reached their limit Of
endurance.
Mr.. Hackett in his dressing room is far
different person from Basil Jennico. who
gloried in the pride of his strength bat
few minutes before His two faithful
dressers assist him to couch where he
reclines while they change his costume
much as though they were handling an
automaton. He confesses that he is pressed
to the limit and that rest Is absolutely
necessary. and he has decided to lay off
next week to recuDerate In course CT
short talk with Mr.. Hackett few ever
irgs since he confded the intelligence that
he was surfeted with melo-drama t:c-ro-
mantle heroes and Graves the genuine flesh
and blood, human, article. His ambition
is for a thorough going American play; of
the soil and representative, and he will
shower the seven thousand beatitudes of
Mohammed upon the head Of the play
wright who shall furnish him the oppor-
tunity and the man.
Olga Nethersole last Saturday night added
another link to the ilustrious chain of
Madgas who have been SO brilliantly i'm
personated by Bernhard, Duse and Mod
jeska. Miss Nethersole's portra yal of the
role displayed that wonderful emotional
power and sympathetic magnetism which
are natures own gift and not the result Of
artistic development. From an Intellectual
point of view the play was not performed
with any remarkable strength. Outside
Miss MEMBERSHIPS own work there was lit
tie to redeem it from the character of a
literary reading rather than that of
dramatic performance. The personal well
come to Miss Nethersole was most enthu-
slastic and curtain calls were repeated time
and again after the second act.
1t will probably be asked by the NOR alists
whether Richard Savage, the so-called vag-
abond poet Of the days Of DR.. Johnson.
whom Mrs. Ryley has made the basis Of her
new play, Is a subject which the theater-
going public will accept or ought to accept.
Several managers were inclined to frown
on the work because 1t portrayed the career
Of an illegitimate child and of a mother in
human enough to refuse acknowledgment of
her offspring. 1t Is not to be supposed that
these managers took any issue from
sense of personal probity, but only so far
as they imagined it might affect their box
Office receipts.
They would doubtless hail Richard Saw
age" with open arms. no matter what his
moral obliquities or inherited misfortunes,
II thereby they were assured Of crowded
houses. as they have such plays as ga
MILE" 1.-The Conquerors," "Sapho." and the
like; 1t is only human, especially theatrical
ly human. This does not mean to say or
imply that Richard Savage" Is a play of
the salacious type. In the light of history
we know that this Is not at all probable,
even though as yet 1t Is unknown as q play
But at the same time we know 1t is q play
with a theme which deals in abnormal con-
ditions.
Whether the public ought to accept this
character as a subject for play or any
other character not calculated to shine
as an idol for the domestic hearth depends
entirely upon two points Of view. A choice
involves the query whether such an institu-
ton as the drama should exist The '.unco
guid' and the rigid sectarians who shun
the theater as pestilence would naturally
take the negative stand To them anything,
that involves human vice. weakness or
frailty is a subject for the revivalist rather
than the dramatist. and to use It in the the
alters is to disseminate the seed OF the devil
on an all too productive soil. Which all
hot =, Haas L. 49, Ix4- 49,