Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-11

NNt
The presence of an enormous crowd of
pleasure seekers assured good business for
the theaters regardless of the merit of the
attractions Washington was favored with
another of the splendid first productions
for which Liebler * Co. are noted. The
Eternal City has a cast well worth a
Journey to see. and the paint and canvas
were SO ornate and obviously expensive
that there was much to enjoy, even if the
play should fail to win the individual audi
tors approval. Mr.. Game has not repeated
the triumph he scored with The Chris
tan" His latest play rs feeble and arti-
fetal affair in which the efforts to patch up
and readjust in order TO please the average
patron who wants plenty of climaXes and
a happy ending was sadly apparent. His
handling of social questions and ecclesias-
teal characters is a revelation of sheer I'M
pudence which has not been equaled since
James O'Neill threatened to produce the
Passion play. The conclusion of the play is
very tame. The plot resembles a pack of
fire crackers with disappointing fizzle at
the finish. Z. J. Morgan comes pretty near
being the star in this piece, he did in
The Christian although Miss Allen pre-
serves all the charming qualities which
serves to make her SO completely and I'M
nistakably a favOrite. 1t may be that the
superlative suggestions conveyed by the
title wrought expectation to an I'M
reasonably high pitch. Scenically 1t
might have equaled Ben Hur; dramatical-
ly it might have equaled "Du Barry How
ever a play may fall short of either of these
lofty standards and still be very respecta-
BILE and profitable enterprise. The play will
not go into New York for several weeks.
When it does it Will be interesting to note
whether the antagonisms which Mr.. Caine
and his promoters incurred there will be
generous enough to forego the liberal OPP
portunities which The Eternal City offers
to get even
The other attractions were of the light
and airy variety. They who laughed were
content and they who did not might attrib-
ute the indifference either to the deficiency
of the show. or their own lack of respon-
siveness. for what with the brass bands by
day and the fireworks in the evening, G.. A.
r. week offered a wealth OF diversion which
might easily tempt the spectator to grow
captious.
Washington is regarded with much favor
servance of Sunday here. Occasionally
there is a special concert program but the
player who visits this city for the usual
weeks engagement can rest assured that
his day of rest will not be encroached upon.
In certain cities of the west a performer
who does not play Sunday nights is of lit
tie utility to the managers of those play
houses and the contracts generally call for
a Sunday opening Minneapolis is one of the
Sunday towns. and, usual the contract
for Herbert Kelley and. Lavinia Shannon's
production of Sherlock Holmes contained
clause providing for a Sunday opening All
went well with the company until the Fri
day preceding the co-stars' opening, when
they concluded it was hardly in keeping
with their early training to play on Sunday.
They wired to New York an objection
TO any program for Sunday that included
anything but prayer and meditation. They
were advised in return there was OBJ
lection to their prayerful instincts having
full play up until the time for the curtain
to ring up for the nights performance and
1t was added that unless the stars took a
like view Of the matter they might cast
about for a engagement. AS the story
runs. Mr.. Kelley and Miss Shannon were on
hand at the usual hour.
The above recalls a yarn that went the
rounds some time since anent Mary Ander-
son and her dislike to playing on Sunday.
Stetson, a Boston manager. who was said
to be something OF eccentric character.
was. with his business manager. engaged
in preparing an advertisement heralding the
appearance of Miss Anderson at his opera
house during holy week. when. TO Stetson' $
CONSERVATION. the manager failed to an
nounce the bill for Good Friday night.
How about Friday night? You have failed
to announce play for that night" said
Stetson. We'll, you see.' said his man
ager. that Is Good Friday. and Miss An
derson being a devout Catholic never plays
on that night" And the manager added in
spirit of persifiage. The pope won't allow
her to show on Good Friday That night
Stetson wired Popes Theater St Louis the
following: Can Mary Anderson play my
house Friday night?' Pope answered, Yes;
l have no objection" and Stetson called 10
his manager that he had better insert n
program for that night In the ad as his
friend Pope said it was all right
The coal strike has diverted many compa-
MES accustomed to go westward to the
south. and the result has been a crush OF
attractions and close competition for the
patronage OF cities whose population is no,
large enough to support a change of bill
every night and three or four matinees
weekly. The banner engagement at Rich.
mond. Va. 50 far this season was played
by Charles b. Hanford. The enthusiasm
was unbounded. So far Mr.. Hanford has
not encountered an unfavorable criticism OF
either his production OF .Taming Of the
Shrsw' or Much Ado About Nothing
Miss Drofnah his leading lady, has met
with unreserved approval.
Liehler & Co. announce that they will
produce "Audrdy."a dramatization of Mary
Johnstoh's widely read novel, by Harriet
Ford and Ernest Boddington. on or about
November 1T. at the Madison Square The
afer; and that In this play Miss Eleanor