The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-03-02
a novel BY a mere Richard Harding Davis

a novel by a mere Richard Harding DAVIS
seems unimportant and trivial. j..
london Is again discussing the idea OF
a national theatre. This time Cecil Raleigh.
a writer Of many sensational Drury Lane
melodramas, Is leading the movement.
Meetings debate the subject and do nothing
else nbou Il. Charles Wyndham did not
approve the scheme and thought hat In
thirty years there would not be a sub
mentioned theatre even on the Continent.
John Hare wanted such a theatre and
would help In the movement, as would
Madge Robertson Kendall, Arthur Bour-
chier, II. B. Irving, George Groesmith, I.
Hayden Coffin, Charles Warner, Henry
Neville and other prominent actors. The
dramatists, to judge by. such representa-
tives as X. c. Carton and Sydney Grundy,
did not think a national theatre was needed.
Mr.. Grundy said: Certainly not at public
expense" and when asked IL he would
serve on a committee, Mr.. Carton said:
oh, mol Oh, mol
Il do not think" said F. r. Benson, the
S~hakespearean actor-manaRer, any one
theatre can be a national theatre In the
same sense at the National Gallery. ORA
matte art Is too varied in form to find a
satisfactory home under one roof With
this limitation. / should welcome any theatre
that by its aim and work should earn the
right to call itself the National Theatre.
| do not think that by the stroke Of a COR
jurors wand such a theatre can be i'm
mediately called into exist ence; 1t must
grow gradually, and must be maintained
by patient, unselfish work and sacrifice.
No national theatre could or should look to
pay. II would have TO be something Of a
pioneer, would have to reflect the new
growths Of thought and f~eeling-al ways
an expensive and ill-paid undertaking.
What Is wanted seems TO me TO be the estab-
lishinent Of n or more theatres that shall
be subsidized with the avowed object,
not Of producing re venue, but OF showing
tNAaWaln AFa n, n - xrArlF thnf shall Iva haatfl-
full and true. Such a scheme would help
the un~subsidizcd theatres to preserve a
high standard and by their competition and
example it would itself be prevented from
becoming eclectic or academic"
The London press is pretty thoroughly
united in thinking that no such theatre
is needed. With Sir Henry Irving, Beer
bohm Tree and +. u. Benson producing
Shakespeare az they do, and Mr.. Tree,
George Alexander, John Hare and Charles
modern English writers, even TO the poetic
dramas Of stephen Phillips, the best opinion
Is that no subsidy il required to encourage
dramatic art. Mr.. Tree and Mr.. Alex
ander can show a record for the last twelve
years that any national theatre might be
proud Of,
Charles Hawtrey has bought two plays
for his return TO London He intended
making his temperance there In a Mes
sage From Mars" but the New York sue
cess of that play has persuaded him to
use the time set aside for il in London at
our Garrlck. The new pieces that he has
10 choose between are The Diplomat, y"
by an unnamed writer. and The Spur
of the Moment by Frank Stayton and
Cosmo Hamilton. He has also the English
rights of The Bonnie Briar Bush, y but
what use he will make of 1t has not been
announced. His return TO America next
fall will be in 1.-THE Man From Blankley's."
Vincent Serrano, the American actor
now in Arizona" in London. says he in
tcnds to act in Madrid in Spanish. lie is
Of Spanish and Irish descent. J. H.. Ryley,
the comic opera comedian who used TO
take George Grossmith's parts In the
American production of Gilbert and Sulli-
vans operas. * in his wife's comedy of
Mice and Men" with Forbes Robertson
and Gertrude Elliott in London. Willie
Edouin has taken a company headed by
himself to South Africa with Are You a
Mason?T "Our Flat" Turned Up and
Modern Wives" Martin Harvey has given
up After ALL" Freeman Wills's Eugene
Aram play, as a failure, and revived a
Cigarette Makers Romance" This puts
his American tour Of next season again in
doubt.
Ellen Terry's daughter. Ailsa Craig, has
been so successful in her business a. a
dressmaker and costumer, for which work
she left the stage, that she has had TO take
in a partner to help her. Beverly Sit
graves, an American actress, is the leading
actress of an English-speaking company
in Paris. She will soon retire to play in
"Bcn-Hur- in London. Nance O'Neil. now
in South Africa, has settled upon her roper
tory for her London season next fail AT
Sir Henry Irving's theatre. She will act
in "Magda," Macbeth" l. Dame aux
Camelias.- la TosCa,- Fedora" and
Queen Elizabeth" the last a drama in
which Adelaide Rist ori used TO play. Miss
O'Neil never got nearer 10 Broadway than
the Murray Hill. where her virile art was
much admired She acted the title role
in Leah the Forsaken at a matinee in
london a few seasons ago.
Edna May is preparing to appear in a
musical farce called Three Little Maids"
at the Apollo after the run of Kitty Grey"
which is an adaptation Of the French play
known here as The Founders" The
new piece j. by Charles Hand and Paul
Rubens, with music by the latter. He
wrote many of the verses of the "Florodora"
songs and also the charming melody Of The
Queen of the Philippine Stands, in that
opera,
II is surprising TO see by tho annual re-
port that the Alhamhra Music Hall, Of
which we hear so much. lost money last
year. Thu Savoy, the home Of the Gilbert
and Sullivan operas. is also said 10 be in a
rather bad way. Sir Arthur Sullivan's
last opera, The Emerald Isle the music
of which was finished by Edward German,
has not been much of a success, A fol-
lower is being prepared 10y Capt. Basil
Hood with music by Mr.. German. It. is to
be called "Merrie England"