The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-11-05
!: "a. ....1heatres

Miss Viola Allen may now be accounted
among the wise OF the earth. since. as
Butler the author of the famous "Hudi-
bras" once wrote In his character, "The
Playright:" ''The construction OF a drama
Is the most difficult of all literary sx-
ercises." Furthermore. Miss Allen. ac-
cording 10 all accounts, has. in the Ian
guage OF the ultra classic drama, given
Beerbohm Tree. OF London. a sound and
satisfying drubbing Mr. Tree probably
considers at this moment that Miss Allen
knows a few things about the attitudes
OF audiences, little proposition which
he scorned and hguratively spat upon a
few weeks aback.
Last spring, Miss Allen and her man.
ager, George c. Tyler. met Mr.. Tree ana
Mr.. Hall Caine In London. when The
Eternal City" was discussed, and the
Tree version read to Miss Allen, and Mr.
Tyler. the American actress and her man
ager Informed the London actor-manaeer
and author-dramatist that they had made
vital error. and Mr.. Caine informed tnat
III Donna Roma was not made q pure, yet
caiuminated woman. who in the end is
rewarded for her courage and devotion,
they would have nothing to do with the
drama.
Mr. Caine agreed with Miss Allen and
rewrote the play to suit her ideas; but
Mr.. Tree. who prides himself rather
stoutly on his art, stuck fast TO his YER
sion with its heroine OF eccentric moraIs
The Eternal City" was produced at Mr.
Trees His Majesty's theatre, London, on
the night OF Oct I'd. and the fact that
Donna Roma had been made, as they said
In Dick Steele's time. "a bawdy bag
gage was clamorously resented, The
audience expressed Its disapproval In the
forum OF cat calls and other stenorian
/ noises. That Donna Roma should be por-
trayed as an evil woman proved
thoroughly dissatisfying.
As this was Mr.. Trees own doing the
shouts OF disapproval as we'll as the caus-
&c morning notices, must have been as
Iron In his soul! Well, the two versions
OF The Eternal City" have now been
produced, with the result that Miss Allen
can now makes faces" across the water
at Mr. Tree. since she has triumphed
splendidly, while he is metaphoricaiiy
stuck In the mud. along with his malodo-
rous heroine Miss Allen will present
The Eternal city In this city at the
Providence Opera House next week: matt
nees Wednesday and Saturday.
sss
Concerning Amelia Bingham and her
selected company OF players In "A Mod
ern Magdalen" adapted by Haddon Cham
bers. and which created such a decided
ment a the Bijou theatre and in other
leading cities on It's present tour. IL is
enough TO add at this time that no star
has leaped so quickly into prominence as
Amelia Bingham. But two seasons have
elapsed since she introduced The Climb
ers' TO the public and her edmirable and
artistic work. her adaptahility for emo
tonal work and the intensity and sub
tlety with which she has invested these
roles. would indicate that she has al
once come into the front rank OF popular
stars.
Miss Bingham has also created consid-
cradle discussion by her modesty In sur
rounding herself with n company OF un-
usual merit. and the generosity with
which she eduips her productions In her
present tour.
In the presentation Of "a Modern Mag
dalen" 90 we'll known are the artists who
constitute the support that n would be
supererogation 10 add words TO their rep
utation unless II is 10 say that a perusai
~ their names will elicit az once the In
terest Of theatregoers and stamp beyond
peradventure their seal OF approval upon
an organization OF such exceptional
worth.
In the presentation OF "A Modern Mag
dslen" at the Providence Opera House
the last three nights this week. matinee
Saturday. Miss Bingham will be support
ed by Henry T.. Dfxey. Wilton Lackaye.
Joseph Holland. Ferdinand Gottschalk.
Hobart Bosworth, Alfred Fisher. Madge
Carr Cooke. Lucille Spinrey Adele Far
rington. Rose Braham. Maud Moffat. Lil-
Ian Wright, Robert Dudley. William
Moore. and George Eichel. each of whom
has been especially selected because 81