The sun., 1902-03-09
The STAGE In OTHER LANDS.
LONDON SEES MIR. PHILLIPSS
"PAOLO AND FRANCESCA"
George Alexander Finally Produces His
Poetic Trasedy-Albert (heyalier OF
the Music Halls writes a Problem Play
Unusual Dramas I'm Paris and Berlin.

me MUSIC taits writes PrOblem fity
Unusual Dramas In Paris and Berlin.
Stephen Phillips's first play has II last
been acted. The poet, whom half London
now halls as THE English Rostand.' wrote
"Paolo and Francesca before -Herod'
or ulysses although the later dramas
reached the footlights first. His drama
tization Of the old Italian tale was pub
lished about four years ago, greatly en-
hancing the good reputation that he had
already made as a writer Of poems. At
that time George Alexander agreed to
produce it, but 1t has been put of from
time to time, SO that Beerbohm Tree had
the honor Of introducing Mr.. Phillips as
dramstlst, and of following the first ac-
quaintance with the more pretentious
Ulysses Mr.. Phillips was formerly an
actor, as were many Of the best dramntsts
Of England. from Shakespeare 70 Pinero,
and including the suthSrs OF Lord al ana
training should have made the new poet
better technical playwright. "Paolo
and Francesca is no better than its sue
cessors In construction, but quite as beau,
tiful In verse. IL Is moro romantic and
Of the srimnoss of .herod.- It is not 50
well arranged drama as George II.
Boxers Francesca de Rimini,' on tho
same subject, but the lines are more imagi-
native and POLITICALLY. beautiful. The
centres the interest In four characters Is
lacking In Mr.. Phillips's arrangement,
which peoples the drama more profusely.
The production at the st. James's on
Thursday evening was a brilliant success,
Mr. Phillips coming before the curtain
with Mr.. Alexander at the end. TIE re-
views next morning praised II unstintingly,
George Alexander was not only commanded
enthusiastically as q manager, ms any
man should be who produced such beauti-
ful play so beautifully as he Is said TO have,
a drama that he can hardly hope will be
popular. but the critics set him on high
as an actor. That certainly seems strange
TO Americans who saw him here years ago In
Sir Henry Irving's company or In London
last year in Tho Wilderness Perhaps
Londoners have become used TO his noise
and don't think any more about u than
we do Of the elevated trains. Evelyn
Millard. solid English woman was praised
for her Frdncescd, and Henry Ainley's
Pdoid was said to be excellent. The role
OF Lucrexid was acted by Elizabeth Robins.
or Mrs Kendall, but both refused. so Miss
Robins was engaged and seems TO have
been successful, She was engaged once
before by Mr.. Alexander. Ten years ago,
when he was about 10 produce The Second
Mrs. Tanqueray.'" he selected Miss Robins
hearsing it when Mr.. Pinero and John
Hare discovered Mrs. Patrick Campbell
In cheap melodrama and she got the great
part II was not long after that that Miss
Robins came to America TO show US what
dramatic art really was She gave one
matinee OF Ibsen's @Hedda Gabler' and
returned 10 London disgusted with us.
Albert Chevalier. the brilliant character
singer of the music halls, has just had a
London success as part author Of a problem
play. His partner was Tom Gallon. who
wrote the novel Of 'Tatterley' and drama
tized 1t with the aid Of Arthur Shirley The
Chevalier-Gallon drama is called "Mem-
ory's Garden and its reception at the
Comedy Theatre was varied. More op-
posed were the reviewers, who went all
the way from serious praise to facetious
condemnation. The story concerns par
ticularly country vicar. a respected and
honored man. who IL expecting the return
Of his son from South Africa An un-
married daughter OF poor villager has
borne child ard neighbor has offered
10 marry her The Wears son. the father
of the baby, proposes marriage TO his
fathers ward on his return to the vioarage,
on which night the girl he has ruined comes
10 say that she will not accept the sacrifice
of the man who has offered 10 marry her
the next day. Discovering the true situa-
scene, persuades his son 70 marry the girl.
He tells the boy that he Is the illegitimate
result OF similar escapade Of his own
youth, that the woman he has grown MP
TO believe his mother is not. Their upon
the son marries the village girl and his
fathers ward weds man put in The play
for that purpose. Evidently Mr.. Cheva-
lier and Mr.. Gallon intended TO point the
moral that a man should marry a woman
who has borne him a child even though
4. .N.al L.
social inferior. Cnconsoiously, perhaps,
they have forcibly pointed out tile peace
Of the vicar who did otherwise married
a con genial woman Of his own class, brought
up his son with an honest name and re-
mained an esteemed divine and leading
citizen. At the end OF tho play, on the
first night, Chevalier and Gallon were
called before the curtain several times
and heartily applauded
play that Is counted the most popular
In the native drama Of Russia was recently
produced in Paris with little success The
Marriage OF Kretchinsky- was originally
staged in 1855 in Moscow. It's author is
Soukhovo- Kobiline and his he now 81 years
old and a resident Of France Kretchinsky
is a scoundrel Of almost every sort who
manages 10 hang onto society somehow.
He is about TO marry an heiress, but his
too pressing TO wait until after the cere-
mony. So he steals n wonderful diamond
from the aunt Of his fancee and has paste
duplicate made. Theroupon he sells the
diamond TO a man who foolishly turns his
back to count out the money. That gives
KTetchinsky q chance TO substitute the paste
Jewel. So when a friend OF the family
accuses him of stealing the diamond and
selling IL he returns IL politely TO tho aunt,
pretending II was all a joke and sending the
informer on his way In disgrace.
This Russian comedy was recently pro-
duced at the Paris Renaissance with two
o, her plays one from Vienna and ono home
made, and each ia only one act. 'Colom-
bine," Niennese tragedy bv Erich korn
was written TO show the art in spoken drania
of Charlotte Wiehe, tho famous pantomim-
ist. The part seems TO have been too great
Colombine is n Niennese actress who goes
10 Monte Carlo with her husband, poorly
paid bank clerk Her money would be
enough for them but for his extravaganza
and TO pay for that size sells herself TO n
millionaire No sooner has the bargain been
made and he given her a thousand francs
than her husband returns. He has struck
great luck at roulette and his pockets are
stuffed with bank notes. They celebrate
with champa gne. which makes tho woman
most afreCtionate and passionate. They
sink on n sofa in a loving embrace and her
purse drops TO the floor the millionaire's
money falling out. Then follows n scene
of mad anger, resulting IN the husbands
departure to blow out his brains. Tho
1hpt is heard nd tho Nsffpap .fpEs tho