The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-10-26

WRITTEN FoR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC
New York theater-goers say that MI.
Charles Frohman met the ramat gold
brick" man too often during his last sum
mers hunt abroad for this seasons stage
novelties.
Nothing OF great Importance has been
produced on the New York stage this fall
end~m many more failures than usual havs
been encountered.
FINANCIAL success has gone TO the musical
comedies which are not dramatically i'm
portant
Pretty girls. lavish eostuming and skill
fur stage management have superseded
clsverness Of dialogue or musical original
ttysin their appeal to the public.
The dramatic sensation Of the early season
ts Iris" q P1nero problem play. holder,
franker and more sensational in its treat
ment Of social immortality than any Of Pi-
nero's previous Efforts IN this line.
The play Is the most brazen discussion of
= Social situation which is only limited at
in polite society. that has ever been pro-
duced here.
It Is unlike the plays Of the French school
because Pinero Is blunt and English.
Iris IS a widow who plays with the love
OF two men, accepts favors from them al
ternately and comes TO grief finally when
her mulu-miuionatre protector discovers
hat she sent away his young predecessor.
because he had lost his money.
OSCAR ASCHE IMPERSoNATEs
THIS CHARACTER.
This particular gentleman. who Is a
Portuguese Hebrew. then proceeds TO break
Up the furniture he had given Iris.
Oscar Asche OF Her Ma1esty's Theater.
London, appears as the Hebrew. Virginia
HaEned plays Iris. The character is really
beyond her skill. but her beauty and
magnetic personality carry her successfully
through.
John Drew Is achieving his usual success
IN an English comedy by Isaac Henderson.
whch bears the title The Mummy and
$hs-H umminEblrd."
Ehe Mummy is an English Lord. who sees
IN 20 heavily for science that he ueelects
hts pretty wife. who then becomes interested
u b Hummingbird. SO called because he
s. an italian poet.
An organ grinder. on the trail Of the
aumndngbird FOR having ruined his home
conveniently by stopping to play under HIS
lordship's window.
He opens the Aummy's eyes. and eventu-
elly puts the HumminKbird out OF business.
The play Is not much dramatically. but
Nj. Henderson has handled his sparsa ma
Gerfal with unusual skill.
HIS dialogue is epigrammatic, and he Is
fortunate In having his lines exceedingly
wen acted
New York IS enjoying the spectacle Of
young Lionel Barrymore taking the stellar
h0nors away from his distinguished uncle.
John Drew. Barrymore plays the organ
grinder.
IN the first act be IS not supposed to
know English, and in a fifteen minutes
pantomime. which IS the cleverest piece OF
acting on the New York stage to-day, he
tells the story Of the Hummingbird wreck
ing his home. and how he has tracked him
20 England for revenge.
JOHN DREW N A
DRESS-COAT PART.
John Drew has a dress-coat part. which
enables him to be John Drew throughout
the evening Ia his charming. Individual
way
Ethel Barrymore. IN trousers. Is drawing
crowds TO the Savoy Theater. She is. play
Ing the part OF a peasant boy In Carrots
q Httls one-act play from the French.
This is followed by three acts Of an Eng
Hzhscomedy. "A Country Mouse" quite an
tnpoRsfble anair. except for the opportun-
ity Afforded Mis- Barrymore 10 display
GlTrGf stages OF occurrences.
AA Patrick Campbell, after a complete
01G9 Of Dodo Benson's Aunt Jeauie," is
Ron playing SuderDann's The Joy OF Lv-
Ange which promises to meet with critical
Ths play has ben translated BY Edith
Wharton
Il Is somewhat Of 4 surprise that The
Seeoad ArA T~anqusray." - Sften seen IN