Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-14

Langtry plays The Cross Roads," which
succeeds in arriving without being held up
in Newark. N. j., as THE Degenerates"
was. So long as Newark, n. j., says it is
all right it will probably not be necessary
for the District authorities to go to the
trouble and expense of putting a plain
clothes man in the audience Monday night
MISS HARNED'S OPINION OF IRIS
What becomes Of Iris? Playgoe1s who
have visited the National during the week
have asked themselves the question time
and again. Broken in spirit penniless
friendless. she is turned into the street
after nightfall and the curtain dtscends
as Maldonado in a fit of truly Latin raga
Is smashing the bric-a-brac and furniture of
the fiat they have shared. The last cru
clai moment in life marked by tempta-
lions and fate which were alike too strong
for the woman to resist has arrived The
last hope of worldly redemption gone. what
wages did Iris pay for the sins that were
hers? MIR. Pinero. skilled playwright that
he is, very properly excluded the las. chan
ter from an already too lugubrious story
In the case of Miss Harmed however
there Is comfort for all those In whom Iris
awakened a keen sympathy. At almost
every performance during the week the out
ing friends in real life. Miss Harmed is unite
widely known here in Washington and has
held many lmpromptu levees on the stage
after the play.
What has become Of Iris now thu. CHI,
Is on the streets alone with no place 10
go?' she was asked one d these occa-
sions when she had closed the door of TIE
last exit.
do you know I asked Mr.. Pfnera that
very question myself when I first talked
with him about the play" Miss Harmed re-
pied. He said he hardly knew. gu. he
supposed she went to her dressing room
ana began TO study new part. Seriously
tnough. there was of course but onc end
Tor Iris. She killed herself. She hadn't TIE
courage or the means of making a liy,.li-
hood py toll. A relentless fate seemed 10
pursue her from the very frst, framing he:
character and shaping her dest;ne to tho
end that finally overlook her
! nave no patience with people who hold
up their hands in holy horror at Jri; ana
say UNJUST things of Mr.. Pinero'' Miss
Harmed continued with emphasis $50 ,oI,p
as clergymen continue to preach from the
text of Mary of Magdaa. Mr.. Pinero can
continue to write plays like Iris. Why do
we not near outcries against the cantiry
clergyman in the pulpit who breaches suco
d sermon! Iris points stronger moral
than any sermon L have ever Leard ara
!eaches 1t IN an effective manner, and vet
they say 1t Is bad play. The difference
Is plain. At church they go to slaen 1nr
ing the sermon; at the theater they remc in
awake and are brought face to FRI. With
the 1acts Is not the stage lesson then the
LloIe Impressive? L cannot conceive Of any
well-balanced person being harmed nv rris
Inc statement seems too ridiculous fer Sc
riouS consideratio
MI Plnero needs no defense. H, IS one
oI the great men of the day and cam II be
injured by narrow minded pers ,ns VIII, COW
stltute themselves censors of our NOR
ais" " iiioi
MR.. JEWETT'S IMPRESSIONS -Haprx-
Jewett who plays Maldonado in Iris" ha 3
played many parts. For the initial produc-
ton Of the play in this country Mr.. Frob-
man imported Asche, the English actor
VINO originated the role, under the personal
supervision of Pinero, and naturally under
the circumstances Mr.. Jewett has been sinh
1ected to some little criticism Mr.. Asche
depicted Maldonado as a suaye polished
Villain all through the play, while his Sue
cessor Mr.. JeWett, has brought to the role
certain shading and human relief From
Mr. Jewetts viewpoint. Maldonado is a
large optuse person. whose whole being is
taken up with his great wealth and over
powering passion 1t is not until Iris has re-
FUSED his proffer of marriage that craft as
serts itself in his makeup and he sets ont
to revenge himself Asked as to his i'm
preston OF the play from the standpoint of
morality and general fitness from public
presentation, he replied that, considering
the general trend of the drama of late he
failed to see wherein Iris" differed from a
number OF plays that had been passed over
as artistic performances, while Iris has
been characterized as inane and common
place. Furthermore. Mr.. Jewett is of opin-
ION that there is strong moral lesson to be
found In the play. He, however, is hopeful
that ere long the playwrights will look to
higher plane in social life for material.
Next season Mr. Jewett will be seen in a
brand-new play that is now in preparation
for him.
THE EXPLOSIVE OPERA HAT.-There
was one of those amusing incidents at the
National few nights ago which serve to
show how readily an audience will grasp a
straw of nonsense to relieve the intensity
of serious situation. One of the strong
points in the play of Iris Is the rapidity
| with which the author conveys his purpose
and impresses it upon the auditors The
curtain has hardly risen before one feels the
force of the human battle that has begun
The keenly clever dialogue is touched but
rarely. with humor broad enough to call
forth distinct laugh. The audience soon
lapses into serious. thoughtful state of
mind, and the strain is seldom broken.
On this occasion, however the strenuous
ness was interrupted most effectively The
first act of the play is divided into three
episodes which are separated by the drop OF
a tableaux curtain. A well-dressed man in
the audience was not acquainted with the
plays construction. nor with the fact that
the cloth barrier between stage and an
dience would be down but a few moments.
He was thirsty. however and with the frat
downward movement of the curtain he
reached for his hat and made for the door
He was gone but a minute or two but
meanwhile the second episode of the act was
in progress and the audience had lapsed into
a state of complete quietude. The returning
man made his way noiselessly to his chair.
which was on the aisle. and was calmly
settling himself to Join the others In their
serious frame of mind when there was an