The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-01


 VV play famine has become al- most appalling It is prob- able that there was never before such heavy demand for plays that are plays and never was there a greater scarcity of capable men to pro- duce them. It is even said that Julia Mar lowe is about to close her engagement for this season and not act again because she Is dissatisfied with Fools of Ma ture," in which she is now starring. This report lacks verfication but 1t is to be hoped that it is untrue, since no woman on the American stage today is more pop ular than Miss Marlowe. A glance at the theatrical column of metropolitan papers is sufficient to give one an idea of the class of mental pabulum offered this sea son. Of all the foldero we seem to have reached the limit In fact the condition of affairs is so hopeless that 1t has warrant ed several leading managers in sending out productions of Shakespeare. Even the most plebeian taste is sometimes satiated and anything is welcomed as a relief from the host of mediocre dramas that flood the country. If no real playwrights are coming forward 1t would not be bad idea to unearth some forgotten favorites that have entertained thousands in the past.
 According to vague rumors emanating from Dame Fashions boudoirs there Is possibility that crinoline will be brought back into favor. It is not stated whether this reversal is due to the vogue of Polly Primrose but this play may have been something of a factor. In the old days colonial danes had very good opinion of crinoline but of late 1t has been regarded as ridiculous until recently, when that un- reasonable thing called style has been re- responsible for many capers in dress. So far as the New York Suns Mere Man is concerned it makes very little diff ference whether woman wears crinoline tights, so long as she is good looking. If fashions of fifty years ago really do come back into favor it will mean the death of the Gib- son girl and the kangaroo walk now so much affected. And it will also do away with athletic girls, in addition to being decided nuisance to young man call ing on his best girl with sofa chat in view.
 While speaking of the kangaroo walk 1t may not be out of place to state that Charles Dana Gibson is now charged with being responsible for this travesty on hu- man locomotion. Mrs. Evelyn Benedict Ayres declared in recent lecture that Charles Dana Gibson and other artists. whose speciality is the American girl have much to answer for. They are respon- sible for tile atrocious attitudes affected by young women today According to this esteemed dame "The Gibson pose is brimfull of sef-consciousness and angu- larity.' Mrs. Ayres is professor of phys. ical culture in Syracuse university and is supposed to know whereof she speaks. It was the prime object of MT Gibson to make his pictures reveal the naughty beauty at her best and of course she had to be self-conscious. When matron who is perhaps angular herself under takes to eriticise angles in Gibson's incorn- parable drawings it is to laugh She will get her name in the papers, and has already done so, but whether she will find majority of people to support her in blaming MT Gibson is extremely doubt full
 Sporting editors in the north and east are beginning to awake to the fact that there are a number of good tracks down south where fine sport can be enjoyed during the winter months. For number of years racing at New Orleans has been feature of the old town, and other cities are also well equipped to take care of the fastest horses in the country. If owners of big strings could be induced to bring their horses down south every win ter it would mean a great deal for this part of the country, and would also prove a source of handsome revenue. The cli- mate is so mild that few days during the winter months would be unfit for racing, while there is no doubt that the attend- ance would be large enough to warrant heavy expenditures on the part of own