The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-10-04
lHEAIRE TOPICS.

Mir George Fawcett's success In the title part of "Othello, in an immense scenic production in Baltimore. at his home the atre. Chase's. where he has a company permanently playing. has been sensa- tional Incidentally this magnificent pro- duction. with Miss Percy Haswell spe- cially engaged as Desdemona, has broken all records for Chase's theatre. despite the fact that the grumblers insist that Shakespeare is not a financial proposition.
 MT Fawcett's "Othello' was pitched in lower key than any other interpreta- tion known to the stage. but 1t is abso- lutely holding through this quiet density. The role, to which MT Fawcett had de- voted many years of study, is unques- tionably the artistic summit of his career It is possible that later he may be seen in this play on a short tour.
 Miss Percy Haswelis forthcoming ap- pearance in this city as a star in "The Favor of the Queen" under the direction of MT George Fawcett, the Baltimore actor-manager, naturally arouses consid- erable interest in this play, which critics have said is the greatest hit of stage lit- erature since "Cyrano de Bergerac" and the most playable play of It's kind ever written.
 ''The Favor of the Queen" is a romantic comedy by Roy s. Sensabaugh of Tennes- see. It is in Shakespeare's time, and in- troduces the Bard of Avon as a character along with Queen Elizabeth, Essex and other historic persons. The play is writ ten about the first production of Romeo and Juliet'' at Shakespeare's Curtain the- atre, Southwark. Briefly the plot tells of how Lady Julia Wriothesley, an adven- turesome young girl assumes boys cloth- ing, joins Master Shakespeare's company of players at that time when boys played female roles, and was cast as the original Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.p She falls in lo'-e with another of Shakespeare's play CTS, the man who. plays Romeo, and around this Is woven delightful romance which has it's dash of fighting, of swash- bucklng, of Iovemaking. of intrigue, of humor and of intense humanity. As the girl disguised as a boy Miss Haswell has done the greatest work of a career stud ded with artistic achievement, and the fact that she is to go into New York with this production shows the faith in it.
 David Belasco Is apparently a sound be- liever in the good American doctrine that "the best way to avoid war is to be pre- pared for it." Accordingly, on this prin- ciple. he has lately made an important move with view to defending the road interests of his various attractions and has elaborated a careful plan whereby he will be able to secure his own bookings at his own time and in his own way. He has established special department for this purpose at the Belasco theatre, and has engaged the well known manager, MT William G. Smyth, Ito take charge of 1t. This Is a particularly judicious se- lection. as Mir Smyth is known through out the country by every manager con trolling theatres in both the large and small cities. and among them not only enjoys great personal popularity but fine reputation for soundness and integri- ty in his business methods. MT. Smyth will have his offices in the Belasco the atre building. and will push the campaign actively under MT. Belascos personal di- rection. He will attend to all the road bookings of the various Belasco attrac- tions, including Mrs. Leslie Carter Blanche Bates in ''The Darling Of the Gods" David Warfied in ''The Auction eer," '"The Heart of Maryland" and the