The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-04

" liSh was tiftllA anu 'ellA'Ffr WINCH --S
Within me the sffstus went sureing to and fro;
And I wrote a tragedy that fairly reeked with
E=with every act concluding with the dead piled
the floor.
zsziThe manuscript to DAILY that dramatic censor
said
The plot is most exciting, and like the dia-
You should take the thing to Providence, and
Try It on the deg
- IN a meter far-famed for its sadness,
Eugene Field thus begins his lay of
Providence, R I, and the undiscrimi-
mating disaster which attends the trial
sof poor plays on the igurative dog
His baIlade is rather pathetic than sen
timental. It is a cry of agony, not The
Slated breathing of a heart sufused with
doves feryid sweetness But it may
not be inappropriate 10 quote from it
sin these columns with reference to
S-Washington,s fast-growing reputation as
hrst-night town.
The list Of good plays given their first
representation here is distinctly notable.
The dozen which have failed need not
be mentioned. But it is worth while to
teonsider '.Aristocracy,'' with its extend
III llA anu pt UttOIlEEu SutGSoos int
Little Minister" wherein Miss Adams
began her career as q star: The Girl I
Left Behind Ne" one of the most sue
,essful Of higb-class melodramasi the
Warde and James production OF "Julius
Caesar: THE Children OF The Ghetto
one OF the most meritorious dramatic
compositions of the past fifty years:
lDu Barry" Mrs. Cartcr's stepping
stone 10 wealth and fortune The
christian" with its incidental ''dfscov-
cry" OF Edward Morgan; Richard Saw
age" which marked the beginning of
Henry MilIer's career as an Independent
star; Her Majesty" one Of William
Brady's few unsuccessful ventures; and
zsn this season alone, The Eternal City.
Est. Ann. . a Rose O. Plymouth Town"
The Darling of the Gods" and finally.
mice and Men" Already Charles
Frohman has announced through the
columns Of The Times that Miss Adams
will open her new season, after having
rested an entire year in new play TO
be given its first presentation here
These are only the strongest links in
a long chain. Yes they make a long
list. Further, David BeIasco-who seems
rto be one Of the most productive play
wrights and, managers now alive-re-
CARDS Washington with 50 much favor
that ali his new PLAYS are to inaugu-
zrate their business life here. Mr.. Froh-
man expresses much the same inten-
Stion. William \. Brady. Wagenhales &
SKemper. the Lieblers, and many other
Emanagers seem inclined 10 do likewise
Washington is undenjably the foremost
hrst-night center in America.
In New York city this would be re-
garded as a questionable distinction.
.Frohman and the others are merely
Crying their plays on the dog" says the
characteristic New Yorker. You people
down in Washington applaud any old
hing. then your critics make some ref
arence to prolonged and enthusiastic
aand-cIapping' and the management
euses the notices IN its advertisements.
sAnd. OF course. some changes have TO
be made and the managers like TO get
hem out of the way before the New
rTork season. Washington has supplaHt-
I'd Providence. New Haven, Hartford.
md Albany, hats all New York gets
The real benefit
Washington VIII do vel TO give this
#Riew careful consideration.
There seems to be much TO support it
IT is undeniabIe that Washington first
night audiences do applaud rather free
Iy; that nearly every frst-night criti-
4eism does refer TO prolonged and en-
.thusiastic hand-clapping; that these no
tees do get 0n the bIlboards, that
schanges are Amos Invariably made in
the course of the first week. and that
1.-The cities visited Subsequently do reap
the benefit
Granting all that. however-admitting
that frst-night productions dlscredit she
judgment and experience Of the com
Immunity which views them-New York
viii hear barking if anything can drown
the noise of its elevated roads That
zmetropoIis passes judgment on at least
as many new plays IS Washington. All
meIodramas open there. Almost without
exception il is the birthplace Of all so
scaIled musical comedies. Clyde Fitch
Launches his plays-uusay0 shallow.
ana artificial as most Of them are-not
sonIy in New York. but in one or two
particular theaters there. One Of them.
xhich was by some chance first produced
in Washington. was Sc justly criticised
and Sc significantly neglected that it had
70 ne pgaGtll$ti4s fflLtaHe ana lileh Ialle-,
5only a week or so ago. But most i'm
sportant Of all. the problem plays
sworhs Ike the beautiful and uplifting
'sapho' the manly and undetermined
"Gay Lord Quex.' and The Second Mrs.
aTanaueray nearly all ask for New
York verdict before they dare the de
ceney and brave the morals Of theater-
zgoers elsewhere If there is any dis
credit in the distinction. Washington
shares it with New York. and Eew York
has she proud privilege OF giving its ap-
prevail 10 the least artistic and most de-
praVed plays shown in American the
alters.
However. most O. this dIscredit is
aa.-lr-at---c Evna.Llua. L. i. -.