Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-07

workers-"knock' is the slang term that
has all but displaced "diSparage in the
parlance of the stage-but are to be found
always among the auditors who seem to be
enjoying the play the most.
The past Thursday afternoon called forth
an attendance of professional people at the
Columbia so unusually large as to give to
the downstairs portion of the house dis
tinctly the flavor of Broadway. The pres
ence of a large number of actors IN the
house Is always known to those on the
stage and seems to inspire them on to bet
ter efforts. In the case of a comic opera.
as on this occasion, it gives the comedian
an opportunity for new jokes that are sure
to appeal to his professional audience. On
Thursday Miss Ethel Barrymore and a ma
jority of the members of her company
were present either in the boxes or the
auditorium. Raymond Hitchcock, as King
Dodo took advantage of his royal preroga-
tive and made many apt side remarks dur
ing the play, which We're rewarded with
hearty laughs from beyond the footlghts.
Where the scholarly librettist had penned
Hitchcock improvised "Oh, carrots much
to the delight of the Barrymore contingent.
Another time there was a great scramble
on the stage and Hitchcock ran to one side,
gathering his kingly raiment about him.
and hoped into chair. Il feared twas
Country Mouse" the Dodo explained.
* = *
With the high caliber Of stage manage
ment that is naturally to be expected of
such a production as "a Country Mouse"
with Ethel Barrymore in the role which
gives the play it's unique title, it was a trife
disappointing to the National patrons this
week to see effective stage picture abso-
lutely ruined by the eagerness on the part
of the stage director to have all the COM
pany share in the applause the picture had
won. Those who saw the play will easily
recall the closing scene of the first act 1t
is just after the old butler has notified his
employer that he must quit his service. The
employer happens to be the unfavored hus-
band of one of the playwright's most giddy
women. The two occupy the stage by them
selves, the other gay members of the dinner
company having gone to the opera-sup-
posedly. One must say supposedly" in
view of what was to follow.
The butler and the deserted husband have
talk over old times, the former having
been in the family for more than genera
ton. The butler is persuaded to stay. The
husband, fish out of water In his own
household. finds comfort and rare enjoy
ment in his old servant. The curtain falls
as the husband is giving the servant light
from his cigar. These two have had the
stage between them for some minutes, and
the story has taken an entirely different
turn. 1t Is touch of real life the author
has introduced to relieve the strain Of the
unreal life he has promised to depict.
The scene never fails to win applause and
at the National this week it was particu-
larly appreciated. AS the curtain went down
at each performance there were loud out
bursts of applause. The painted canvas was
down but a second, however and then lift
ed. But instead of husband and butler in
the tableau of a moment before, the au-
ditors were surprised to see every member
OF the company, including Miss Barry
more as the central figure, ranged across
the back of the stage setting. 1t was a bit
notwithstanding to see the opera party
brought back from the play suddenly.
1t made one think only too forcibly that the
management had intercepted the party in
the wings and held it's members there ready
to rush out to their encore places the in
slant the curtain was down. There was no
occasion for star or the players, other than
the two in the closing picture, to appear on
the stage at this time. The two remaining
acts gave Miss Barrymore ample honors-
honors no doubt with which she was fully
satisfied. But the managers of stages will
insist upon these meaningless curtain re-
sponses by the whole cast.
x X *
There is an unwritten law among mana
gers that when one wants an actor or an
actress In the employ Of another, grand
larceny or kidnapping shall no. be in
dulged in. The mere fact that Charles
Dillingham; lately addressed a note to
Blanche Bates and asked her when her
contract with Mr.. Belasco expired, was
the occasion for a rumpus Mr.. Belasco
claimed that 1t was the etiquette of the pro-
fession that he was the one that should
have been communicated with. Under this
heading 1t has often been wondered at that
why Kirke La Shele, after Eleanor Rob-
sons hit as Bonita in ARIZONA" ever
allowed her to pass out Of his management.
The securing of Miss Robson by Liebler
& Co. makes an interesting little story.
When Arizona" was presented in Chicago,
George G. Tyler, manager of Liebler & Co.,
was In that city and attended the perform
ance. Never having seen or heard of Miss
Robson before he was wonderfully i'm
pressed with her cleverness, and hunting
up Kirke La Shelle said to him, ''Kirke,
do you care If 1 steal that little Robson girl
from your" Mr.. La Shelle replied: 81 don't
object to your trying If you think you can
offered Miss Robson a five years contract
at more than double the salary she then
received. Convinced that Mr.. La Shelle
was aware Of Mr.. Tyler's designs. she
was casting 1.-The Bonnie Briar Bush" he
came to Mr.. Tyler and offered him several
times the amount that Miss Robson re-
ceived in Arizona for her services As
Liebler &. Co. had cast Miss Robson for
Flossie Williams in "Unleavened Bread,'
Miss Robson was unable to appear in the
La Shelle production.
Llfilau burkudTl - d SOTI VI SyuQlcaIe
of one" so far as vaudeville Is concerned
She is the most prolific producer of sketches
there Is, and she .confesses to a desire to
surpass even her past record. There are
twenty-three one-act plays that owe their
origin, production, success and everything
else to this actress. This record covers
but seven years, the period that she has
been one of the leading vaudeville stars.
Her experience refutes the popular belief
that tits easy to succeed in vaudeville The
amount of hard work involved in the selec-
ton, purchase, revision and final produc-
ton of such a number of plays averaging
more than three a season. is easy to guess
at. She began, 1t is true. with the proved
success THE Salt Cellar in which she had
often played on the so-called legitimate
stage, but even the tranference of that
dainty bit Of German comedy was not easy.
as 1t had to be cut down to an acting limit
OF thirty-ive minutes time. Some of the
others were Dropping Hint" "A Passing
Fancy" THE Lady Of the Rowan Tree"
and Tomorrow at Twelve" all four by
Grant Stewart, who has recently made
Dickens ''Pickwick Papers into a comic
opera for De Wolf Hopper; Her Soldier
Boy" which Miss Burkhart herself wrote;
"a Deal on Change" Fifty Years Ago."
"A Carrot Salvation 'a'Thefr Fifth Yeoru