The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-17
REVIEW OF THEATRICALS
ACHIEVEMENT AND PROMISE OF
THE SEASON JUST PAST.
Not Epoch-Making, but, on the Whole,
Gives encouragement and
Hopeful Outlook.

Occasional Correspondence OF the Journal.
NEW YORK, May 15.-The season which
is now drawing to its close will not be
looked upon by future historians of the
stage as an experimenting one Belasco's
and John Luther Longs Darling of the
Gods" Is a marvel of staging and furnishes
one Of the greatest American actresses,
Blanche Bates, with a suitable vehicle for
her strong. compelling art. but the play
will die long before the star. and the star
will shine as brightly. II not even more
brilliantly, in other settings. Clyde Fitchs
Girl with the Green Eyes" while tech
nicaIly somewhat inferior to his THE Girl
and the Judge" contains in the third act
far and away the truest. most vital and
moving work he has ever done This fact
might single out the season-since, after
all. Mr.. Fitch is the ablest playwright this
country has so far produced-were IL not
that OF late he has been manifestly pro-
crossing every year, the silly gibes of GER
tain newspapers Notwithstanding. Mr..
Fitch has hts desk full OF manuscripts
from the years when he was comparatively
unknown. and does not always resist the
temptation to throw them in the market
without sufficient revision. But he is stead
lily maturing and gaining in knowledge of
the demands OF his art and of the scope Of
his own talent. 1 should be very much
mistaken II next season would fail to bring
at least one play from him closer to nature,
deeper in sentiment simpler in technique
than anything that has heretofore come
from his hand.
Mr.. Augustus Thomass THE Earl of
Pawtucket" is as funny as the same
writer's ION the Quiet" which is saying a
great deal. Mr.. Thomas's fun is more en-
phatic. more, If / may say so. expected.
than that OF Mr.. Fitch. who is never more
entertaining than VIXEN he is whimsical and
surprising. But 1. is good fun, just the
same.
FEW NEW DEVELOPMENTS
Fer the rest. well-known actors and ac-
tresses have shown-or are still showing on
the road-that they have lost none of their
old cunning. But any revelation OF I'M
dreamt-of power in playwrights or actors
has not occurred I'm New York within the
season. And, to tell the truth, to me that
is of all the most fascinating phenomenon
the one for which 1 am always watching
and which 1 now and then have been
among the very first to signalize. An
actress who is now an acknowledged
star in musical comedy wrote me
the other day: "You were one of
the first to give me strong praise,
and, although I am not sure that your
words in the indianapolis Journal directly
assisted in improving my professional situa-
ton. 1 do know that at the time they encour-
aged me and spurred me on to greater eff
forts
r,oI,.
ward. May 1 be allowed, on the strength
of them, to venture prophecy or two? A
year or so ago. when writing In this paper
about Mr. Conreid's German Theater In the
city. / marked of few of his actors as
deserving of special praise. Among them
was Jacques Horwitz, character actor
to whom the German papers of New York,
let alone the English ones, have always
paid the scantest of attention. To me he
has ever seemed far more genuine artist
than that amsusing clown, Gustave Won
Seyffertitz. who for years has held the
position of leading funmaker under M.
Conreid. Now IL looks as II others share
my opinion. for Mr.. Charles Frohnan has
engaged Mr.. Horwitz for the next season
to play dialect part-a Hungarian count
In an American comedy Of which much is
teligent, discreet artist I'm Indianapolis:
hope so, for your sake.
OF the very young actors to whom j
now and then have drawn attention In these
columns w. Grant Mitchell, Of Columbus
o.. made great hit in big comedy part
IN The Girl with the Green Eyes toward
the close OF its run In New York. Mr..
Mitchell took the part. with very short no
tfca, when the man who had created IL was
Obliged to retire on account of illness. Mr.
Mitchell i already Engaged for character
will open here in November.
TWO PROMISING ACTRESSES.
Two very young women who have not
appeared In New York at ali are, In my
opinion. promising as any one of their
sisters-and more so as far as my know.
edge goes I wish you to retain their
names, for they will some day be heard
from. One is Rachel Acton. the other Edith
Shayne- The former has, 1 suppose fol
want Of better opportunity. been touring
the country in a wild melodrama. 1.-The
Stain or Guilt" She has passion Of truly
volcanic force and will. when seen In plays
OF a higher order. command the approval
or the most exacting' audiences.
Edith Shayne played last spring and part
pany, headed by Mr.. Edmund Breese Thi.
tai. MISUNDERSTANDING girl, with the wist.
dui gaze i ana proud lips appeared both as
was that peculiar quality about her acting
which set her apart from those cut-ahd-
dried performers who crowd our stage. and
at once attracted the attention of skilled
observers. Watch her handsw said one
of our ablest playwrights TO me; how they
dc speak,! / am not aware whether or moi
Miss Shayne Is engaged for next season
but do know that in a good part she would
at once rise, head and shoulders above her
surroundings. JoAKIM REINHARD.
s.rHE CHRISTIAN At THE p.pp