Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-14
OFFERS GUESTS NO FOOD.
A Radical Fault Found With 'ESher-
lock Holmes in London.

From the Cincinnati Commercial Tribune.
Its funny thing, but l tell you that
1t is, nevertheless fact" said we'll
known Travelled American, the other day,
that the chief fault that many English
men found with Mr. Giliette's dramatiza-
ton of Sherlock Holiness when it was
playing in London, was that Holmes in the
play did not offer any of the people who
came to see him any refreshments. This
may be, to certain extent, characteristic
OF the nation, but very well-known Eng
liishman, writer. and were talking about
Mr.. GilietteS production at the Lyceum one
day In the Savoy, grill room, He was en-
thusiastlc over the play, but he told me
that which L have just told you, that he
thought it strange that Holmes. who was
ostenslbly always glad to see everybody,
should not have produced decanter or at
least syphon of soda He seemed to think
that it was pity that when DR.. Watson.
who was Holmes friend, came to see him,
he did not even offer him drink. This
suggested new line of thought to my
mind, and If you will think 1t out for your
self and recall the English plays you have
seen you will remember there is scarcely
any one of them but what some one of
the characters suggests the partaking of
either liquid or more solid refreshments OF
course, in Sherlock Holmes there is not
the slightest allusion to any meal past
present or to come. The nearest suggestion
10 1000 is that there is d fire in the kitchen,
which turns out to be only some smoke
and when the butler visits the cellar it is
not to get a soothing bottle but to receive
a blow on the head. All this seemed I'M
healthy to my English friend and seemed
to defeat the virtous object which most
British playwrghts have in view
"One can almost imagine what a light re-
past would look like between. say, Holmes
and Prof. Moriarty. Holmes would proba-
bly, have to eat with one hand, as it would
be necessary to keep the useful revolver in
the other. 1t Is, however, fact that my
English friend thought seriously that all
Sherlock Holmes needed was the dispens-
ing of some hospitality. Henry Irving
knew this weakness of his countrymen and
| invariably catered to it,
Il call to mind particular breakfast in
| one of lrving's plays. 1t was a Paris cafe.
and some gentlemen sat down to enjoy the
| breakfast and Irvings society. Soup came,
real soup, smoking hot, and the guests lei
| surely adjusted their table napkins inside
of their collars. after the pleasant foreign
manner. and did not seem to notice that
irving mad done with the soup and was a
course or two ahead before they had a
mouthful They scarcely said word: he
talked all the time, and suddenly pleading
an engagement elsewhere, strobe off. leav-
ing them as empty as Sancho Parza No
body seemed to mind that the action of the
play could not wait until the meal was
properly finished. 1t was enough for the
British traditions that hospitality had been
offered. Perhaps Mr.. Gillette. ina smuch as
he has had three seasons in England will
III his next play, introduce good, hearty
meal to make up for having left il ont of
all others that he has written"