Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-05

l.
the intervening elements of comedy. melo-
drama, vaudeville and variety, left no room
for complaining among Washington thea
| tergoers as to lack of opportunity for
| selection. Eeszgss.s
Forbes Robcrtson's production of Ham
let" was severe and stately in its classic
quality. THE Wizard of Or was no less
| consistent in its AFFECT frivolity, and it
! must be confessed that the sufferings of
| the true Ophelia. as portrayed by Miss
/, Elliott did not find as much sympa-
thetic interest as did the lady lunatic
in the extravaganza. The position as
| signed to Mr.. Robertson is an exceed
! ingly high one. An almost unanimous
critical opinion esteems him as the great
| est Hamlet seen since Edwin Booth.
| His reception by the audience at the Co
| lumbia Theater left no doubt to thor
| ough Endorsement of the high praises be-
! slowed on Mr.. Robertson's performance.
The enthusiasm was SO great that on look
! ing the houses over it was difficult to real
| ize that so much demonstration could pro-
coed from SO few people. But the Ameri-
can welcome for English actors, once so
| unreserved, has chilled within the past few
seasons The American public has grown
| chary of new acquaintance, and has re-
| SSlNtu NIL ftODeflSOn, as II received Martln
Harvey and Charles Hawtrey, with distant
and tentative formality instead of welcom-
| ing them with open arms as they deserved
to be welcomed. That mighty asset of the
| theatrical manager, prestige" appears to
| be In peril. The protracted New York run
and the London vogue are both distrusted
by the American public generally. Good
shows have started from Chicago and bad
! ones from, ba 70 hat
actor is a high favorite in London conveys
| no assurance that he surpasses players
produced by or own hemisphere. London
has been copying American successes with
an avidity which practically abrogates the
| oldtime assumption that it was headauar-
tiers for good plays and good acting. David
| Relasco's Darling of the Gods" was trans
| ferred bodily to the British stage, as care
| ful copy being made as was Mansfields
/ reproduction of 'sCyrano de Bergerac" after
| It's Parisian success Yet this self-depend-
| ence Is, when 1t inspires neglect of a player
OF Mr.. Robertson's distinguished talents,
discredit to- theS American public 1t in
dieates, not the critical courage which
ventures opinion without the support of
precedent. but a churlish obstinacy and
subserviences to scuston. The failure on
/ the part Of the American public to recog-
| nize the charm of the productions offered
| by Mr.. Robertson, Mr. Harvey and Mr..
Hawtrey, is a. sufficient explanation of the
| mad enthusiasm enveloped in many COM
munities= ta-seeAa Wild west show and pay
| extravagant prices for the privilege of
| hearing the venerable trills of some song
| stress whose only asset is reputation
earned many years ago Mr. Robertson's
Hamlet has not yet been seen in New
York, and the metropolis may do something
toward redeeming the lack of appreciation
hitherto shown.
| The Wizard of o. proved a highly pop
ular entertainment, some of the stage pic
| lures being of extraordinary beauty. With
| the exception of the Sammy song there
| is not much worth considering In either
| the words or the music of the entertain
ment Extravaganza seems to exert de-
pressing influence on performers. AS
| rule the songs and the dialogue are re-
| garded by the practical persons in charge
as mere conveniences for the consumption
| Of time while the stage is being set. The
dialogue and the music may be cut and
| garbled and the audience will be none the
| wiser. but the scenery must go up on time
and in good form. Possibly it is this con-
| slant subordination to the lath, canvas and
paint that makes the average performer in
| extravaganza SO perfunctory a quantity
He knows that however sweetly he may
MARBLE or however nimbly he may dance or
comically demean himself, presently a back
| drop and some borders will be let down.
which will efface him from popular recol-
lection excepting mere lay figure in the
| landscape. Some of the ceverest people
| have met disaster, and some of the most
1 rio
| been elevated into transient dignity by ex-
| travaganza. 1t all depends on the stage
manager and the scene painter, and if these
two cooperate successfully the result is a
| jolly evenings entertainment such as -The
! Wizard undoubtedly offered to the numer-
Gus playgoers who deliberately turned their
| backs on VIII Shakespeare for his sake.
X
| Vaudeville is coming to be the common
| ground on which the legitimate and variety
stages declare truce. Players Of ma
| tional dramatic reputation and performers
| whose talents have been developed in the
humblest surroundings meet and mingle in
the same bill in vaudeville. Regulations
are in great demand, despite the fact that
| some of the least entertaining acts are pro-
| vided by people whose fame is most extern
siye. 1t often happens that name draws
ing far less compensa ton are depended on
to provide the evenings entertainment and
keep the audience from complaining that it
has not had. its moneys worth. Vaudeville
is severe test for the popular musical
star. Dan-Daiy met his Waterloo there. so
far as washington is concerned, and Eddie
Foy did not escape unscathed. The ex-
perience this week at Chase's with James
Thornton, who commands consideration as
a headlner owing to certain celebrity as
| town wag In New York. emphasized the
slight claims to consideration which high
| salary performer may advance. Mr..
Thornton went out of the bill early in the
week and was not missed.
THE CLERGY AND THE SYMPHONY
ORCHEsTRA.55The management of the
| Washington Symphony Orchestra has sent
| he oil