The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-12
ACTRESS SLIP
NEARLY KILLED PLAY
Saturday to Monday" London
Comedy to Be Played Here,
Queered First Night
From a Staff Correspondent

From a Staff Correspondent
LONDON, June 4.-America Is to see
the play Saturday to Monday" which
is now filling to overf1owing the st.
James, London's most fashionable thea
ter, and which has had a curious history
When it first was produced, the London
critics.. with one voice, condemned it.
They saw nothing good in the play and
nothing good in acting, whilst the gem
erat public wondered what it was all
about. There was, however, some ex-
cuSe.
Although George. Alexander had had It
Tor some @WoSyedrs. Saturday to Mon
day had only just gone into rehearsal
at the time that the manager put on the
Inflated ''Rosenmontag, which ran for
only tour nights. To fill in, Saturday to
monday was hastily announced. The
part Of Lady Diana was originally writ
ten for Mrs Charles Calvert but as that
actress was under engagement at an
other theater this role was given to a
rather inexperienced actress, who on the
Hrst nignt forgot her part. and In the
nFst act left out two whole pages Of ex-
planation of the why and wherefore of the
play. This appalling gap in the story
not only paralyzed the unfortunate actress
but every one else, and the first act was
taken so slowly that no one in the audi
ShCe dreamed that the play was supposed
ly farcical.
q
Recovering themselves somewhat q, the
interval the actors started on the second
act and, further regaining their snirits
went to the other extreme and rolIfcL,ed
through the play for all they were worth
Inc audience became more and more
P~uzzIee ~ ana lett the theater in q somewhat
resentful mood. Not to be outdone bv
circumstances, however, Alexander con-
tinued the play, which IS now going
strong and seems in for a long run IT'S
part author, Richard Pryce. has heen
known to Americans for several wears as
a promising writer of stories Princess
Poppae" was, Mr.. Pryce tells me. his first
success at home. This was followed nv
the rather ugly story of Miss Weather.
by but of late years perhaps Pryce is
pest known as the auth0T of Elementary
As his name suggests. Mr.. Prvce 10
Welshman. He was in the Bank of Eng
land when he first began to write. but
after his American and British recognf-
tion the time came when he found he
would have to give up either his literary
work or the bank. So he left the bank
Now Mr.. Pryce has two other plays ready
for production.
Frohman toSTaice London Theater
Mr.. Frohman, putting in his usual time
on this side Of the water. is as active az
ever. London playgoers have been
anxious for some time to see which of
over
a new play house which is being
built In Shaftesbury avenue. and
now 1t Is announced that the
American impresario will have it. Mr..
Erohman ran over to Paris a few
days ago, and while there secured the
american rights in '"The Third Moon"
the Chinese comedy by the authoress of
''The Marriage of Kitty" which has tust
been produced at the Paris Vaudeville.
1t is Mr.. Frohman's plan that Ethel Bar
irymOre shall appear at home IN the
Gresac piece. playing the rather curious
character of "Si-SP' therein Though the
notices received by Miss Barrymore and
Cynthia Davies comedy In which
she made her bow as q star in London re-
cently-were not Of the best, her engage
ment at Wyndham's has been so success
ful thus far that Mr.. Frohman Is thinking
of extending it. AS originally planned
the run OF Cynthia" was to end in the
middle Of June.
+ Poet Laureate Writes Curtain Raiser
Though no one here has had the temer-
tty to suggest it. probably the reason why
EsAlfred Austin didn't sign his name to
the curtain raiser which he recently sub
mitted to Arthur Bourchier was that
he was afraid it might be refused. Do1Ibt
less Mr.. Austin thought that it would