The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-10-09
OPICS OF THE STAGE AS VIEWED IN WASHINGTON
Winters Tale. -
Miss Aliens New Venture in
Shakespeare Fine Plays
for This Week Mrs. Pat
rick Campbell aud FRITZ
SCheff.

DDlCll.
Viola Allen is to present winters
Tale" one of the most delightful Of
Shakespeare comedies, at the. National
Iheater the week of Monday, October
p. This viii be Miss Aliens second aD-
pearance ia a Shakespe arean role since
becoming a star. Encouraged By her
truly fine success as Viola in Twelfth
Night" last season, Miss Allen has
emple Justification for a further inroad
into the classics.
This speaks rather well for her own
commanding talents. and indicates q
happy state OF affairs In the theatrical
world. Indeed. ii is not often that the
actress Is able TO achieve, tn one of the
classics, a financial reward at all com
mensurate with her personal triumph.
II the success is as ample with Win
ters Tale as it was last season with
Twelfth Night" theateTgOers may ex-
pect 10 see Miss Allen in many classic
plays in the future.
Beautiful Drama Rarely Played
winters Tale" is drama which has
been given but few productions in re-
cent years in America. In England, how
ever, IL has proved enormously popular
AT the Queens Theater, Manchester, a
splendid revival OF one OF the classics
is given annuahs This has been the
vogue during tBe- past dozen years or
more. 'The Winters Tale was not put
on TIN four years ago. when il proved
The most successful and profitable of all
the plays given up 10 that time. and has
not since been surpassed.
one reason, very likely, for its infre-
Quent production in America Is that the
play requires an unusually elaborate
and costly production IN scenery and
is that but few actresses in recent time
have Deen suited TO the portrayal Of
such exacting roles as Hermioue and
Perdita.
A Favorite Among Critics.
From a critical standpoint ''The Win
tiers Tale" holds q lofty position among
the great dramas. Charles BATHURST.
one OF the great Shakespeare commen-
taries. said OF fl.
III Is a play OF immense force; most
delightful tenderness and pleasant, nat
ural simplicity OF feeling"
DR.. FurHess, in his celebrated Vario-
rum, wrote;
THE golden glow of the sunset OF
Shakespeare's genius is over fl, the
sweet country air is through il, and few,
II any, Of mis- plays, leave a pIeasanter
picture In the memory than The Win
tiers Tale AS long as men can think
PeTdlta viii brighten and sweeten
Iermi0ue viii enable mems minds and
lives
Henry Bulthaup. the German critic
said.
cit is one Of the IoveIiest pearls from
the- eleaEests-s tiIIest- depths Abe -IEIic
soul of Shakespeare
Schlegel in his lectures. says that
''Che Winters Tale" transports man
klld hack the golden aZa-af-im 81
nation Celebrations Of probabil1ties
has nothing 90 do with such wonderful
and heeting adventures, ending ia gen
eral Joy
The French critics have been equally
enc0miastic. Montegut speaks OF the
play as "a remarkable stroke of genius
Cause for General CongTatulation.
such a drama as THE Winters Tale
is glorious heritage. and that we have
an actress 20 produce them and a public
10 delight in them. is caus Tor gen
eral cougratulaton. We hear much
about the so-called "degeneracy OF me
stages but 1T has not been observed
oddly, that the people who set up this
cry are often those who neglect what IS
fine and noble, and fasteu their atten-
tiou on what is trivial and incousequen-
tlaL lt is no wonder that this species
OF theatergoer, clogged with tWaddle
and tommyr0J. should consider that the
stage was Ia the dumps and dOldrums.
Those who are on the Watch-0ut for
what IS W1rthy are not possessed of
such feelings OF Tepugnance and DIS
gust AS DR. Johnson once remarked
those who look downward are very
likely 10 see dirt.
An Inviting Array.
ments for the ensuing week. Louis
Mann. with "a new play which has
proven itself worthy OF his talents, app
pears al the National Raymond Hitch-
Geek DISCUSSES king DCdO' as The
Yankee Consul" The Lafayette pre-
SCENTS a thoroughly standard oneriug in
j. III. St0ldart as Lachian Campbell in
THE Bonnie Erler Bush Clase's
offers Charles uawtrey as a vaudeville
star Long experience is not dehed at
either OF the two other houses. liz viii
be- seen that the assortment is varied
and that three or the six theaters
promise exceptional entertainment
Washiugt0u has been much criticised
81 other cities as place where the
newspapers review plays twIce-ouce. /
rather Indefinitely. on Tuesday. and
agaiH. more confidently. al tine end Of
the week The Times has not been
subject 10 this allegation for az least
Two years. But the temptation Is strong
this week Mrz. CampbeiTs admirable
performance Iu sardou's "Tae sorceress"
has the quality of suggesting almost
uuuumbered ideas, and AIiss scheH. I'm
.'Ihe Two Roses" fires the brain In
exactly the same way. What follows
may amplify but IL H-iu not supplaut.
LHa r-r#fagr1 rrr.raF .r.r.a1H..F 4-