Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-12
MUSIC

The prominent rivals for dramatic appre-
citation this week were the two emlnent
playwrights, Richard Brfnsley Sheridan
and Gearge AIDE. And it Is consoilng cir
curastance for the modernist who resents
the constant disposition to bark back TO
1.-THE good old days that Mr.. AIDES IN
dorsement as a writer of comedies was
quite as hearty as that extended 10 the
late Mr.. Sheridan. The line between traol-
ton and novelty was distinctly drawn ana
each side had the benefit of highly capaple
opponents Few names are dearer TO the
hearts of American playgoers than that Oh
Ada Rehan. Miss Rehan is closely asso-
ciated with the best that the English-speaK-
ing theater can boast. She renects the ar
tistic and literary instinct which made her
preceptor Augustin Daily, power whose
enduring influence is not to be measured
by the mere standards of transient vogue
or commercial prosperity. Her revival OF
THE Country Girl constitutes gratifying
assurance that the excellencies of the past
are not to be entirely ignored in the mao
rush for current sensations. Yet the play
is so lacking in dignity of theme that it is
doubtful if it has any right to the distinc-
ton of a place in the Rehan repertory
i: X x
The distinct personal success scored by
Mr. Maclyn Arbuckle in THE County Chair
mana success great enough not to be
overshadowed even by the stupendous pro-
duction given this laughable rural conceit
by the always liberal Mr.. SavaSe-is no
surprise to those who saw him some years
ago in his Inflated starring venture IN
The Sprightly Adventures of Marsac." The
plays career was not as long as It's utle,
but this was not due to any lack of ability
or effort on Mr. Arbuckle's part, for he
proved himself then, as he has since, a
comedian of strong personality and intelll-
gent methods. The County Chairmans
success is in further defiance of precedent
The late Bill Nye, who as an exponent
of popular humor enjoyed extraordinary
eminence, essayed a play whose general
atmosphere was similar to that of The
County Chairman" 1t was produced at
AIbaugh's Opera House, and although 1t
had the benefit of Thomas Q. Seabrooke's
popularity and the skill of Paul Potter,
who was Mr.. Nye's collaboration, it fell by
the wayside. Its title was The Cadi,' and
the principal character a rural magistrate.
1t was full of quaint humor, and the one
musical number it contained, boisterous
and unrefined ditty concerning The Prodl-
gal Son survives even to this day, in spite
of the fact that it was one of the worst
things in the show. But The Cadl lacked
the munificence in production and the dis
elimination as to cast which distinguish
1.-The County Chairman" and these things,
as we'll as the change in public taste which
time brings about, may easily account for
the conspicuous contrast in the fates of the
two comedies
At the Lafayette Theatre Miss Eugene
Blair appeared in another emotional role
of the type that she has been so long ac-
customed to portray. Iris" was severely
criticised heroine when her woes were ex-
panded for popular scrutiny at higher
prices of admission. There is no reason
for assuming that the moral tone of the
play is improved by it's presentation at a
lower tariff 1t is one of the Inconsistencies
of criticism that a first-class production OF
a problem play, in which artistic standards
are closely respected and whose appeal is
more or less restricted to audiences accus-
toned to demand a high degree of liter
airy and histrionic proficiency, should come
in for the most rigid censorship, while the
same material less competently presented
and at a scale of prices which appeals to q
far more impressionable clientele is prac'
tically disregarded. The naughty Mr.
Pinero can count on having his productions
subjected to the most Puritanical tests
while Theodore Kremer reVels in prob
lens and in illusions of bucolic bluntness
without protest.
1t would be interesting to see Cressy and
Daynes little play. which constitutes one
of the chief numbers of the program at
Chases this week, performed before an
audience of theatrical people. 1t contains
a wealth of comedy, much of which is
likely to be lost to people who do not I'M
derstand the tribulations of a one-night
stand repertory company. The other head
line feature THE Shadow is departure
but not an unreasonable one. If condensed
farces and comedies are to flourish, why
not a condensed melodrama?
X X
The Academy of Music boosted one OF
the few good melodramas now before the
public 1t is survival from the times
when the writing of melodrama claimed the
talents of the most skillful playwrights,
and shows a consistency of plot and a
rapidity of action, as we'll as touches of
character delneation such as few plays of
its class now offer. THE Shadows Of
Great City" Is of the same generation as
THE Streets of New York" Lights O.
London" and other virile though sensa-
tional creations that held sway before the
gallery god had been driven from his Oiym-
pus by the economical matinee girl.