Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-08

titled to pat himself on the back. Crfftc3
at home agreed. If one remembers rightly.
that he had put the story OF Louis xv's
fayorite on the stage 50 as to make Ii dra-
matically effective. This M. Richepin has
failed to do. One wonders. In fact, how
Mrs. Brown Potter could have thought his
play worth lavishing money upon. That
money was lavished on this "Du. Barri
there Is no doubt. The piece Is acted by
besides Gilbert Hare. w. L. Abingdon, who
recently returned from America; Jerrold
Robertshaw and Herbert Ross. The setting
is uncommonly beautiful Special incl
dental music of real value accompanies the
action. 1t is most unfortunate that Mrs.
Brown Potter's muniheence Is 50 frequently
misplaced. THE Golden Light. her first
production at the Savoy, must have cost
thousands of pounds to present 1t was
pretty bad. Church and Stage" the Vicar
of Gorlestons play. got as sumptuous a
production as the American actress could
give ft-and 1t ran less than q week.
The Richepin "Du Barri'' is melodrama
that contains not a single new situation
and few effective ones. Four hours long
on the opening night, 1t takes its heroine
from her bonnet shop days to the scanold,
in prologue three acts and three tabieaux.
In this version the Du Barri Is ruined and
bauished from court because of the king
discovery that she really loves Prince Ro-
han de Rochefort, disciple of Rousseau
and friend of the people. Then We see her
prisoner in the Conciergerie. In which her
lover is also confined. A passport to safety
sweetheart-whom she tells that two have
been given her-and he escapes, while she
Is carried off in tumbril. Mrs. Brown
Potter as Du Barri looks more beauti-
full than ever and does well in the lighter
scenes, while Gilbert Hare makes his Louis
XIV truly royal figure 1t Will be rather
surprising, however, if a success is scored
at the Savoy.
Londoners are uncommonly interested in
the several important American productions
which are promised as soon as Lent is
over. According to present arrangements
Miss Maxine Elliott will open in Her Own
Way at the Lyric Theater on Easter Mon
day. Mr.. McLellan's play Leah klesch-
na,' which is the most eagerly awaited
item in the seasons program, was put In
rehearsal at the New Theater yesterday.
Lena Ashwell is, of course, to play Mrs.
F'iske's part, while Sir Charles Wyndham,
who is still on the ocean, will be the hero.
1t is expected that the piece will be ready
for production two or three days after
Easter.
By far the most important of the COM
ing American enterprises in London.
however, is that of the Shuberts, who are
going to open their new London playhouse
on May with alternate performances of
grand opera and classic European dramas.
To begin with. Calve will appear in the
opera ''Adrienne Lecouvreur and Signora
Duse In the play of the same name, and
later on Edouard de Reszke, Bonci and
Ancona will be heard. Events of special
interest also will be the appearance in ltal-
American singers Mary Garden and Alice
Nielsen. The forthcoming presentation of
j. NJ Barres new play, in which Ellen
Terry is to appear, is to all intents and
purposes also an American production, as
Charles Frohman is making it, Lewis Wal
Ter is getting ready to revive Monsieur
Beaucaire," and with Uncle Sans Lads
in Blue croWding the Hippodrome nightly
and transatlantic comedians at all the music
halls there is a distinct boom in Amer
leans" if a stock exchange phrase may be
used.
1t will not be Hall Gaines fault If the
gambling scenes in the coming production
of his dramatized novel The Prodigal Som
are not thoroughly realistic. The play
is coming on at Drury Lane early in Sep
TENDER and the ManXman is now visiting
various temples of chance on the Riviera
in quest of material. In dealing with the
book critics found fault with Gaines de-
scripton of roulette, and the author is de-
termined that there shall be no chance for
such comment on his play. At a we'll
known .cercle' in Nice the other day Hall
Game stood behind the chair of certain
Austrian nobleman while the latter lost over
$1,000 in less than an hour.
At the Court next week musical ale
CORY called The Pilgrims Way will be
given 1t is composed by ID. Eliot which
is the assumed name of Mrs. Meredith, a
daughter-in-law of the veteran novelist.
Pinero's wife Without Smile" has been
translated into Italian and is about to be
done, doll and all, in the chief Italian cit
les Later on it will be performed in Ger
many, too. Mr.. Pinero looking particular
Iy robust and satisfied with life, was among
those who saw the opening performance or
Mrs Brown Potters ''Du Barri the other
night.