Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-12

EA added TO the llSl b4 L'4Nt''.
- ,eres ma, aays 's a5y 9s=. : sao
son. "Wolrville." though pur-
porting to lie n comedy. was a tragic event.
worthy TO be enrolled On histvionic annals
along with THE ProdigaI Son, The Truth
TeIIcrs..' THE Dragon Fly The Amerl-
can Lord. Tho Labyrinth" and one or two
other incidents Of milder sorrow. A review
Of the new plays seen in this city since the
tbcatcrs threw open their doors while Au-
gust was st.u blazing is a cherries and
pessimlstIc enterprise 1t is but a scant
compliment to 'Wolfville' to observe that
fl is not the worst of the lot.
me first thing. says the story book de-
tcctive, TO be done with a mystery is to
find ont the motive There is no trouble in
locating any number Of motives in the plot
itself They romp and tumble about in gar
ruIous responsibility. But the motive or
presenting such a dramatizatIou Of = popu-
lar and entertaining series OF stories-this,
as the detective would say. presents very
interesting problem. Alfred Henry Lewis
who wrote the series OF short stories col
lected under the title of ''Wolfviile, was
some years ago located in Washington. lie
was then and later conspicuous as the
wlelder of a truculeut but highly adaptable
pen lie necessarily made many enemies
but am not aware that MI Charles IRON
man, who presents "WolfviI!e. was ever
assailed by his vitrioiic rhetoric. But most
men Of exceptional mental energy have
highly sensitive spots in their natures, and
Mr. Frohman IS probably no exception to
the rule. That hc has his private prejudices
is shown by the fact that he absolutely re-
fuses to have his picture published either
on his muliudiUous programs or in the
newspapers. Fancy New York manager
refusing to allow his picture TO be printed!
After Mir Lewis went 10 New York he
wrote much on numerous and diverse topics.
and it is quite possible that some of his
casual sarcasms invited Mr.. Frohmans IN
dignation. Mr.. Frohman has never been
known as a vindIctive man. In fact, no one
could display more patience than he has
manifested I'm the face Of criticism that was
in some Instances not only adverse but OBJ
viously mistaken. Yet Lewis had a way of
saying things that would make Job forget
his bolts and want 20 fight. He must have
found the vulnerable spot in Mr.. Frohman's
phnosophic armor, for the only motive that
seems adequately explanatory of a produc-
ton such as was offered last week under
the title Of 'Woltville' Is that of Revenge
deep. dOuble-dyed. lingering and cumula-
tive. If that was the object of this lament
able enterprise the production is a success.
q
The name of Clyde Fitch is programmed
in connection with the responsibility for
the decentralization. Mr. Fitch is, as
a rule, such a neat and tidy drama
fist that it is difficult to see how
he could persuade himself to mingle in
this atmosphere of aIkali and tobacco
smoke. Fls refining influence Is manifest
in the brand-new and highly polished gam
bling furniture which Cherokee Hall affects.
as well as for sartoriaI freshness which
characterized most of tho male narrorr,ars
sIreJ tn t9o ro1ts a,rtriI,,o ro,+s -,
bolstars ,r,7r, t,, tboso ro,,oI7 r,,Io 49,,
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sor,a,,,f. orr. in ti. -,
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whose noreorsIit,, NJ Coo4,,,i,, -.
e-racerrIy ero,,eL ia , ,,,4,-s,i+ ~. .,
grant as 10 bc detected a. i, e-,anoo II,
Is on Tho wrong efl, ar tho e-a,,tre, t,.b1a