The Washington herald., 1906-11-04

have arrived There is nothing worth
while q be purchased from the other
side. The French ana English are send
! ing no great successes to us. We were
! formerly accustomed 10 rely very largely
upon foreign authors. Indeed. We were
almost entirely dependent upon them Our
managers were afraid TO take risks. Now
the tables are turned, and London Itself
is beginning to take Us seriously
The native aUtnOr cannot help being
/ ENCOURAGED when he looks about him and
sees what other Americans are accom-
plishing. What a wonderful hit The Lion
and the Mouse has been in this country.
/ The Chorus Lady by James Forbes. has
added itself TO the list, for II is moving
from one theater TO another in order 20
remain IN New York, where the box Office
can't handle the demand for seats"
"In speaking OF The Lion and the
Mouse. Miss Bingham, you Gid not men
ton the fact that IL was a dire failure ia
London. How do you account for that2''
Il have an answer ready for your
question" saiG Miss Bingham. THE mat
Ter was quite a mystery to me until an
Englishman explained II to me, then
IL seemed simple enough. You have
heard the American excuse. I don't care
10 see such and such a play because ]
want 10 be amused when / go to the
Jheater haven't you? Tho EngIisAman
is much the same. Mr.. klein's play deals
with finances. and the Englishman vans
to forget all about that when he leaves
his work and goes out to be entertained.
ne likes to have his mind conducted
through different channels in the even
ing"
What Of the society play?"
Il viii be remembered that Miss Birg
ham first made C.yde t.-ch the fashion
by so cleverly producing his orchid c
from The trunks Of the Four Hundred
known to US as The Climbers" Ger
taiuly Fitch had made previous efforts
which had met with some success. Uut
Miss Bingham is ia reality his rs Il
sponsor.
The day of that tyre of play is over. "
she responded. Society tx no longer
interests. The Climbers has sine. veea
initiated by so many authors that the
public cries tor something different an
what could be more different than plays
with heart and soul instead of frozen
words and suppressed emotions. The ro-
mantle play. too. Is gone We are TOO
practical 10 give more tnan passing ia
lerest to IL. l am now speaking 81 &c
costume, romantic play; for a drama wien
romance Is always interesting. since ro-
nance IS some part OF heart and soul"
Miss Bingham has aIways been interest
ed IN young women who are new 10 the
stage. [ asked her il she sun kept IN
close touch with them
''Yes, I do" she said. And the stage
continues overcrowded. The trouble Is
Ee.-r n-n
men who are willing TO work for prac-
ucally nothing in order to say that they
have been associated with a certain play
and a certain star-for, of course. such
a connection proves a benefit afterward- /
that the poor, struggling. ambitious girl
has a more difficult road than ever. Only
last week an automobile stopped In /
front OF my door, ana a beautiful young
woman, Eowned IN the height Of fashion. I
questioned ne As TO a chance Of her Sc /
curing a position with me- Inc salary
was nothing she said. for she d Yot (
need II. Her diamonds sparkle. as she Z
spoke and ] saw that she was in earn
est ! was obliged 10 refuse her. since
my company was engage, but that IS /
only one Of many instances whicu come
under my observation.
Aiiss Bingham then told ne of the time
when, as representative of the American 4
actresses at the Federation Of Wonaen's I
Clubs, which met in St Paul last sprlng. /
she addressed several thousand peoplc on 4
the subject OF her profession. Miss Bine-
nam had the honor OF being selected from
q large number OF prominent actresses /
This was the first time the stage had ever
been represented.
After chatting so animatedly on these /
SUBJECTS her voice became languid and
slower; then ] caught her eyes gently 4
closing She had been rehearslns ali dav 4
and was tired. so I quietly left her asleep 1
on the back Of her golden swan, as beau !
tiiul picture as artist ever faneied.