Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-20

house" on the drst night, he Is generally
wandering dismal1y about the Thames en-
bankmenf. and waiting In pitiful trepidation
for q devoted friend to come and tell him
whether II has gone or not, but apparent
ly the author OF The Walls Of Jericho
IL an exception to that rule. Just as he Is
to several Others.
Hitherto the most cold-blooded OF drama
lists has been capable Of nothing more he
rioc on first night than to await his man
ayers Hateful telegram In the depths OF his
own study, but az for Mr.. Sutro, he goes
gaily to some other theater than that at
which his own dramatic bantling II getting
its first presentation, and then as tranquaiy
home, Just as IL he had not the remotest
idea that a new piece from his own pen
was being offered to metropolitan piaygoers
for the first time.
/ At least, that Is what Mr. Sutro did the
other night when THE Fascinating MI
vandervelt' was given its premier at the
Garrick by Arthur Bourchier. This was
an important occasion. too. for although
Mr.. yandervelt' had already been per-
formed In the United States, its author Is
known to have made many alterations In
the piece prior to Its production In London,
ana. after all. the chance OF success OF
a failure In the metropolis which doesnt
by any means always indorse an American
opinions not to be dismissed with snruS
Of the shoulders.
But for all that Mr.. Sutro and Charles
Frohman-who was also CONSIDERABLY IN
terested in the London production OF MI
VANDERBILT calmly went OF to the Impe-
rial Theafer and sat through the entire
performance Of Sir Arthur Conan Doyles
'Brigadier Gerard" and there the appear
ance Of the two on the night OF an Inn
portant production Of their own aroused
immense surprise, Lewis Waller. the star
and manager Of the Imperial. thinking at
first that the playwright and the impress
sario must have made mistake and gone
to the wrong theater For. 1t should be
explained, Mr.. Sutro's last piece but one.
'aThe Perfect Lover" was given by Wal
Ter at the Imperial few months ago
Moreover, when the performance at the
Imperial was ended, Mr.. Sutro and MT.
Ftrohman went out to supper together
quietly, and received no word whatever as
to the reception of Mr.. Vanderveit unth
they reached their respective homes.
As already mentioned, Sutros new COM
eey, before 1t was seen In London, was
somewhat altered from its American FORM.
One wonders. for instance. II reference
to the lynching of negroes. which onset
some pretty compliments to Americans. ap-
peared In the American edition The play
was thoroughly enjoyed by the hish-priceo
parts of the house, attn Hugn tnere was
some vocal evidence that 1t was not sum
GENTLY strong meat for the pit and gal
lery
Probably many people who read THE
Claude Askew, which made such a sensa-
ton a year or two ags-were struck by its
| possibilities as play, and now It seems
that a stage version has been prepared, and
will be done at the Savoy almost imme-
diately by Lena Ashwell. This means that
sArhe Bond of Ninon," the costume play
by Clotilde Graves, with whIchsMiss Ash
well started operations at the savoy re-
Gently, has not made good, and II also
means that this emotional actress VIII nave
a. dramatic vehicle a good deal more
suited to her temperament, for Inc Snuia-
vide some effective stage situations. The
DEMONSTRATION has been made by one OF the
authors, Claude Askew. assisted by Edward
Knoblauch, and the company supporting
Miss Ashwell will include Henry Ainley.
who made hits in Merely Mary Ann and
'sPaolo and Francesca" and also Norman
McKinnell and Miss Beryi Faber,
All on account Of bad management a
place of amusement that was one of the
most promising in the world is apparently
now on the point of failing. This is the
London Coliseum, the great -four hours a
day house that was opened in London
about a year ago, and which holds 5000
people, and has revolving stage and a
restaurant and writing room, and which
might easily have been made the biggest
kind of success But its manager ap-
parently doesn't realize that 1.-THE plays
the thing Accordingly, from the first,
every one of the four shows a day given
at this amusement place has been so poor
as to be a complete bore, and now the
natural result has come to pass. gigan-
tic sum is owing to the Coliseums cred
itors. the ordinary shares Of which were
at first quoted at $25, are now down to l
cent, and 1t appears unlikely at present
that anything save the enterprise from
being speedily wound up"
That Is especially pity, not only be-
cause the original scheme of the Coliseum
was a good one, but because it's manage
ment took the lead in doing away with
the pit" and reserving every seat In the
theater. but a continuously poor bill will
prove the finish OF any amusement house,
and so there need be no surprise over the
Coliseum fate.