The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-02-25


T% HE present theatrical sea
son has in many respects
been a most unusual one.
Those plays which have
received the greatest
patronage are of a char
acter which seem to mark a transit
ton period in public tastes. The
morbid problem play has been con
spicuOus for it's absence, whereas
The greatest popularity has attend
ed those dramas which have depict
ed the lighter and more enjoyable
side of life. BY this it is not meant
that the inane comic opera has held
sway, but that Oftentimes the deep
est philosophy and greatest lessons
of love and moral light are to be
found in the less pretentiOus phases
of life.
The most unique play of the sea
son and one which has met with
wonderful success is J. NJ. Barrie's
Peter Pan which was given its
American premier in Washington in
October. The plot of the play is a
marked departure from anything
that has ever before been presented
on the stage. 1t is a child's play
for 'srown-ups. There is no sem
blancc Of a problem, and no entangl-
ed love story, but a fairy tale BY
means of which the dramatist causes
his audience TO live over those DAYS
when Jest and youthful jOllity"
were the good spirits of the world.
and when melancholy was unknown.
Far removed from the quiet nurs-
cry life and dreamland of Peter
Pan is the atmosphere of The Girl
of the Golden West" in which Miss
Blanche Bates has been so striking
ly successful. The scene is laid il
the rough mining camps during the
forties, when the gold fever brought
motley army OF fortune seekers
TO the land of the setting sun.
The present season has served to
bring to- the front ranks of the thea
trfcal profession a young actress
who has never before achieved any
marked triumphs. Miss Margaret
ARglin's impersOnation of ''Zira" has
gained for her a position among the
chosen few emotional actresses of
the world.
An actress hitherto unknown to
the American public, but who has
made good" in a manner most
gratifying to herself and her mana
gers, is Bertha Kalich, the Yiddish
artist Miss Kalich has made her
debut before the English-speaking
public in Maeterlinck's Norma Van
ma play of semi-classic character
and one which has afforded ample
opportunity for the display of those
Qualities which have made this
actress a prime favOrite with thea
tergoers wherever she has appeared
A very remarkable instance of
an individual triumph in an old play
is that of Miss Bertha Galland, who
has been presenting Belasco's
Sweet Kitty Bellairs." Miss Gal
land has interpreted the role with an
individuality so distinctly her own that
it may well be classed among the
few exceptional successes of the
year. Miss Gallands acting has
been marked by a charming delicacv
and versatility of moods and man
ners, and as a result Sweet Kitty"
has been a 10Y forever" to her audi
enees as we'll as for the box office.
While the season as a whole has
been disastrous from the box office
standpoint the character of the few
exceptional successes argues well for
The future of the stage The cues
tionable" drama as we'll as the
senseless congiomeration of lights
and lingerie, known as the comic
opera, have been weighed in the bal
snce of public opinion and found
wanting. 1t is from the ruins of
these that a higher and nobler
drama will spring. This years sue
resses are the keynotes for future
triumphs,