The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-12-15


matte events in washington each sea-
son Is the engagement Of L. Fl. Sothern-
Special interest attached TO Mr.. Scth-
ems return to the Capital this year.
first, because he came without the added
prestige OF his delightful and gifted
co-star Of the last few seasons, julia
Marlowe. and his work had to be
judged solely on It's own merits; in the
second place. because his repertoire was
more diversified this year than ever be
fore. and in the third place. because
every one in washington was anxious
TO see how worthily he is wearing the
mantle Of supremacy on the American
stage, which, It is generally conceded.
foil TO his shoulders when Richard
Mansfield died.
Mr.. Sothern opened his week in a
gloomy. forbidding. but powerful drama
of Slavic origin. The Fool Hath Said
There Is No Cod II was a play in
which there were but two distinct per
sOnalities, Rodion, the student, and
Bezak. the magistrate. As Rodlon Mr..
Sothern embodied all the force. the
fanatic earnestness and the bitterness
Of the Russian whose soul cries cut
against the existing order of things and
yet whose mind cannot solve satsfac-
torily the problems which he believes
must be handled by man. 1t was an
admirable picture OF the warped will
and logic of the free-thinker. The
torture endured by Rodion, who argues
that vengeance is his, was depicted with
almost brutal reality The third act, in
which the murderer is brought to con-
fess his deed. was Interpreted with
great power and discretion. II gripped
the audience with a tension which
was almost painful.
The Irving play has no universal ap-
peal Its chief interest Is for the stu
dent as IL presents a faithful. clear-cut
delineation of an abnormal nature
Delightful Transition
On Tuesday night there was a de-
hghtfuI transition from the morbid
Rodion, to the rollicl5ing bibulous poet
and impetuous lover. Francois Villon.
Mr.. SOthern interpreted the stellar role
IN IF I Were King with all the 70
mantle fervor Of former DAYS. and his
audience was thrilled by the majesty
Of his bearing and the charm of his
elocution. His naturally sympathetic
voice was heard to advantage in read
ing the rhythmicaI lines OF Justin Nc
Carthy's work
Thursday night the revival OF Lord
pundreary." which had not been seen
on the American stage since 1879. was
an occasion OF much interest. Mr..
SOthern. as Lord Dundreary. was seen
again in one OF those delightful roles
in which he first won general recogni-
ton as an actor Of talent The audi
ence saw in the suffering Englishman
the same type OF actor who delighted
us years ago in Lord Chumlev." The
Taylor play Is OF the old school and as
a dramatic work it is Of no interest
judged by present-day standards. But
as the vehicle for introducing such a
character as Lord Dundreary II was
enthusiastically received.
Old Theatergoers Applaud.
The best evidence Of the artistic worth
If Mr.. Sothern's Dundreary is the fact
he seems to have satisfied completely
the playgoers OF thirty years ago who
saw the elder SOthern in the same role
and who have voiced the opinion that
the work Of the son rivals that of the
father This is indeed high praise when
we take into consideration the proneness
OF human nature to discount the merits
OF all products of the present day when
compared with those of former years.
The fact that the actor Of the new
school has succeeded in giving an i'm
personation that does not dispeI the
glamour with which memory has i'm
bued the old-school actors interpreta-
ton Is an achievement Of which Mr..
Sohern may well feel proud.
It may be said Of Mr.. Sothern's act
ing that while It does not evince that
intellectual power and brilliancv which