The Washington herald., 1907-12-22
NEW YORK THEATERS.

Special Correspondence The Washington Herald.
New York. Dec. 20.-Channing Pollock's
play, The Secret Orchard" has called
out widely-diverslfied discussion among
the papers, some OF which profess 70 be
shocked it its theme. while others praise
II or give it a demerit for its artistic or
inartistic qualities. Says the Mail (to
cite a characteristic example,: Mr.. Pol
locks task was 70 fiI in this outline; 10
make It compact and tense; TO pull its
loose ends together; 20 cause it to ap-
pear natural and logical, and he has not
done so very we'll" Says the Globe: a
carefully written. closely knit, dramatic
and interesting play" &c.
Now, II Mr.. Pollock has failed to make
his play compact and tense and has not
pulled its loose ends together. it cannot
be carefully written and closely knit; and
II the doctors disagree the patient must
take his chances with nature. And so be-
tween extravagant praise and more or
less amusing Persidage at the expense OF
the author and his play. the public has
an opportunity to Judge for itself what
the Lyric has to offer.
Whatever the merits Of the play. the
acting was beyond eayiI. Although play
ed on tour for several weeks, the man
agement put the play IN the hands %
Henry Miller before taking II into New
York. and with a number of changes
made IN the cast Il came before the loca.
piayeoers under the best possible au-
spices. The principal roles were taken
" IMAM Courtenay as the Duke
adelaide Prince as the Duchess. Edward
T. MAWsoh twhO may be remembered az
paying the Boer husband IN "The Shula-
mite with Lena AshwelD as jacques
tavereau, and Josephine Victor as Jov.
Others In the cast were Frank c. Bangs
os lhe canon, Olive May. grown much
IVUhoeF since her Bonita days IL
Arizona, as Nine. Rodriguez. and Hen
tletta faders. likewise developed In en-
Donpoint since she was Edwin Booths
leuulnS woman, as tLo MarQuise of
Lormes. These are names 10 cOuiure
with In the light OF historic and his
trionic traditions with the possible ex-
cepuon OF Miss Victor. and she acquitted
herseH triumphantly for a neophyte in
the taxing role Of the girl with the devil
lsn eyes. Add TO this the excellent dlrec-
lon evldencing the experienced hand Of
Henry Miller, and the play came 10 its
trlal under very promising conditions.
The usual complimentary calls for The
author after the third act remained IN
answered. The SagaciOus dramatIst had
betaken himself 10 another theater and
Gained his anxious spirit by absorption
IN the less intricate problem Of "A knight
for Day"
This was the other premier event Of
the week and was exhibited. not exactly
Tor the first time. al Wallack's for it has
Travelled under at least two aliases and
once was known at the New York Thea
ter as "Ma'mselle Sallie." Il is mu-
steal comedy by Robert ID. smith. brother
or Harry B.. with music by Raymond
HubbeH, whose name first became known
as the composer OF the music for The
Runaway Girl" as the young man who
married beautiful Helen Lord and lat
teriy composed "Fantana." As Nam
sele Sallie' il lost a small fortune for John
G Fisher, OF "Florodora'' fame. but in
Its present rejuvenated state, with John
SiaVin as the unctuOus and diminutive
waiter. and May NOkes IN one Of her
slavey roles, and with other
a knight for a Day
promises 10 repeat here the success Il. /
scored in Chicago. where. II this scribe, Is /
not far astray, il is stilI something Of /
standard attraction. A strong appeal is /
made by the brilliant stage effects and
the movements of a dimpled and sprightlv /
chorus in ravishlng costumes, but par-
ucularly by the light effects employed as I
an accessory 10 the singing Of Life Is a 1
See Saw"
James X. Hackett VIII have a new
leading woman when he presents John :
Giaydes Honor for the first time in this 1
city Monday evening at DAYS her
name is Miss Daragh, an English actress /
who refuses TO reveal her given name. I
This notwithstanding she is well known I
in London, and is making her first ap-
pearance in America 70 play the deceitful |
wife IN Sutro's drama. Interest in her
has been wrought up by such preliminary /
work, and since Billie Burke came from
London and surprised people who did not
know that she was an American girl. II \
may turn out that under Miss Daragb,E
partial anonymity there turks another I
revelation OF an American girl winning
fame in London before being recognized /
Ia her own country. I'm sure l don.t !
know that this is the case. but il wouldn't 1
surprise me at all She has PLAYED with
Arthur Bourchier, Cyril AIaude. and
Lewis Waller. and when ''Salome' WAS
prohibited by the censor. she appeared (
In the role before the National Spo-tina
Club in private. In addition she has been /
giving periodical performances Of some Of
William Butler Yeats playlets in Dublin.
\ thrill was created by the announce
ment that Edgar Smith has deserted Joe
Weber. When you bear in mind that II
was Edgar Smith who for ten years. past
has supplied the Weberheldian extrava-
sanzas which contributed so much 10 the
success OF the famous Broadway music
hall. the shock VIII not seem unnatural.
According TO the published statement Of
the seditious librettist. the split resulted
from Mr.. Smiths reluctance 10 encroach
upon Col. Savage's rights in The Merry
Widow, which he had been commissioned
10 burlesque.
There is no copyright with Austria and
my one can produce the score Of .The
Merry Widow" so that. legally, Savage
would have no recourse ia restraining
Weber from playing the whole OF the
music In what might simply be called a
ourleSque on Lehar's tuneful Operetta.
This. according 10 Edgar, caused him TO
revolt, and as a result he is no longer
Identified with the famous burlesoue
house. The work has been placed In the
hands Of another librettist. Julian Mitch
ell Will stage it. and Lulu Gleser will
sing the Widow.
Smiths future movements, which at
present are stin problematic, will be
watched with interest He is one Of a