The Washington herald., 1907-09-29
NEW YORK THEATERS.

ready the inevitable shifts on the the
atrical checker board, which come with
the seasons advance, involving heart
breaking disappolntments and, In some
cases. serious financial sacrifices, are
becoming evident in the local field.
A number OF hrst-class attractions
frst-class as far as investments go. or
as far as the shrewdest foresight can
make for the good things in the drama
are announcing the termination of their
engagements. and a number of the bet
ter class Of tbeaters are temporarily
closing their doors. while other attrac-
tions are being made ready to take their
places
The remarkable thing about il all is
that the more sober offerings. concern
ing which the gravest doubt existed in
the minds Of those who watch the the
6trical situation year in and year out
with keen interest. are proving their
staying qualities beyond precedent James
O'Neill is playing f'Virgnius" to paying
houses at the Lyric. and on Tuesday
evening. notOriously the poorest night in
the week. you could barely purchase
seats at the Bijou. where Nazimova has
just put on Ibsen's Master Builder"
And II was a damp night at that
Dustin Farnum, in spite Of his indl-
vidual good work and personal popular
ity, was unable 10 vitalize Augustus
Thomas Ranger" sufficiently at Wal
lacks 10 overcome the handicap of the
inherent weakness OF the play, and its
place has been taken by The Hurdy
Gurdy Girl musical piece, with Rich
ard Carle as the center Of attraction
II cost Mr.. FTOhman something Ike
$25.OoO 70 put on "The Ranger" and
great things were expected OF H.
Great things were expected Of Martha
Mortons The Movers" which inaugu-
rated the season at the Hackett Theater.
But the play was totally disappointing.
The author had simply been swamped
by her subject, and the event is reTnem-
bered more for the curtain speech she
made on TIE opening night amid the
glamour OF deceptive sense of triumph
than for anything her play achieved in
the nature CT exposing "a vital problem.
Among the tragic experiences of the
average first t-nighter. whose fOndest ambi-
novel sensation. the curtain speeches
OF authors on The opening nights of their
plays are usually among the saddest
things imaginable. Whether the play is
a success or not. II is the custom 70
call out the author. In the majority of
cases the author responds with feverish
alacrity under the most painful dclusi0n.
believing he is scoring a literary triumph. {
and II he is as fluent OF tongue as Miss
Morton was on the opening night of
THE Movers be viii add 10 the supreme
pathos Of the occasion BIZ telling the
audience Of the high aims. the sleepless
nights, and the process Of painful cers-
bTatiOn involved in the genesis and de-
tailed working out OF his dramatic prob /
lem Al5s and alacki too often he awakes
the next morning 10 see his little glory
swept away by a whirIwiad of critical
denunciation and his puppets PLAYING TO
empty benches the following night But
the first-nighter has had his compensa-
ton. he has seen an author impaIed on
his own vanity!
The Man on the Case" with jameson
Lee Finney. which started out very we'll
and promised 20 hold up the traditions Of
the little Madison Square Theater for
successful runs. has been taken on tour.
and the playhouse is closed. not 10 re-
open until some time the middle Of Octo-
ber when New York Is 10 have another
opportunity of witnessing a play by
Rachel Crother. author Of THE Three of
Is"
The new play is called 'The Coming Of !
Mrs Patrick" beyond which nothing has /
h.
able il 70 form an idea Of the subject /
with which Miss Crother is TO deal At
tie Hackett the moving Of The Movers |
makes possible the much earlier appear
anCe Of Florence Roberts In the new play
by Milton Royle author OF The Squaw /
Man" The new play is The Struggle |
Everlasting" and the interest in this /
event is as keen as in regard 10 any pro- /
duCtion made this year.
1t is understood that the play was Of /
fered TO Bertha Galland before it was de- /
cided 20 make il the vehicle OF Florence /
Roberts metropolitan temperance. Why !
Miss Galland did not use the play is left /
unexplained. This gifted actress. COM !
pietely recovered from her Illness. viii /
make her re-entry as soon as she finds /
suitable medium. Some of our best ac-
tresses are temporarily obscured by this /
lack. Nothing definite has so far been
announced regarding Viola Allen. Julia /
MarlOwe. or Annie Russell. Strong emo
tiOnal plays with a hysterical scene and |
a generous infusion Of meiodrama are the T.
vogue just now. and those who are not !
prepared to take the plunge. but cling TO !
poetic traditions. are for the moment left |
stranded by the tide
fsrTTF-z
Old Homestead" which he has been
playing for a generation. He viii be-
gin his engagement at the Academy of
Music Monday evening. II the old play
exercises some Of its former charm with
the public. be prepared to see Joseph /
Murphy revive The Kerry Cow" Muir /
ply is no older than Denman Th0mp- /
son. Together they make up a happy /
aggregate of 1fj years. but there is no |
more robus,-. -O-.ag first-nighter than |
Murphy in all New York. and the once /
popular Irish comedian and character /
actor carries his three-seore and four |
teen as gracefully as some do their two /
and ten He is said to be the richest /
actor in the United States and might /
live in peaceful retirement in a Fifth |
avenue mansion without worrying about |
anything; but those who know say that /
the acting bee is buzzing as lively in |
his bonnet as ever.
The latest gossip is that Nazimova I
has broken with Henry Miller. who made |
1t possible for her to appear in English, I
and that Miller in turn. VIII sever his |
connection with the Shuberts at the !
close Of the term of his present con- |
tract It is said that Mr.. Miller deter
mined on this step because of some
connection Of the Shubert management |
with Margaret Anglin's action In sign |