Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-03
The Foreign Stage.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

-<A'o1N' august lDUI
~ RANVILLE BARKER, the young
actor-manager to whom George
Bernard Shaw largely owes his
~ vogue in London, and who may be
snapped up for America next sea-
son. has taught other London managers va
rious things in the past two years One of
MS innovations was the presentation of GER
tain new plays at matiness only and this
policy, which Barker means to continue
when he takes over the Savoy Theater next
month. appears likely to be initiated rather
widely.
Already 1t has been adopted at the Garrick
by Arthur Bourchier, and Ohio Stuart has
Just announced that several of the new
pieces which he holds for the Court. the
playhouse which became famous under
Granville Barker's management. and which
the latter has just quilted, will be given at
afternoon performances only.
t3ril Maude also followed Bankers lead
last season by giving Vachells Her Son" at
series OF matinees at the Playhouse, and
Maude tells ME that he will take the ga me
course with two new pieces which ne has
just accepted and will produce shortly
Both, by the way, are adaptations from the
FRENCH and rather exceptionally interest
ing.
In Maude's case, however, these matinee
productions are largely matter of neces
slty-that is, provided he wants to create
new parts himself for the American Earl
~, raw, ucket: which forms his evening
Dill, and which at first looked like a FROST
mas developed into the biggest kind of a
success, and promises to run as long az
Toddles' did. The king saw 1t lust before
ne lel, Tor Marienbad. laughed immoderate-
~ and complmented all concerned and of
course, this royal cachet settles tho hrsj
ness. "A''
Early in his coming matinee season
Maude will produce an English version of
Brieux's Les Hannetons" This adanta-
ton was done by Laurence Irving. the
younger son of Sir Henry Irving, and made
a real furore when given a single nerform-
ance by the stage .ociety not long ago
Probably 1t Will be seen in the limited
States later on-unless American managers
should deem it too strong meat-but in any
case its successor at the PLAYHOUSE will he
tried across the Atlantic.
Inc latter piece which was called
Medor' in Paris, will be known In Eng
iish as "Fido' Written by Henri Malin.
us theme Is really rather novel and win
ming. and Maude tells me he expects If to
duplicate here the immense success which
1t had at the Paris Gymnase when pro
ouced there with Huguenet and Galipaux
IN the two dominating male roles. The first
of these, which Maude will take here. is
that of a timid, kindly -natured soul Of
limited means, who divides his time be-
tween a suburban villa and a government
department. In his youth this miid-man-
nered .'duffer" was favored with the friend
ship of his exact antithess-a big, buster
Ing boy who used him as flag and gener-
al factotum.
and quite naturally fall into their former
relations. The friend is invited to the SUBJ
urban villa and there he plays the tyrant
quite in the old way. AS you see, it is a
nyna md 6anf InJl,
but Parsans liked it none the less All
things considered. Maude is to be enyfed
likewise the American actor who is chosen
for the part OF the builied wight, only nom
inaly master In his own house Look ont
for 'Ffdo!' 1t will be very funny
One Of the most interesting developments
OF the English stage this season il the
organization of The Playgoers' Theater
Company in Manchester. under the man
agement Of B. Iden Payne. with the CO.
operation of Miss A. E. Horniman 1t ia
much as If Philadelphia or Pittsburg should
set out to reform the American stage with
a theater privately subscribed by a wealthy
connoisseur Of the drama, In which really
good American plays should be produced
even though their authors had not yet won
fame. or had been SO amateurish as to
write something thoughtful
The English provincial stage has been
going from bad to worse in the last few
years. many company touring the smaller
English cities with stars awning $40 a
Week-yalue received-for Say fifteen weeks
In the year. The result has been that the
good folk in the ''provinees"-tbat is any
where in the united kingdom except Lon
don-have become Disguised with the
theater. and keep away except on rare
occasions. when a crack London company
can be seen Ion tour
.,~;
In Manchester reformers hope to bring
about a change. They are getting the best
plays money can buy and brains can find
without much regard for whether the au-
thors famous unknown and intend
to open in Manchester early in the autumn
with actors worthy of the west end of
London, and then to go on tour.
Apparently the first purchase of these
earnest Manchester folk was a grim sort of
comedy entitled David Ballard" by
Charles McEyoy, a promising young friend
and protege of Bernard Shaw. The play
was given recently at a special perform
ance by one Of the various London societies |
of amateur supporters of new blood in the |
drama, and attracted a good deal Of serious |
critical attention by vtrture of being q |