The Washington herald., 1907-03-31

and dogged determination there IS bound
10 be respect also. On the stage only one
side of the man can be shown.
The Thernadiers. husband and wife
foul wretches as they appear in Huso's
pages. seem in their squalor and vicious
ness only two more types Of the melo-
dramatic villain that has so often done
duty on the stage The whole episode
of the III treatment of Cosette reminded
spectators most. keenly OF the similar
theme in 'The TWO Orphans" The love
affair Of Marius and Cosette is a beau
tiful idyll as pictured by Cosette; for
stage purposes it has TO be hurried and
condensed and twisted about so that
much of the beauty of the situation is
lost Jean Naljeanl There. at least, is
one character that may be pictured, in
measure. adequately, but that is because
it is the star part; the best actor in the
company plays it; the man who plays
il chose what he wanted from the great
mass Of Hugo's material and discarded
what he pleased. The result is. after all,
but a feeble reflection of Jean Vatican,
the man of the galieys; NJ. Madeline. the
philanthropic mayor. the savior of Co
sette. the rescuer from the barricades Of
| Marius
1t must be said that Mr.. Wilton Lack
aye, always a clever and conscientious
player. has done the best be could in
adapting Victor Hugo's novel to the
stage. He has exercised much wise re-
preston; he does not insist too strongly
on Jean having the center Of the stage.
His situations-though they lack unity.
the prime essential of a successful drama
ARE natural. unfOrced. and move Uner-
ringly to their climax. Wherein, then.
does the play fail TO satisfy?
Ia the first place the play does not pre-
sent any new moral It's only moral is
the one that was presented 50 strongly
by Hugo and Which the limitations of the
stage only weakens-that only the good
shall be happy" Then again, the play
is not a happy one. The only persons
made happy in the play are Marius and
COsette, and they are such shsdowy fig-
ures in the drama. so puny compared to
the heroic figure of Naliean. that their
happiness OF sorrow does not seem OF
much consequence TO the audience.
The truth is that Hugo took q large
canvas when he painted Les Miserables.
II is one of the novels that seems in fair
way to live. It IS counted, because Of its
humanity. among the classics. The task
of COMPRISING il was a Herculean one,
and while the effect was worthy.
it does not seem that Mr.. Lackaye has
quite succeeded, 1t is doubtful whether
any one could succeed in such task. As
he said himself in one of his inimitable
curtain speeches he had tried TO get many
we'll known dramatists TO make a play
for him out of the book. Al had refused.
and the most prominent among them gave
as his reason for refusal that il he should
succeed the credit would all be given 20
Victor Hugo; if he failed the public
would say See, he can't even make a
good play with Hugo to help him."
Hugo wrote for the stage and knew
its possibilities. If he had thought Les
Miserables" capable OF dramatic repre-
sentation it is pretty certain that he
would have attempted it himself.
Mr.. Charles Klein, the author Of '"The
Lion and the Mouse" is a small and SOM
Der man in middle life. who, oddly
enough, takes his occupation seriously.
Now and then he has been chided for
this. and in mood of frank confession
the other day-the occasion being a din
ner rendered 10 him by some fellow
dramatists-he said;
Without wishing TO appear esotistical,
I am amused in quiet sort of way when
some Of nay companion playwrights poke
fun at me on the score that / am not
willing to regard the theater as Joke
Ny reply to this-never before publicly
eXpressed-is that too many Of our bright
, young dramatists go to pieces through
becoming satirical and fiighty. ] think
that the man who is given the privilege
OF talking through the medium of actors
before audiences generally larger than
are 10 be found in churches. has a mis-
sion in life. 1t is incidentally 90 instruct
while apparently amusing his auditors,
How are any of US 10 arrive at the great
American drama If we attempt 10 bring
it forth while laughing up our sleeves
It is a mighty serious prOposition-to ask
people to pay money TO listen while you
} unfold acts before them; and though ]
may be overTeaching myself. my advice tC
. all who would see a play staged is tC
realize. that there are more intelligent
and thoughtful persons interested in their
work than there are iighted-hearted and
fiippant individuals skipping through the
surface life Of the town and intermittent
ly gathered together on first night e
spot the flaws and TO have a hearty
. laugh between the acts at the faults OF
the playwright"
The affilistion of George N. Cohan and
Sam II. Harris with Klaw < Erlanger
who have started in to compete with the
Keith-Proctor- Williams combine in pro-
ducing vaudeville. indicates that the bat
tie Of interests win be sharp and de.
cisive While Mr.. Cohan. librettist actor
and manager. has of late been identified
with musical comedy. he did not always
devote his attention TO this branch OF
b I sta r14fr
known as a member of the -Four Cohans
one of the best vaudeville teams in
America. and not only acted but wrote
scores of sketches, many of which are
! still being presented. The young man
! he is still under thirty-had a way OF
I providing just the class Of entertainment
patrons of variety houses wanted ano
giving them a rapid-fire show that made
his pieces sought by managers from one
{ end OF the country to the other. He
] not only furnished the ideas and wrote
the books but he composed the music
as well. When kIaw & Erlanger evolved
: the idea Of presenting a new sort OF
= vaudeville and wanted some one to fur.
lRish the musical comedy end, they
thought of Mr. Cohan. with the result
| that he viii provide Immediately siN
S musical sketches. These will be tabloid
{ musical comedies, intended to run about
an hour
, BY Improved vaudeville Klaw & Er.
LANCER mean Just what the title implies
They hold that there is little new in va,
, riety entertainment as il is now pre-
( sented. save when European acts are i'm
? ported and that TO make a success Of the
I venture they will be forced to offer q
= different sort of entertaiDment This they
will accomplish by dividing the evening
3 furo Tos4r narfS sThere Will he fftsy min.
utes Of spectacular melodrama. an houl
,e .....alaaI nnraaa.- thir..- .,.ln..aoa - Il