The Washington herald., 1907-03-24

He hoodo0 that. seemed 10 assal
the local playhouses the week be
fore last was lifted to some ex-
tent last week and business went
back to something like its normal basis.
At all Of the theaters business was most
satisfactory, and the outlook for the pres
ent week is encouraging. Last week the
local theaters all had attractions Of
merit. At the BeIasco the fact that two
Of Joseph Jefferson's SONS, in conjunction
with Aubrey Boucieault, were presenting
a new comedy. proved a magnet strong
enough 10 draw large houses. The
comedy they presented. Playing the
Game. by Cleveland Mofet and Hartley
Davis. was, however, hardly up to the
standard 1t has some good situations
and one or two clever characterizauons
but it is too involved in plot struggles
too hard for its laughs, ever to be en-
tirely popular 1t is. however, health
ful sign that Joseph and William Winter
jefferson are willing TO try out new
American plays, and it is 10 be hoped that
the fact that they have failed. in this
Instance of picking big winner will not
deter them. The name Of Jefferson is
held IN high repute by the American peo-
pie. but those who love the stage cannot
help remembering how very little. in point
Of fact. the elder Jefferson did for the
profession of which. at the time of his
death and for some years previously, he
had been the dean.
Il was the father of Aubrey Boucicault
who hrst made Washington Irving's story
of RIP Van yVinkie' into an actable
play, and once fitted with the character
of Rip. Joseph Jefferson seemed content
He made d vast fortune from the play
He staged it adequately, but not lavishly,
and never allowed himself TO be too ex-
travagant in the matter of a supporting
company. TO this one play he stuck-with
temporary excursions into Lend Ne Five
ShIllings, The Rivals, and other non
royalty plays-for many years, and
though he derived his fortune from the
stage. there is no record that he ever
spent "a dollar for the encouragement Of
dramatic ideals OF to the support Of the
American dramatist
The jefferson generation Of to-day
seems 20 have other ideas, II is 10 be
hoped that the sons of ,heir father may
ind real American play Of merit and
win fortune bravely
Alfred Sutro made a really strong, fine
play in The Walls OF Jericho It is "a
picture of a certain phase of life in Lon
don society which, because it is not a
normal phase. is interesting. The great
trouble with such plays is that there is
more or less danger that people in the
audience-who go 10 the stage for in
struction, which they receive voluntarily
or invountarily-wiH come 10 believe that
the Marquis Of Steventon ana Lord Dray-
ton, his son, are typical of the British
aristocracy. As matter of fact, while
there may be such society people in Lon
don as Lady PaFchester. Lady Alethea
and the Duchess of Wye, they are ab
normal. and should not be taken as eX-
amples
In certain ways the play is not so we'll
done as it was when Air. Hackett first
put IL on In the first place, his support
ing company is by no means so good as
it was al first. and when one compares
Miss Beatrice Beckley with Miss Mary
10
one feels like exclaiming: oh what a
ial was there, my countrymen.' The
company as a whole is by no means 50
gnod as that which supported Mr.. Hack
tu last season, and the play suffers from
IT, MI Hackett too, seems TO be de-
velOping mannerisms which do not add
H. his value as a player. II may be that
lie is trying TO forget forever the strident
voice that was necessary when he was
the hero Of such swash- buckling plays as
''rhe Prisoner OF Zenda, and the like,
but il so he is making d mistake in play
ing tricks with his voice. dropping it al
most 10 a whisper now and then, speaking
80 hurHedly that he is almost inarticulate,
and at other times letting It swell forth
into its natural volume.
II really seems as If Mr.. Hackett has
been playing the part of Jack Frobisher
too long; he seems tired of it.; he plays
il as if il bored him, or he had gone
stale" as they say of race horses that
are not up to she mark He has much on
his mind just now as an Independent
manager, having several compaaies on
his hands, and his mOney-hard won.
through long years of artistic labor-tied
Up in various theatrical enterprises: and
then, too the Illness OF Miss Mannering-
an these things may have combined 10
throw him of the key. At any rate. there
is no denying that MIR. Hackett was not
at his best.
At the New National there was crafty
ing interest taken in the Shakespearean
performance OF Mr.. Robert MantelI,
worthy and conscientious player. who
after years Of striving has at last reached
the goal Of his ambition and who seems
to be coming into his own. It was a va
ried bill he offered Washington theater-
goers and a wide range of parts he es-
sayed: Macbeth. OthellO, Shylock. Lear.
Hamlet and Brums. The mental task
of committing the lines of these
parts to memory is prodiglous It
stands TO reason that ne one actor
can hope TO interpret all OF these
parts equally we'll It is much more than
a mere question of study though no one
can hope to act Shakespeare successfully
without a highly intellectual conception
OF what the great dramatist meant Other
things enter into the production Of Shake
speare's plays. A company that may fit
very well into Hamlet may prove gro
tesqueIy UNIT in -otheilo;" and although
It may be said that Mr. Mantelrs com
pany was adequate in its presentations OF
the past week, It displayed no briIliancy
In any one OF its members.
The stage settings. too are an fmpor-
tant factor. and OF course player can
not expect to equip six or seven Shake
spearean plays as iavishly as IL all his
capital were devoted TO putting on one
play and doing that exceilently Mr. Man
tells performances did NOT ua4ffar how