The Washington herald., 1907-03-10

number of those who witnessed the
performance OF The Great Divide"
at the Belasco last Monday night
saw the play when it was first produced
here at the beginning Of the season. Mon
day nights large audience was made up
Of people attracted by the controversy
over the piece as originally presented and
by the reputation it has since achieved
as one of the great successes of the New
York season. In other words, no keen
yearning for a second view of the Moody
drama has pervaded the bosoms of any
considerable number Of those who saw it
last fall. Once was enough, strong and
gripping as the interest of the plot
may be. Which is in a way an answer
to the pretentous talk Of the manager
for Mr. Henry Miller and Miss Margaret
Anglin about 1.-THE Great Divide" as "the
great American play" No play can well
deserve to be called great that deals
with conditions necessarily evanescent,
temporary IL might almost be said. ac-
cidentaI, and with characters that are
neither fine nor typical. The conditions in
our Western States and Territories with
which the plays Of THE Great Divide"
class deal can no more be regarded as
representing a state of society than can
the muss and litter and confusion that
mark the site and surroundings of an
edince in construction be taken account
of in estimating the architectural value
OF the completed edifice. II is interesting
10 see a building under construction.
There is life and hustle and instruction
In the sight. But we enjoy il only for
moment. and then mainly because Of
subconscious anticipation OF what il is
going to lead to-the completed edifice.
True. even an old and thoroughly organ
lied and orderly society. a society that
has entered its final normal state. can
not be compared TO a building, for I'm all
states and stages Of society there must
be change. There is decay if there isn't
growth. But in our Western communi-
ties with which dramatists of the dav
love 20 deal things are mostly in such a
crude condition that one is warranted in
saying the raw materials OF society are
only assembling. Now il may be posi-
bic for some heaven-born genius TO base
the great American" drama on chaotic
social conditions like these that are not
at all representative and viii disappear in
few years. But no one less gifted than
a heaycn-bOTn genius may do il. and
most people viii assume the Missouri at
utude even toward his efforts. Mr.. VIII
liam Vaughn Moody assuredly hasn't
done il. although it is generally agreed
he has written "a strong play. based on
repellaRt Incidents that must De exeep-
tonal in the CTudeSt and widest of the
frontier communities. There is no wide
appeal IN the story Of THE Great Divide"
1t Is elemental in its revelation Of the
animal in man. In less skillful hands
than those Of the members OF the Miller
Angiin company It would quickly find its
way 10 theaters devoted to ''thrillers." II
Is good acting that makes it go with the
patrons of hrst-class houses not the
greatness Of the play. although there is
no intention to question the cIeverness of.
lis construction.
It's too bad some one doesn't dash off
real comic opera book for De Wolf
Hopper and persuade Reginald de Koven
TO provide the music, than whom no one
IN these United States can do il better
at the present writing 1t is true HOPPER
has always shown a weakness for pure
foolery that leaves unhampered his child
Ism passion for buTlesque ana hOrseplay
But now that he's getting unyoung. and
his limbs are no longer timber as of yore.
perhaps he might be brought TO realize
Inn NJ
on the stage depends on "straighter's
work than he has been doing for 10. these
twenty years And Hopper could do work
as straight as real comic opera REQUIRES.
lie still preserves TO marked degree
the unctuousness Of other DAYS. as those
VINO saw him last week in the foolerv of
that futile thing. "Happyland." can tes-
uty. He holds his boyish spirits to
surprising degree. but they are largely
wasted these later days. because they al
ways manifest themselves in the one old
way, owing to the fact that he practically
builds uD his own roles for the very Dur
pose Of permitting himself to stand by The
aImless nonsense which costs him no eff
fort 10 perpetrate. OF this, however. the
public IS getting weary. for it has learned
II by heart His singing voice isn't much
but then 1t never was. and his shortage
IL this regard need not interfere with his
success in real comic opera. for even there
a great deal in the way Of vocal short
coming is forgiven the comedian. And 2
true comic opera with roles worth while
for two such capable comic assistants as
Hopper has in "Happylaud" wouldn't be
a thing of season. It might reasonably
be expected To last half a dozen. But
where Is the hhrettist to provide the book
for such a comic opera? A book with the
real comedy situations and characterize
tons Of 'Fatinitza. say. or 'Boccaccio.
or even 'EEminie?" Echo answers.
Where?
Boston critics concede that NovelH. The
italian actor who has been seen there the
past week for the first time i'm this coun-
try, may fairly be placed among the
great players Of the contemporaueousl
theater. He seems to possess all the quail |
tiles. lie has high intelligence. deep and
So mpathet!c insight into the psychology /
OF great characters, striking power Of eN- /
pressing not only passion and the COM |
moner emotions. but the more intricate
and complex moods OF the soul. unsur- /
passed mobility Of feature. voice Of the |
richest and most varied quality. and a fin
ished technique always easily and entire /
iy at his command. His two most notable /
and valuable natural gifts seem to be his /!
voice and his eyes by which he conveys /
10 his audience in a way that is said to /
have been seldom approached on our
stage the most delicate shades OF feeling I.
OF every nature. His voice seem. to be /