Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-28

recopnize individual rights. Each cltZeh
&c q king But the king still amuses MIN
self There is a fascination In the eSpehui-
ture of human vitality when cahiio' oo
resisted We no longer demand tiial guy
evil mo SMILED but we revel in psychic
satisfaction when some creature Vi 'e
,erap,ent pours forth nerve force In torreh-
A., f.ordo, II &c Olga Nethersole whose
nerves are being wrenched. frightened ana
,rrencbcd again to make a holiday for the
,,roso,t multitude She is a marvel OF
human endurance. The lives and surfer
inps of the characters she portrays are SO
vivid and intense that it cannot be peheFeo
that she is net herself living and suffering
with them. She has in a proiouhu oesiee
the faculty of auto-hy pnotism, Whlch
enables her both TO command and 10 en-
durc The technical precision or her art
great as it is is of less significance oy lar
than her native temperamental intensity
Yet Miss Nethersoles art is not wholly
above practical considerations. Her per-
Torrance Of Sapho is in many ways con-
cession TO notorlety rather than a manifes-
tstion of sincere ambition for fame. The
sensuallty of the character is emphasized
with a studied persistence which at times
becomes almost perfunctory.
While It is on "Sapho" that the box office
places its chief reliance Miss Nethersole's
best talents are revealed in some of the
other plays. of less sensational prominence.
Finely artistic as Daudets story undoubt-
edly Is. the decentralization by Mr. Fitch is
made with the palpable purpose Of catching
the popular notice with bits of trickery of
the sort in which he is wonderfully
adept The staircase scene is one of the
most discussed episodes of the entire play;
yet It is of little artistic value, as
compared with other incidents. Its func-
ton is purely practical 1t is merely the
peg upon which to hang enormous ad-
vertisement The Second Mrs Tanque-
ray" Camille" and "Adrienne Lecouv-
reur" are all better plays for Miss Neither
sole for the legitimate display of her ex-
traordnary powers. And Carmen" and
Romeo and Juliet are still better than
these She is an actress who is seen at her
best in an atmosphere of classic sincerity.
The repertory at the New National had
its moments OF morbid gloom, but the week
was on the whole, far less narrowing than
the one which preceded it. 1t Is safe to
say that the epoch of cerebral cyclones in
this Theatre season is past. There is glad
promise In the announcement that during
Mr.. Thomas Jeffersons coming engage
ment school children will be invited to at
tend matinee performance as guests of
the management. What a relief it is TO
welcome to our beautiful city attraction
to which the young person may be invited
with absolute confidence!
There was but one thing needed to make
Ezra KendalTs engagement a complete and
gratifying success to his numerous admir-
ers and that was a better play.
The presentations for the current week
promise a refreshing revival Of childhood
interests. The Gingerbread Man" and
s"Noahs Ark both hint aluringy at the
frollcsome fancies of early youth The
"Noah's Ark of the toy store and THE
Gingerbread Man" Of the corner bakery are
institutions dear TO every recollection, and
1t is strange that they should have waited
go long for their turn at celebration in song
and story behind the footlights.
The efforts Of the weather man to prolong
the regular season prove of scant avail. The
signs Of the times manifest themselves I'M
mlstakably. The city is soon to be de-
pendent upon its own resources for the
atr!cal amusement. These resources have
proved so reliable in the past that there
IS no occasion for regret at the gradual
marently organized for a seasons business.
The local favorite will soon be with US. His
advent is heralded by a thousand onens
Tie umpire has uttered the magic words
play ball The circus has begun to drag
its gaudy fnery through the streets. The
college boys are capering In gauzy pic
turgsIueuess, and every tree and shrub in
the parkngs has made a change OF costume
that indicates new order of things in the
annual program. The names mentioned in
connection with the companies which are to
provide amusement few weeks hence, are
OF such distinction as to leave no doubt Of
warm interest and hearty welcome.
Many new conditions are foreshadowed.
Beasco IS closeted in secluson even from
his own executive staff while he works on
a new play for Warheld. klaw and En-
LANCER are preparing to enter the field of
vaudeville. New theaters are being dis
cussed on papg for this and for other
cities. number of divorces in profess
s,)Hal circles have paved the way for not
able June weddings. Report has Con-
REDS retirement from grand opera man.
aGement IN contemplation and names will
be discussed in connection with the sue
censorship almost as eagerly and abund-
antiy as for presidential nomination
That Of Jean de Reszke is the first to
be mentioned. But these mentionings are
intangible things. About year ago Rich
ard Mansheld's name was brought for
ward with reference to the dictatorship of
a national theater, which has not since
been heard from. The prospectus of a
high-art enterprise is always a very un-
certain affair but vaudeville deal in
varably goes through. The fact that Mr.
Mansfield has made no definite announce
- r.l. f,-4 tt,..,
of regret, not unmIngled with apprehension,
10 the many admirers of that phase of the
drama which he has so indefatigably and
cOurageously exploited.
variation from precedent is also prom
iscd in the humble, though by no means
uupatronized, realm Of burlesque Mr.
Thesis of New York conceived the idea
Of getting away from the stereotyped form
of first part, olIo and after-piece that has
SO long governed this style of entertain