The Washington herald., 1907-05-05

present Way Down East" If ..The Cab
bage Patch. why not tWay Down East?'
They are cut off the same pattern and
make no Dretensions to aught but a
h0mely interest which is almost unl-
TersaL Ii is announced that Minnie Du-
pree VIII not be sent over with The Road
20 Yesterday, as she is 10 coHtinue iu tie
United States. bat Marguerite Clark. now
with De Wolf Hopper. is 10 show London
the image Of the amusing little piece,
who on Midsummer Nights Eve. when
they say dreams come true. dreams her
self 500 years back for the whole of two
acts, and lives IN the romantic period Gf
Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth. IL is
queer cOuceit and extremely interesting
az that. II had steady vogue at the
Herald Square for several months tiu
crowded out by "The Orchid. and was
able 20 carry its clientele along with fl 10
the Lyric, where il is stiu doing good
/ business.
At III Liberty the last two weeks 81
Eleanor Robson in 'saIomy Jane" are
announced, and fortnight hence this
actress viii close a lerg engagement at
the same playhouse in which the sudden
success of "Saiomv Jane proved one Of
the surprises Of the season.
Miss Robson had tried half dozen
plays without attracting The DubIic. when
Paul Armstrong chivalrously came % her
rescue with his characteristic Western
drama, which is not 50 much a drama
as It is panorama OF wild Western
scenes. with sterling Western types, and
changed the current ot misfortune by
somewhat the same formula he used III
THE Heir to the Hurr5h."
Armstrong claims TO have written the
play in six days and. / believe. six nights.
The stories which the author himself has
been telling about his losing all trace Of
time IN the process Of evolving this drama
out Of his inner consciousness (and Bret
Harte) are almost as interesting as the
play. ard form q delightful chapter in the
annals Of the stage
II he accomplished the task iu six days.
as be says reduced to a mathematical
proposition he must have made about
22J0J a day for tie six days 50 far. with
out taking account 0f the several years
Of royalty netting vogue which may be
safely Prophesied for the play Oh tour
for his earnings from this source are
estimated al between $1,000 and S38Co1
Very wisely, indeed. Armstrong has in
vested part OF his money iu a farm ia
Maryland where he can afford to watch
the rise and fan OF stage stars with the
connplacency Of a philosopher and Phil
istine.
one or more new productions are
scheduled before the season closes. OF
which the most notable is likely 10 be
Virginia Harmed ia Anna Karenina.'
from Tolstols novel which VIII probably
be seen at Days In a short time. Miss
Harmed is credited with having made the
first substantial E!t in some years in tfis
play Ia the cities where she has been sx-
perimenJaly trying it far some weeks
past. II Is said t. be not only a splendid
play, but one which gives this admirable
actress opportunities 70 do the best work
of which she Is capable
The principal interest of the week iu
dramatic circles was concentrated on tls
merger between the Shuberts and tie
theatrical syndicate. which on one hand is
said 70 be a working arrangement only.
by which the Shuberts dispose of some
of their surplus thealers for vaudeville
purposes In return for which all the one
night stands are thrown open 10 the in
dependents. and on the other hand. as
reciprocal surrender, and IN fact, the
preliminary TO another trust One man
described il as "a wolf in sleeps cloth
ing" Belasco and Fiske have vigorously
proclaimed their positions 20 be one Of
absolute independence both OF the Shu-
berts and the trust. j want no C0uceS-
si0ns from the trust through the back
door of the Shubert Offices. declared
Belasc0.. III I required any such com
cessions could have had them direct
from the syndicate long ago. when they
made 0vertures TO me-. Fiske occupies
the same platform. and now the situa CioI
is developing even greater interest by
the threatened exposure of secret deals
and propositions made al intervals dur
ing the great fight thar has been going
IN for some years now.
FRED T. sCHEABER