The Washington herald., 1907-11-17
NEW YORK THEATERS.

Special Correspondence The Washington Herald
New York. Nov. 16.-It may be true on
general principle that there must be
some fire where there is much smoke.
but the rule hasn't held good with re-
gard 10 this weeks productions. There
have been many new productions. but 1t
Will take the Official count az / may use
political figure of speech to deter
mine which Of the many is entitled to be
called a genuine success.
Be II understood that number of the
new attractions are far from dIsappoint-
ing Some, like "The Christian Pilgrim"
and TON JONES'" are worthy Of the
highest praise. IL we were permitted TO
apply the leveiing test of simple merit
10 performance, and some will have theii
long inning here because they are sim
ply interesting; but neither OF these. nor
The Coming OF Mrs. Patrick" nor 'The
Regeneration Of Aunt Mary" has scored
In an emphatic way.
THE Coming OF Mrs. Patrick" for In
stance. deals with an engaging subject
Ia an engaging manner, and with the
changes which have been introduced since
the first night, is not unlikely 10 grow on
the affection Of the patrons of the little
Madison Square Theater. But unfortu-
nately II has had 20 stand comparison
with Miss Rachel Crothers' maiden sue
cess, her clever play. Tho Three of Us"
and it has not eclipsed that, nor, in fact,
equaled Il.
There is a fatality in second plays Of
young authors who happen 10 score with
their first-born. 1t was so with George
AIDES Good Samaritan" written along
the lines OF his striking success. The
/ College Widow" 1t was wiped of the
slate in one night here, though Il had
/ its good points Percy Mackaye expert
| enced this fatality in his ''Sappho and
| Phaon" after the success OF jeanne
Dare and Charles Klein. in his second
series independent effort. "The Step
Sister"
| In The Coming OF Mrs. Patrick Laura
I Nelson Hall is charming as the nurse,
whose coming into a disOrdered house
/ hold rehabilitates domestic turmoil and
/ brings order out OF chaos, and the play
I is interesting for two acts and wearisome
J in the third. with some admirably touches
( here and there and more or less indiffer-
ent handling OF the available material
at critical junctures. IL is one of those
plays that you can enjoy without being
profoundly stirred by a dramatic moment
Of real consequence.
May Robson did her best Tuesday even
ing to make something OF Anne War
ner's farcial comedy, The Retuvenation
Of Aunt Mary" which had its premiere
at the Garden Theater, but II was a
straight appeal 10 people who laugh when
q man slips up on a banana peel and
I jars his spine. One critic describes II
as Alvin Joslin resexed, and another finds
/ its nearest affinity in Mrs Wigs OF the
Cabbage Patch" neither OF which should
I be cited as examples OF cohesive drama,
though IL would be folly 10 deny that
/ they possessed the merit OF flliDg the
( house
I The rejuvination Of Mary consists Of
some more or less laughable experiences
which fan to the lot OF sedate spinster
/ from the farm during her visit 10 the
| city, I'm which she mistakes crabs for
I spiders and makes other excusable errors
4 Of judgment calculated 20 evoke the fool
/ ish laugh, and IN which an automobile
| experience is introduced. as a matter Of
/ course. Even with this raw material
\ the actress managed 10 be interesting
and May Robson. who can play Queen
i Elizabeth with dignity. or slavey with
al the becoming absence Of dignity that
/ belongs 70 the genius. rose superior even
/ 10 the rank absurdlt!es Of Aunt Mary.
/ There IS always a clientele for what is
+ drastic, however unreal, on the stage.
/ and so II may fall cat in the end that
/ the well-tried expcdients OF story and sit
uauon IN thor reversed form. as applied
I 20 q spinster instead OF the conventional
Reuben, may capture popular favor. and
! that the exaggerated characteristics OF
Z an elderly female who =: three weeks
/ forgets the experience OF A lifetime 10
/ the extent Of smoking cigarettes. playing
I poker. and wearing her lingerie 10 bed.
/ on her return 20 the old farm. may ap-
peal cOnviHcinGly 90 the credulitv of an
/ applauding multitude II was evident
4 that the appeal was not to the class Of
/ people who the week before had listened
I in the same theater 10 the enchanting
strains Of Madam Butterfly" That
/ there was real IN the performance was
/ or Miss Robson's own making. for ever
| amid the meretricious farrago Of horse
: play. she had lucid Intervals during
which she gave tokens OF knowing her
/ business.
At the Astor. Raymond Hitcbcock's
place was taken by Tom Jones" the
comic opera by Edward German. which
has been seen in various cities before its
advent in New York. The most praise
worthy element Of this musical treatment
Of Fielding's famous novel is the score.
/ which. though lacking in the light dash
/ or The Merry Widow" and cOmaOsitIons
| Of the Vienese school. IS melodic and
musicianly and affords a grateful relief
from the average musical comedy svvash
by composers VINO pick their tunes out on
a piano with one finger These ''old Eng
!ish" melodies are very charming. sug-
costing in q way Sullivan's "Sorcerer'
( and de kGv Goblin Hood. and some
OF the scoring Oi ~Iian Edwards. and the
only criticism that could be reasonably
( applied 10 them Is that they grow mo-
] notonous 20 the musical ear, and that the
composition lacks something of the true
spirit Of comic opera. Yet IL Is a far step
! forward toward a return 10 the good
things Of two decades ago and VIII prob
ably help to hasten the establishment OF
a better and more discriminating taste in
musical performances.
At the Lyric, Mrs Patrick Campbell
opened her American tour TO a packed
house Monday night IN The Second Mrs.
I Tanqueray." which many consider Pine
rOs chef d'ouvre. Her performance was
masterful. and she scored q genuine tri-
only. and from appearances she will have
4 L. a. !.