Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-07

~ EDWIN Aruen says SOOO-Dye dt tue
Belasco Theater next Saturday
night. after a successful season of nine
weeks. His farewell offering, Captain
Swift" will exhibit him to advantage. Miss
Charlotte Walker. who has been one of the
bright particular stars at the Columbia
Theater will vacate her dressing room at
that playhouse next Saturday night 10 have
her trunks and makeup boxes removed to
the sta, dressing room of the Belasco The
alter. where she will head the Beiasco
stock company beginning Monday night,
July Is. The Belasco management an
nounces that Miss Walker will first appear
as Nora in "A Dolls House." play In
which Mrs. Fiske and Ethel Barrymore
have won success and that later on she
will appear as .Zaza' in Mrs. Carriers IA
nous play.
The announcement that Miss Walker will
make the shift from one theater to another
will no doubt come as a surprise. But one
should remember that Miss Walker Is I'M
der contract to Betasco for next season
and that Belasco is half owner of the
Washington theater which bears his name
1t is understood that he made 1t possible
for Miss Walker to secure Zaza on very
favorable terms, so that he might come to
Washington that week and see his prospec-
tive star play this strongly emotional role.
At any rate Miss Walkers transfer of allie
glance to the Belasco Theater has aroused
much comment and expectation. and she
will no doubt take her already large fol-
lowing to the Belasco for the balance of her
stay in Washington
Mr. Arden retires to take much-needed
rest before beginning rehearsals for the
new season This vacation will be spent In
a trip abroad, as his physician has advised
an ocean voyage. Mr.. Arden is such
great favorite in Washington that he will
certainly be the recipient OF a marked dem
onstration next Saturday night when he
says farewell in Captain Swift"
1t was interesting to watch, one night re-
Gently at the Belasco, Mr.. Wright Lorrimer
sitting through the performance. Actors
are proverbia!ly bad audience, but Lor-
rimer is an exception to the rule, for the
same enthusiasm which he puts into his
work and the same nervous energy that he
manifests in everything he does comes to
the surface when he is watching a play.
He seems to enjoy it as much as the veriest
tyro MIR. Lorrimer came over from New
York for the sole purpose of seeing the,
work of Miss Amy Ricard He has been
considering her for prominent part in his
new play and his visit recently was 10 en-
gage her.
Asked about his plans for the coming
season. Mr.. Lorrimer said: MY plans nave
| ali been changed 1 have had four years of
| The Shepherd King a play which l IKE
| very much, and which, such has been fss
popularity, l am sure / could have contln-
| ued to play for some time yet. But last
| season | put on at special matinees Ibsens
| THE Wild Duck. for the part OF HJalmar
Ekdal always appeals to me- 1t was SO
| well received by press and public that
| determined to open my Broadway season
| in if this year. and for the purpose of per-
! fecting the play and making the atmosphere
| certain l went to Norway on visit 10 the
| family of Ibsen. obtained lot OF val
! liable material and was permitted to see
| Ibsen's notes the play. On my way
home. while in London, had submitted to
| me the manuscript of play by two ENG
lish authors. Alicia Ramsey and Rudolph
| de Cordova. l was induced to read II ana
| I fell. l was so much struck with the pos
| sibiiities of this piay-it Is called Ihe
| Quicksands-tha l purchased 1t outright,
| and 1t is to be my main romance during this
| coming season."
Mr. Lorrimer is enthusiastic over all he
! does and he is quite wrapped up In Tine
| Quicksands." Those who have read the
| and to think that he has secured play
| that will be epoch-n,aking. Mr.. Lorrimer
| does not care to give out the details OF the
| plot in advance, but it Is known that his
part in it is that Of Austin Ferrars,- the
! young son of an English judge. The love
| interest in the play Is strong and the most
| striking situation is that In which young
and beautiful girl is accused of crime.
| She is tried before Judge Ferrars, who ar
| raigns her bitterly. All Of the time young
Austin Ferrars is in the court and mas TO
| stand by and listen to the condemnation
| of the girl with whom he Is In love. what
makes the situation more dramatic Is the
fact that the crime with which the girl IS
charged was. in reality, committed by
| Austin Ferrars himself. The play deals
| with the elemental human emotions and
| its psychologist interest Is great.
j, Mr.. Lorrimer is his own manager as Wen
as play-buyer. and his dramatic season
| lasts for fifty-two weeks in the year
1t is not generally known that Mr. Lor-
rimer after his education in Worcester.
| special courses at Oxford In psychology
and English literature and on his return
to this country was offered the professor
! ship of English literature in several col,
| ieges He chose instead, the stage and
| after serving for some years as utility man
| of various stock companies ne mace ms
Shepherd King and established his posi-
| ton in the front rank of American players.
BY the way, Mr.. Lorrimer Is at present
| engaged in writing another biblical drama
dealing with the periods Of the kings OF
| Israel He has purchased the American
rights to Eel Mystico," a remarkable play
! by the Spanish author Rusinol, and he has
acquired the rights to one Of Hamlin Gar
| lands stories, which is now being drama
| tized by Mr.. Cecil de Mile.
|
| When Sargent Aborn, junior member of
| the well-known firm of NJ. & s. Aborn, was
| In Washington last Wednesday he spoke
most enthusiastically of the summer opera
| season at the New National and is natur-
ally quite proud of season that has al
| ready broken the local record for attend
anc,. The season at this playhouse was Or
| iginally planned to continue through sup
| Elementary period of five or six weeks. This
| weeks offering of 1.-The Bohemian Girl
witnesses the seventh successful week,
| with no indication of waning interest on
the part of playgoers or a desire on the part
of the opera and theater management to END
the run. In fact. present announcements
| suggest prolonged season If climatic con-
ditions will permit.
Music lovers of Washington have never
before had an opportunity to enjoy roper
toire of musical entertainment of such worth