The Washington times., 1907-03-03

4
Quite decidedly the event Of the week.
theatrically. was the beginning OF the
Mansfield engagemnt At the New am
sterdam. Mr.. Mansfield opened Monday
night ia Peer Gynt." which he pro-
poses TO play for the first three OF his
four weeks engagement and wind UP
with a week Of repertoire. Unless, how
ever. the public likes Peer Gynt'' bet
ter than the press does, II would be ad-
visable TO begin the repertoire earlier
For there is singular unanimity among
the critics One and all, they say that
Peer Gynt" is a great production.
great poem. but-not a great play They
give Mr. Mansfield every credit for rras-
terly acting. and acknowledge tie debt
the stage owes him for his courage as a
producer. but they cannot find Peer
Gynt' anything more than interest
ing" No one accuses It OF being dra-
matte
uring his final week in repertoire.
Nj Mansfield proposes TO play The
Scarlet Letter" Beau Brummel," a
Partisan Romance" "Dr. JekyH and
Mr.. HYDE. Beau Brummel' again. and
on Saturday The Scarlet Letter at
the matinee. and "a Partisan Romance
at night
After AIansheId's Peer Gynt. the
novelty on Broadway is The Bish-
ops Carriage" Claiming Pollock 5
dramatization Of Miriam Michelson's
book, with Jessie Busby at the head OF
the company Il is the first time in
years that the old Grand Opera House
has seen a New York premiere. and il
was a distinct success Miss Busby
PLAYED Nance OIden as IL the part had
been built for her IL was a revelation
Of Just how clever a clever little girl
can be. given chance. Aside from her
performance. that OF James Keant, in
the part Of Dorgan, has come in for
considerable praise. Lav.aia Shannon
and Rose Etynge played small parts
with distinction. and sam Reed as a
bibuIous old gentleman. and Ernest c.
joy as L true 70 life reporter. are worth
mentioning.
ON Parole" by Louis Evan Shipman,
with Charlotte Walker and Vincent
Serrano in the leading parts, opened
at the Majestic and was received on the
whole with. well-frlendIy Indifference.
IL is a war play without any gunpow-
during the war. rather than Of the
North. but tells IS without bitterness.
i is. on the whole. well played, but IL
Is bit too tallxy. ShIpman takes rather
too long getting down % business.
''Brewster's Millions, which wa,
moved out OF the New Amsterdam u
make room for Mansfield. has estab
lished itself at the Hudson, and expect.
to stay there throughout this season
and possibly next. Had not Mrs Lesli
Carter-s plans gone agley. however. tn
Hudson would have been by now occu
pied BY Cleo. and 'Brewster's Millions
might have been placed on the road.
Broadway, by the way, IS taking
certain malicious interest in the new
that Mrs. Leslie Carter IS about 10 brin
a suit against Dillingham; as the fina
chapter in the .'affaire Cleo" Nobod
seems 10 know just what the suit
all about Dillingham; says that h
doesn't. as he has not yet seen IN
paDers in the case. but he assume
that the action will involve the uues
ton Of contract"
How did he guess
Edward Lauterbach, Mrs Carte
Payne's attorney. says:
Il cannot go into details now. b.
Mrs Payne and Mr.. Dillingham; hol
different opinions as 10 their respectiN
positions. The action viii involve II
Question Of their contract, which We
originally made for five years. tt
trouble is the outgrowth Of the dificu
ties in arranging the production of NJ
Royle's cleo. "
II is the common belief in theatric
circles that the present suit will det
\ nitely end all business relations betwet
Mr.. Dillingham; and Mrs. Carter-Payn
IL On various occasions ii has been T
| ! ported that the Shuberts have desir'
10 add Mrs. Carter Payne to their Ii
/ OF attractions
\ Meanwhile. one can imagine Dav
BeIasco. being human. as sitting ba'
IN his chair and smiling impartlally
his former star and her new manage
and saying to them both: We'll. "
would do il, Don't YOU wish "
hadnt2'
There is also considerable amuseme
over the operate situation Sign
Bonee. "the small statue with the b
voice. has forsaken the Hammerste
force. and gone over 10 Herr Conri
next season, and the reason for it a