Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-07

A the Wall street reporters say,
~ the theatrical market is looking
IA UP. The week showed a decided
Il a recovery from the depression
which always occurs at the end
Of Lent and appreciation was liberal both
for the classic. represented by she
stoops to CONQUER" and the modern. as
embodied In George Washington. jr
Both plays are severely characteristic of
their class 1t is remarkable to think that
the Goldsmith comedy while In re-
hearsal away back yonder In the days
when men seemed to live strictly for the
cake of what their biographers might have
TO saw about them resented because of Its
absurd extravaganCe To the playgoer
of today it appears to have plot OF Sc
we're precision. and It's humor seems OFTEN
restrained by the exact nicely OF lts dlc-
ton. MIR. Crane is quoted as saying that
this production Is the most evenly meri-
torlous OF any in which he has appeared
and Mr.. Crane is player of the con-
servative school not given TO three-sheet
exaggerations in red type. Every spec
tator at the performance must feel that
MI Crane speaks with the business of crit
iclsm rather than with the enthusiasm OF
personal interest.
Miss Ellis Jcrrreys is more than due to
sweep the country with a sensational sue
cess The American public is sometimes
a LITTLE slow at getting acquainted with
Its stars 1t receives them at first with a
certain ffdcnce. 1t requires to be in
troduced and in the face of all creden-
tails still further requires demonstration
The Missouri idea dominates the temper
OF the entire people in matter OF the
a,rfcaI merit. Miss Jeffreys has been ap-
plauded with enthusiasm for heE presenta-
tions of roles which demand the utmost
artistic finesse. There is no WORD OF uis-
sen+ az 10 bsr IA ent or personal charm.
What is awaited now Is Jeffreys play
one which Will belong to the actress ana
to her American career, a distinctly native
and personal product. The old comedies
delightful as they arc. appeal rather as
preliminary and academic assurances OF
competent workmanship on the part Of
PLAYER. II Is impossible to score with one
Of them the whirlwind success of the sort
in which this western continent so de
lights.
Washington has at last taken George NJ.
Conan to its bosom. In the past he mas
heen wont to roast our beautiful city most
'. y
denominated The Spotlight'-what an ap-
propriate name for actors Publication
has almost gone so far as TO compare 1t
with Providence r. l. Just why Provi-
dence IS held in such disesteem by many
Of tLe profession is not clear, but the fact
stands that its name brings a shadow OF
sadness whenever II is mentioned among
rlsyfolk Cohans original appearance
here Immediately after his graduation from
vaudeville was i'm a concoction called The
Governors Son" which had complications
plot sufficient to equip half dozen
r'eys Washington did not care much for
f.. 1t I'D not know Mr.. Conan very well
ANYHOW. and the piece presented nothing
Of n compelling quality.
Ii conveyed sturdy promise. however, and
NJ Cohan's work has risen steadily in IS
TEEN. until now the city reaches for high
hats and opera cIoaks and turns out multi
tudinou .Iy to greet him The Cohan method
Of advertising has about 1t Juvenile ebul-
Mency that sometimes gets little in the
WAY But when II comes to song writing
and novelties in stage production there is
no doubt Of his being the genuine material.
aid there is no reason on earth for any ones
not liking Mr.. Cohan; that is, any one who
can heed the request of the author-actor-
COmposer-staEe manager not to take him
seriously George Washington, jr." did a
heavy weeks business Some people liked
it enormously. Others found but little in it
To appreciate Which is the case with all
musical comedies, however successful.
The enjoyment of a musical piece IS a
subjective rather than an objective mani
festatlon. After the authors and the players
have done all that was possible to produce
d bright and merry show, their efforts may
go wrong far as an individual auditor is
concerned, mercy because of torpid liver
or an unruly digestion A bit of Camembert
may wreck the entire performance. Hence
the uncertainty of theatrical investments
The Belasco Theater last week gave its
time over TO the non-professional players.
The amount OF talent which this city has
supplied to the theater has often and again
been remarked upon and the performances
which occurred offered ample assurance
that the supply Is by no means exhausted.
II is unlikely, however that a large per-
ceutage Of the players who contributed So
charmingly to charity and the entertain
ment Of their friends will ever face the
footlghts. AS one of the young women who
had consented to appear among the merry,
merry was rushing madly to effect a change
or costume, the cold, Oteely voice OF the
stage manager propounded the question In
tones OF professional sarcasm: How would
You Ike to be doing this because you had
10 for eighteen per week." "Nevurr!' was
the unstudied but convincing response.
The closing weeks OF this season bring to
notice some significant changes in the as
pect OF theatrical affairs as compared with
lie Carter, no longer the favorite star of
David Belasco, has returned to her old rep
ertory. with the promises OF brilliant new
production such she was wont to make
each season unrealzed. Richard Mansfield
closed his season quite early because, It Is
said OF nervous collapse. The manner In
which Anna Dunn. who p,ayed Ase in Peer
Gynt," says that Mr.. Mansfield used to toss
her the roof In the first act regardless
of possible bruises or broken bones. would
indicate q somewha: stressful condition in
tic eninant actor Some NJ he critjCs-,,,s