Los Angeles herald., 1908-09-06

~
edy, "The Devil" constitutes
u the sole dramatic novelty of the
current week. The play will be pre-
sented at both the Burbank and Be
lasco theaters. thus providing par
allel between Los Angeles and New
York, where the same comedy is being
presented nightly at rival theaters un-
der rival managements.
In New York the rival devils are
George Arliss and Edwin Stevens. Here
the parts will be played by Byron
Beasley and Harry Glazier. In the
east Harrison Grey Fiske and Henry
w. Savage are the contesting man
ayers. In Los Angeles Oliver Morosco
and Frederick Belasco stand sponsors
for the impending productions.
If any thing were needed to enhance
interest in this rather curious situa-
ton 1t Is provided by an announce
ment made yesterday by Manager H.
c. Wyatt OF the Mason opera house,
who has booked a road company under
Savage management to present the
same play at his house in October.
Thus, within a few weeks time we
are to see three productions upon local
stages of a play which; a month ago,
never had been staged in America.
Both "Smart" and Naughty
In view of the plays surprising
vogue in the east 1t is fair to assume
that 1t possesses certain remarkable
qualities which perhaps are better illus
trated in it's dialogue than in its ac-
ton. First of all the comedy is
''gmart" It's lines are cynically. sa-
tirically brilliant. Likewise 1t is
naughty. 1t Is tragedy or comedy, as
you may be pleased to view it, in the
same sense that "Mrs. Warrens Pro-
fession" can be MADE to fall into either
category There is a partial disrobing
scene which, doubtless. will be SUBJ
dued somewhat at both local houses,
and there is much skillful twaddle.
devilishly ingenious, regarding the
sanctity of the marriage relation.
Written, as you doubtless know, by
a Hungarian who, as there is no
copyright agreement between Hun
able to protect his work in this coun-
try, numerous translations and adapta-
tions of the play already are upon
the American market. At the Bur-
bank the Fiske version will be used
This is the translation staged by Har-
rison Grey Fiske at the Belasco thea
ter, New York, in which George Ar
liss is playing the title role.
The version which will be presented
at the local Belasco is, I understand,
an independent translation which per-
haps has never been acted. Mr.. Mo-
rosco having secured the Fiske script
and Henry w. Savage electing to play
his own revision here later, nothing
remained for the Belasco management
but an untried translation. However.
the translator has the benefit accruing
from familiarity with both the Fiske
and Savage productions and his task
probably was one of selection, quite
as much as adaptation. Doubtless the
difference in script will not be very
marked.
Story of the Play
The story of the comedy follows:
A Young artist romantically inclined
hut decently respectful of the pro-
prieties of life, has for six years avoid
ed meeting the woman who at one
period of his life appealed to him. She
Is married to the usual respectable
man of an age somewhat in advance
of her own, and is loyal to him.
Assuming that the chapter in her
life which involved the artist has been
forever closed, she is engaged with her
husband in trying to bring about the
marriage of the artist and her niece.