Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-12-12

is hard for me to tear myself away
! from a safe harbor TO sail unknown
theatrical waters But ! am going to
do it because am still an American
through and through and am anxious
! to please my own people"
Marie George Is really the pet of
| Old Drury and it is her own fault il
| she is not spoilt. I looked about the
big dressing room in which we We're
| sitting and remarked on its luxurious
fittings, the easy chairs, and the big
| open fire, that robbed the chill from
| the November fog that penetrated even
back stage.
! You won't get a dressing room like
I this in the United States" I said
Il know | won't" Miss George ans
wered, with sigh. but then,you know
We have almost unlimited room here.
| The cast of The Marriages of May
fair which we are now playing, does
not number more than 80 people from
| principals to supers while in panto-
mine time more than a thousand are
engaged back stage But ! don't care
how cherries my dressing room in the
| United States is if can be sure of
| a warm welcome from the people on
the other side Of the footlghts."
I discovered among other things
that, Marie Georges horizon was not
bounded by musical comedy. had,
! before my interview with her vague
\
of Mayfair,"--that of the villainess-
had been assumed by her somewhat as
| a filler to occupy her time until the
nantomine season rolled around.
| learned thataI was long way from the
! mark.
do you know" she said towards the
end of our talk, that my present part
| is a big step. towards the realization
| of my ambition. really want to get
out of musical comedy despite the fact
| that 1 have been so successful in it,
1t would be one of the happest NOM
| ents of my life if l could work under
a master like Belasco. I wonder if
Will ever get the chance?"
| John Powell tried a new American
suite! of his own composing, on an
English audience for the first time
! at his piano recital this week. and the
occasion proved to have considerable
| significance, for it is doubtful if such
characteristically American music has
ever been provided before in a serious
composition for the piano. The suite
| is entitled "Atl the Fair" and the
movements are THE Merry-go Round:''
THE Hoochee- Coochee Dance .'The
Circasslan Beauty, The Snake
Banjo Players"--subiects that might
well prove alarming to dignificd not
| to say solemn gathering with minds
| attuned TO Bach,Beethovena and Brahms
! In THE Hoochee-Coochee Dance"
Powell has been bold enough to en-
| ploy the familiar and rather disreplt-
able melody usually connected with this
peculiar form of entertainments; but ne
| develops it on thorough nlusicianly lines
| into something charming and worthy
of thoughtful attention. Familiar,
honely melodies appearsin some Of the
other movements. too, but treated with
dignity as well as sense OF hu,nor.
| The composition makes no pretense OF
being profound. but it is never cheap,
and it is uncommonly fresh and inter-
esting. And it Is more genuinely Amer
lean than anything Dvurak was able to
| hit upon in his search for American
music. Perhaps this young southern
! pianist and composer has had an idea
that will be looked upon as memorable
some day. The audience appeared TO
be hugely pleased with the new worie
and most of the London critics tool;
kindly to it. too.
Fay Davis has returned to London
from your side of the Atlantic and has
| been Immediately snapped up by Lewis
Waller for his comingg production of
Henry W. She Is to play the part Of
! Chorus and a special feature is to be
| made of the character by, the James
| x. SHackett of England. Miss Davis will
deliver herslines, accompanied by music,
before the opening of each act and in
front of the curtain. At some later
time Fay Davis may be seen in London
in Iris which she believes has excel
lent chances of success IL revived. She
and her husband. Gerald Lawrence. are
numbered among the long Isit Of Eng
lishl actresses and actors who have
managerial aspirations and should the
| cpportune moment come along will en-
bark upon a season Of Shakespeare ut
one of theSwest end theaters.