The Washington herald., 1908-04-05

tue last was from tUe Gtfifdu OF 0ttO
e. Hartleben. called THE Moral De-
mand"
Everybody here is wondering how things
viii turn out regarding the inal settle
ment OF the question who shall continue
in the title role of "The Merry Widow"
whether Ethel jackson or Lena Arbarba-
nell. the ex-Metropolitan singer Of comic
opera, whom Mr.. Conried imported from
Vienna originally for his German theater
on Irving place. The role was given 10
Miss jackson when the operetta began
the season at the Manhattan. Since then
the daiuty prima donna has been out of
the cast so often that her nonappearance
has become a byword II was not due
TO any dogmatic exactions or whlms.es on
her part. but to sudden attacks Of weak
aesses which frequently caused her %
swoon away behind the scenes. When
the operet5a was found to be a success.
another company was established IN Chi
cago, and ATbarbanell was given the part
which Miss Jackson 50 admirably filed
in New York Suddenly. last week. Miss
ArhTDaneh appeared in the East. and
the announcement was made that she
would temporarily take Miss Jackson'g
place in the cast until Miss Jackson
should be able TO return. ArbarbaneH
at once proceeded to sing and dance her
self into the affection of the audiences,
and there she stays. apparently content
to let Miss Jackson take as much time
as she likes 10 effect complete re-
covery.
Henri Bernstein. since his play. "The
fhief,' was produced In this city. has
been much talked about individual in
1his country, but il may have been OBJ
served that no other play of his has been
produced so far. Frank keenan, read a
Bernstein play recently, which that ex-
celient actor would be delighted TO pre-
sent It is called "The Claw" ("I.a
Grippe). and it pictures the life of an
4 elderly man who marries a beautiful but
heartiess woman and is deserted by her in
the crisis OF his career when he is to face
The French chambers to answer charges
OF official corruption. OF which he has
rendered himself guilty in order to crafty
ms Wlfes pride and retain her love But
the play is not the sort that wins the
applause OF the multitude, and viii prob
ABLY never be produced here Viola Allen.
however. will shortly add a Bernstein play
/ TO her present offering. Irene Wycher-
. icy The Bernstein play is lie Bercall."
/ translated as THE Fold" I'm which she
was 70 have made her appearance AZ the
+ outset Of the season before her fancy was
taken by the English play which she is
/ now presenting in various parts CT the
country. The piece has been described as
a modern East Lynne" Like the heroine
T IN The Thief" the erring woman Is for
+ given by her husband in the end. and the
solution is fairly happy. which is not the
case with other fine acting plays Of Bern
stein.
/ Another Russian star Is foretold in the
theatrical horizon, following Mesdames
NazimOva and Kamerisarzhevsky. and
tending hitherward. But this time il is
not high tragedy, nor the psychic drama
/ that We are TO see exploited. but some
/ thing exhilarating and chic Nine. Steak
{ easke is a vaudeville favorite in Moscow
and St. Petersburg and has appeared also
+ in Paris. She gives character impersona-
/ tions Of Russian peasant women and
striking street types Of the Russian capt
+ tai.
/ J. c. Williamson, the Australian man
/ aser, closed a contract this week for the
Australian rights to THE Girl of the
Golden West" and 'The Truth"
( Anna Held declares thar the burning Of
/ the old Drury Lane Thsater in London
has put an end to her plans for a summer
engagement in the British capital.
! Although f. H. Sothern has devoted
/ weeks to preparations fer the first per
! formance Of Don Quixote" the new play
/ which Paul Kester has dramatized from
+ Cervantes' novel, the Lyric Theater Will
be closed Monday and Tuesday nights of
/ this week IN order 10 afford additional
/ time for the actor to get ready. The first
/ performance is announced for Wednesday
/ evening
/ The ShubeTts are so well satisfied with
/ the success OF Girls" Clyde Fitch s
I adaptation from the German, that they
are organizing two more companies 10
I present the farce in Chicago and on the
/ Pacific coast.
The same managers have installed a
new service at the Casino Theater in
the form Of girl ushers. The girls wear
uniformly cut suits of black, with white
collars, cuffs, and aprons The innovation
is apparently giving satisfaction and is
likely to be introduced in other Shubert
houses.
Williams and Walker, the coIored com
. edians, celebrated the sixteenth anniveT-
sary of their partnership on the stage
OF the Majestic Theater on Tuesday even
ing in the presence Of a large audience.
Two acts Of their present vehicle. Ban
danna Land. were given. The last act
was omitted 70 enable them to introduce
/ q number Of specialties illustrative or
their first appearance in public This also
served as a reintroduction of a number
of the songs that made them famous.
some OF which, popular in their day. have
almost been forgotten by preseat-day
theatergoers. In New York, these blithe
/ Africans are treated in the most fraternal
( manner and their movements receive as
/ much attention as those OF any other
stars.
Hardly anybody has commented on the
fact that Joe Howard. jr.. who died here
1 on Tuesday. at the age Of seventv-five,
was a well known theatrical critic on the
New York papers twenty years ago, when
Nym CTinkle and William Winter were
in their prime.
No place has yet been found for THE
Wolf, the play of Eugene Walter. author
of Paid in Full which had its pre-
miere in Washington last Monday. 1t is
20 make a short tour OF the country be-
fore it is seen On Broadway.
FRED. F. sCHRADER