Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-15

- REAT excitement.
The Devil and the Salome dance
- both arrived the same week.
on Monday night the police who
were not occupied In keeping the
sidewalk in front of the National Theater
clear of ticket spectators were permitted
to go to the BelascO and help the crltics
decide whether Mrs. Hoffman, uhe type
writer tried to spell the name Mrs Hoor-
NAM is giving an entertainment cal
culated to obStruct the community
moral progress. We were compelled 10
take our choice between the Moinar cpl
gram comedy and musical entertainment.
We were, so to speak. between the DeVh
and the high G.
/, ;s q matter of general information
that there are several Devils In inc heiu
The manner in which they nate one
another is highly hopeful. If the repre-
sentatives of Internal activity can De
induced to go on quarrel1ng among
themselves. there will be great hopes 1or
humanity. And this. as the campaign
orators loved to say, reminds me OIL
little story
At q Christmas pantomime In Lonooh
Satan was to be shown descending TO ms
own fireside with flames leaping up
around him and the walls OF torment
rising from below. The descent was 10
be accomplished by means of a trap door
in the stage Satan took his position
and struck a pose The platform on
which he stood began to sink. The
flames encircled him and the walls sound
ed. But the platforms stuck. And that
impersonal but most celebrated humorist.
the boy in the gallery, shouted 'Hurrah,
boys. h is tuli.
So. il may befall that the theater and
its controversies will keep deviltry so
busy with itself that the general public
will get rest.
1t would seem impossible for any one
who enjoys mental calisthenics, who
delights in vivacious fancy and sprlShtly
mentality, not To lind enjoyment in the
Monar play. The author has freed him.
self OF every serious responsibility and
proceeds with the daring ana dash OF an
advocate who. i'll order the more fully to
demonstrate his powers, deliberately Sc
lects the wrong side of an argument. He
juggles with principles and emotions with
the confident skill of man trained TO
thought as dn dlLlItlc ID II dihSu W oy 4"
nastics. In purely whimsical way he
adopts the method OF the German phiioso
pner who after announcing that some
thing is contrary to his actual belief
goes ahead TO prove that it Is So.
The Devil was originally produced
in Vienna. New York is a long way
from Vienna, and Washington IS some
distance from New York. The repre-
sentation OF the play, whose engagement
was concluded last night, Is Tar from
satisfactory in technical sense. Mr..
Stevens is an actor of well-Srounded
methods, which suggest the odd school,
He makes his points with an emphasis
that is at all times mechanical. He never
contents himself with leaving anything
to the subtler comprehension Of the
auditor. Yet his conception of the part
is a masterful one, and the interest In
the performance is maintained entirely by
his acting. The company supporting
him-for Mr.. Stevens is to all intents
and purposes starts unfortunately de-
Tcent. Nothing could more conspicu-
ousiy impress the uncertainty of play
writing and play producing. than this
performance of The Devil. If this en-
gagement had represented its first trial
for popular approval, while critical dis
elimination must have recognized It's
brilliancy of thought, the preponderance
of opinion would have pointed to failure.
Gertrude Hoffmanns dances We're the
all-important features of the Mimic
World engagement. Surrounded as they
were 10y the most uncompromislng fooiery
1t was impossible TO accept them in their
full classic significance. The Spring
Song like putting life into d mural
decoration from Pompeu; the SaIome
dance was strange and gruesome AS a
ceremonial artistic study Mrs Hofr-
manns work must command respectful
consideration AS entertainment for the
same audience that revels in the voclfer-
Gus giee of George Munroe-wel, it Is
something To think about.
Algeria" has a wealth of possibilities.
incidentally 1t has brought prominently to
attention the work of Vincent Bryan a
most prolific writer of stage lyrics. Mr..
Bryan has been busiy engaged in re-
constructing Algeria and his work
promises excellent results not only for
this attraction, but i'll the production OF
future librettos- Some of Victor Her
bert'S musical numbers bark back with
delightful effect TO the school of COM
position that required the musician to
display both skill aud scholarship, even
though he chose to be in merry mood
PHILANDER JOHNSON.
roo MANY GRANDCHILDREN
W hen William II. Crane and the late
Stuart Robson severed their business re-
la.ions after professional career COW
ering fourteen years, there We're many
playgoers who wondered at the separa-
ton. The dissolution OF the partnership
occurred in Chicago at the close of their
last season in Bronson Towards play
The Henrietta, and the separation was
!: perfectly amicable one. \ newspaper
reporter, however. who persisted in
thinking there had been trouble. begged
Crane for "A statement. The coined IAN
looked seriously at the interviewer, and
replied
1T was really quite a simple matter
that brought about our separation. l
was the one who kicked. and when you
hear the facts You will not be surpris d.
unless you think ] am oveT-sensitive.
You see. from the beginning Of our part
nership I was forever playing his father
in all the plays we produced in spite of
the fact that / was his junior by ten
years.