Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-29
The Foreign Stage
Special Correspondence Of The Star.


| Special Correspondence Of The Star.
LONDON, March 1s. 1908
London. capably represented by the
| first-night audience at the Hicks Theater.
made it quite clear that 1t liked Oscar
| Straus' music for 1.-The Dream Waltz"
| just as much as American audiences had,
| but that it didn't care especially for the
| book as made over to suit English
| tastes The last act In particular went
| against the grain, and a part of the
| audience, not having the authors Of the
words at hand took it out in booing at
the company at the end of the play. But
when the composer, who had celebrated
| the production by conducting the or
| chestra In person. was summoned to the
| stage he was applauded with one accord,
| and SO heartily that there could be no
mistaking the intention of the audience
Since then Mr.. Straus has had some
| thing to say for himself on the subject
| and has made it quite evident that he
doesn't approve of the "tinkering that
| has been dane on the original Viennese
| libretto. He has never seen the highly
successful American production. of
| course. but seems inclined to shiver at
| the reports of the interpretations that
have been made there. too.
| English musical comedy traditions call
for much Glowing without regard to the
| plot. Apparently the understanding is
that at certain frequent intervals the
| thread of the story-if there is any story
| and it has any thread-shall be broken
| to give the funny man a chance 20 let
himself loose. If possible the authors
give him something to work on. but in
| any event if he is a truly great funny
| man he is expected to improvise during
| the process of rehearsal, and even after
the first night he is quite entitled to be
| considered as one of the authors.
| Oscar Straus says that in Vienna the
public now insists upon having a good
| story with its musical comedies, and
| that if they had to choose between one
| musical comedy with good music and
bad book and another with good book
and bad music, they would vote for the
| latter every time-a good book meaning,
| according to his definition. not only
| but definite story that insists on keep
| ing itself in sight. He says frankly he
doesn't think English authors can write
librettos as good as those made In
Vienna" He has finished an act and a
half of q new light opera, Did," with
book by no less parsonage than Sar-
dou and has begun work on a musical
setting for Bernard Shaw's Arms and
the Man., which he thinks provides an
| ideal libretto for light opera.
When. the Nedrenne-Barker manage
! ment comes to an end this week at the
| Savoy both partners will go out of busi-
ness for time. AS has already been
| announced in these columns. Barker and
| his wife, Miss Lillah Mccarthy. ard
| William Archer the dramatic critic, will
| sail for America next week to look the
| ground over, and perhaps to arrange for
the publication in book form in America
of some of Barker's plays. Vedrenne-
| so ] am told this morning-has stopped
| reading plays. and will have no further
use for dramatists for few months.
| Trouble has arisen over the projected
! production of lie Foyer (''The Heartily
| at the Coincide Franchise, which will
| probably result in a lawsuit and the
| indefinite postponement of the play. Its
| authors are Octav Mirbeau and NJ. Ma
| tanson. The play was accepted two
years ago. but rehearsals began only
few weeks since.
| 1t is not an idyllic fireside which lie
| Foyer depicts. Its hero has long since
| reached the age of discretion, but is
| quite content to live in comfort on the
| ill-gotten income of his wife, while we'll
| aware by what means that is obtained.
| Nor does he see in this anything incom-
| patible with his position a senator
and a member of the French Academy.
From this it may be inferred that it is
not the sort of play that is strong"
| 1t is said that when NJ. Jules Claretie,
|
| accepted the play, he understood that the
authors would consent to tone down
| some of the passages. But when the
| rehearsals began he found out that the
authors-or at all events, NJ. Mirbeau-
| understood no such thing. NJ. Mlrbeau
! it may be recalled, wrote Business Is
Business" which proved him to be, some
of the critics said, one of the strongest
| dramatists of the day. Having acquired
! that sort of reputation, he proposed to
| tn ted
| gestion that he make any changes in the
| play to make 1t more palatable to NJ
| Claretie, for he is man of rather Wit
riolic temper Consequently there were
| some lively scenes between playwright
| and manager at the rehearsas.
| The situation was rendered the more
embarrassing for NJ Clarete because the
| Coincide Francaise is a state theater and
| he is himself an aCademician. A state
| theater. he maintains. could not afford
| to depict senator as a degraded black
| guard Nor could be, an academi-
clan. allow member Of that august
| body to be portrayed as a Scoundrel. In
| despair he suggested d compromise. If
| NJ. Mirbeau would make the man can
| didate for the senate merely and only
| would-be acadmician he ON. Claretie)
| would permit him to assume on the stage
| all the unSavory characteristics with
| which the authors had invested him. NJ.
! Mirbeau refused. 1t would kill the play,
| he protested. to make such a change.
| The man would have to be both Sena-
| tor and full f1edged academician.
! IF you insist on that" NJ. Claretie re-
torted. the Coincide Franchise will not
bring out the play" NJ. Mirbeau in
| sisted and the deadlock was complete
Various state authorities including NJ.
Clemenceau. the prime minister. were APP
pealed to. but declined to intervene in
the matter. The authors. it is said. will
now bring suit against Nj. Claretie for
| breach of contract and claim $50. 600
damages. If the case Is brought to trial
1t will be d great advertisement for lie
Foyer"
Neuc of Falls Church