Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-25

A fact that our beautiful city, after
keeping out the overhead trolley
and the sooty manufacturing plant, mas
been selected by the powers IN the the-
strical business as 'dogtown' and govern
themselves accordingly
II is useless for Washington to bay the
moon-the transparency moon at the PACK
of the stage-or wonder If it has not ABOUT
had it's day. Week after week they come
and in such varying states of crudity that
il is small wonder patronage Is not over
whelmingly numerous. The phrase hrst
night on any stage" has lost its magic
fascination. Too often it means unrlpe-
ness-or its opposite extreme.
Two new productions were offered last
Monday night. Wireless and The Great
Question: the first a melodrama OF the
frankest sort and the second serious
discussion of a national problem. 1T is
almost needless to remark that the seri-
GUS discussion seems the less likely to
survive The worst to be said of either
play is that the excitement over new
productions, which still survives to a GER
tain extent. may have served to distract
attention from Nance O'Neill. a really
great actress.
Nance O'Neill met with the reception
the Capital city so frequently accords
strangers, however exceptional their gifts.
She has not been pacarded sufficiently
for the name worshipers to become &C
quainted with her. Her methods of pub
LEFTY are conservative and her appeal is
to the higher appreciation. In Boston
She is regarded with warm admiration; in
Francisco she is awaited with confident
expectancy. Between oceans she is still
lacking in that most superficial yet for
practical purposes. most essential at
tribute. vogue.
magnificent personality, with Won
derful voice, with irresistible magnetism
and with powerful mentality, she COM
mands interest i'll a manner that no other
actress who speaks English, pure or
broken, can approach. Her play, Agnes.
would under ordinary conditions earn
consideration as an excellent dramatic
creation: warm with interest. lucid in
human analysis and performed with a de-
gree of competency which demonstrated
superior discretion in the selection of the
cast and in it's rehearsal. Yet. for an
actress of her powers it seemed insult
ficient. She permits no traces of arti-
ficialty In her scenes. The woman she
portrays, or rather incarnates, is no con-
ventional heroine laboring with vocal
stress and gesticulation to win sympathy
for her mimic grief. She is real. Her
work seems to be an example of auto
hypnotism. She makes the events through
which she moves her own actual expert
ence, and the auditor can no more doubt
her tears than suspect the honesty of its
own. Nance O'Neill is one of the few
actresses who claim consideration in SUI
perlatives.
Long absences in world tours have pre-
vented the American public from having
the acquaintance with her talents which
1t ought by right to enjoy. Those who
saw her at the Belasco can hardly fail to
hope for her return. Her fitness for such
roles as Lady Macbeth and Magda seems
to proclaim itself in her own personality.
And il is long time since We have had a
Lady Macbeth. 1t would be difficult to
think offhand of an actor equipped to
appear with her in the title role of the
staiwart Scottish tragedy. Ber Greet
gives a representation of Macbeth which
Is satisfactory in its general impression
because of its fidelity to tradition, but de-
ficient so far any development of ind-
vidual merit is concerned. There seemed
TO be some promise that Mr.. Greet would
be a consistent managerial exponent of
the classic stage. but he has devoted him
self of late to such productions as were
adapted to outdoor representation-the
nicnic drama If has hppn irrpvprapt1v
styled.
But to turn to the first performances on
any stage. 1t is like breaking away from
a symphony concert to listen to a brass
band on parade. Yet the brass band has
a much more enthusiastic following than
the symphony orchestra and, perhaps, in
its way. does more good. wireless" Is
a creation rather than a play. There
are authors and actors in abundance.
Mr.. Fred Thompson. who advertises
harder than p. T. Barnum, can afford
to keep a gang of authors on hand
whether he has any work for them to do
or not. Occasionally he permitted lull
in the din of mechanism for the recita-
tion of lines; and in such cases the
authors did themselves credit The
speeches are first-rate and the situations
interest-compelling But it is to the
scenic effects that MIR. Thompson's at
tention actually warns most affection
ately. The play is not the thing. Give
him villain and heroine and a chance
to rescue somebody and he will do the
rest.
Like most new productions, Wireless"
had a weak spot. The big gun-casting
scene burst into vision as q respondent
surprise. But when IL came to showing
gun at white heat under the tripham-
mer the canvass and framework were
apparent with CHASTITY effrontery. 1t
looked like an Illuminated sausage which
must surely explode should the man who
worked the triphammer forget and let
go OF the string. This scene is the one
disappointing incident in a production
which otherwise fills long-felt want.
With this objection removed it will be
the sort of representation which reveals
the playmaker neither as a philosopher
nor a mountebank; merely as a straight
forward story teller.
1.-The Great Question" Frederick Pauld-
ings play dealing with race topics is a
is ar actress of superior capabilities and
the supporting company, though uneven
IN quality. displays instances OF excep-