Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-04
Especial Correspondence


ONDON, Nov. 20-Odd how his
tory-even theatrical history
repeats itself! or, rather it
would be still odder did 1t fail
TO do so. How often we have seen the
play, for which everybody concern
ed In its production predicts huge
success, come m:serably to grief, while
on the other hand the piece. viewed
askance by everyone In the theatcr.
has emerged an easy winner. L very
much fear that "The Great Mrs Al
Iaway." produced by Charles Frohman
"A, the Globe, will have TO be relegdt-
ed to the first named category. Every
body believed In 1t and during re-
hearsals it was spoken OF as one OIL
the strongest and most aDSofolhS
works that the London stage had seen
for many day L have already re-
lated Mrs. Patrick Campbells story
regarding it; how eager she was TO
acquire 1t and how Dion Bouclcault,
acting on behalf of Frohman, con-
trived to slip in infront OF her. Per-
haps 1 ought in fairness to take TINS
opportunltv to saying that Boucicault
account of the matter diners very
substantially from Mrs. Campbells
Well, The Great Mrs. Alloway" has
come has been seen, but l cannot
honestly add has conquered Inc
piece, although possessing powerful
moments, Is crude and badly con-
structed The interest is only inter-
mittent and, If the truth mus. o
told. the heroine is just the sort OIL
lady of whom one might justly say
that she deserves all she Gets-and
a good deal more About ten days De-
fore the first performance received
a letter from the author In wnlch ne
declared. among other things respect
ing the play, that what tears thvre
may be Will come for the sympathy
we have for a woman VINO mas 10
fight TO Justify herself. My aim mas
been to portray the highest tragic
purpose to which a woman can Wlilul-
iv commit herself" No doubt the au-
thor honestly believed all that he
stated The unfortunate part OF the
business Is that he entirely falls TO
r,o1,e the audience to regard the situa-
ton from his standpoint After Wit
Messing 1.-The Great Mrs. Alloway
one can only feel surprised that peo-
pie with experience ike Charles
Frohman, Dion Boucicault. Mrs: rat
rick Campbell and Lena Ashweli' VINO
plays the prineipat t par [s,t,, Iou,u in If '''
The result. for there can scarcely
no a hope that the piece Will work In
a success is rather hard upon poor
Lena Ashwell, who certainly does her
best with the character OF the coIl-
verted courtesan. Mrs. Alloway. In
madame Y" Frohman's previous pro-
duction at the Globe, she also accom-
nlished some fine work. But even that
could not secure lengthy run Tor
thc play. She Is under contract TO
Frohman until Easter, so l suppose
she will have another chance IN the
English version of Henri BatallieS y
Ia. n "a
been holding In reserve Tor ner.
Assuredly no one can complain that
he does not act handsomely by his
artists In the case OF Miss AShWcll,
for instance. ] understand he Is pay
ing her not only her regular salary.
but also the rent of the kingswaS
theater which for the moment no one
seems inclined to rent,
Ram Kennedys "The Servant i'm the |
House" IL to run for another month |
AT the Adelphi Do not suppose from |
this. however that business mas
picked up. Except In the case OF tho
Two special Wednesday matinees which |
clergvmen and their wives. and "their |
sisters and their cousins and their
aunts" were invited 10 attend free. |
gratis and for nothing, tho public has
stood rcsolutcly aloof. But Henry Mil
Ter refuses to acknowledge failure and |
so he has arranged with George I'd
wardes to take tho theater over on his
own account. taking the rent and all
expenses upon himself for the next |
four weeks for the mere satisfaction
of being able to say that the work,
at least, enjoyed fair run. After ALL
granting he is prepared to pay the
piper who will grudge him the right
to call the tune?
If. for the greater part. American
plays in London have had but iDdif-
ferent luck this year fair number of
them seem to be doing very we'll on the
hoad. Take for instance, Paid in /