Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-17
THE FOREIGN STAGE,
Correspondence Of The Star.

LONDON. January s. 1909.
TN the year that has drawn to a close
one. playwright has stood head and
shoulders above all others in Engla nd
judged by the success of their produc-
tions. Somerset Vaughan has probably
made more money than any other play
wright on record in their first year of
success. and if signs hold good he will
within short time be assailing the en-
viable position now held by Clyde Fitch.
To pick and choose between the three
successes which have been recorded in
Maughams favor during the past year
would be difficult. His plays are of the
light. inconsequent order that depend so
much upon the personal viewpoint OF the
audience. Then the situation is further
complicated by the fact that the success
of each of his three plays is bound I'D
with the personality of a leading actress
or actor whose individual triumph In the
part has been as great or almost as great
though Lady Frederick was an ex
tremely clever play. the majority of play
goers will tell you that Ethel irving was
cleverer. For the part Of "Mrs. Dot, +"
Maui, Maugham was fortunate enough to secure
Marie Tempest. who. 1t Is generally agreed,
Is the best light comedy actress In Eng
land at the present time. And, for the
part of Jack Straw" Vaughan would
tlnd it hard, IL not impossible. to better
CHARLES Hawtrey, who enacted the role
for nine months. No one will deny that
the assistance of such players as these
constitutes a first mortgage on success.
put with everything considered Vaughan
has demonstrated exceptional talent as a
dramatist.
The year has been remarkable for the
p,e-emnence OF the younger school of
playwrghts. Besides Maugham there is
Granville Barker whose Waste" de-
spite its disagreeable theme, was univer-
sally commended, and the banning of
which by the censor brought to a head
the general and growing feeling of dis
satisfaction with the Interference of that
official in matters theatrical. Like the
house OF lords however. the censor is a
British institution which exemplifies the
old saying. Threatened men live long. I"
John Masefieids Nan" was another note
worthy production. inasmuch as It gave
promise of better things to come from its
author. Roy Horniman gave us Bethany
the Magnificent" in which Charles WIND
ham made a $3.50 success and which
probably would have run longer had II
been better cast. Horniman Is also in A
measure responsible for Idols an UNI
doubted success. since he dramatized Il
from William j. Locke's novel of tie same
name.
Although most of the older men have
given us works from their pens. 1t is i'm
thing to their regulations THE Thun-
defboit by Pinero had short life at the
ST. James: Getting Married" by George
bernard Shaw. would. In my opinion. nev-
er have been produced if written BY any
other man: Sutro's Builder of Bridges
Is still running. but has failed to produce
any clearly defined impression of worth ON
anybody. while Dolly Reforming Her
self is far removed from being the best
thing that Henry Arthur Jones has given
us.
Barrie forms the one exception to this
general marking time of the older
dramatists. His What Every Woman
Knows Is characteristicaliy charming
and delightful and must be a source OF
satisfaction to the Scotch author In view
of the fact that his play which immc-
diateiy preceded II was such fat failure
OF the women Cicely Hamilton literally
runs away with the first prize. Her
Diana OF Dobsons' is easily the best
ihlng as well as the most successful that
has come from the pen of the gentler sex
for many months.