The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-12-26
William FaverSham Jumps to
Enviable Position Among
Actor-Managers.
MISS JULIE OPP
LESS SUCCESSFUL
Stephen Phillips Play Better Liter
allure Than Drama, Is Iudg-
ment of Capital.
BY ]. R. HILDEBRAND.

when the Lord Algy of Lord and
Lady Algy' and the Jim Carson OF The
Sauaw Man" suddenly broke faith with
his matinee idolizers and essayed THE
World and His Wife" new figure was
added to the rank Of successful Ameri-
can producing managers.
When this same William Favershsm
left this new field for still another con-
quest in "Herod," Stephen Phillips
poetic-drsma, wrongly labeled a play,
he won consideration for his claim, TO be-
among the galaxy of half dozen Or
60 Great American Actors. The range
Of his efforts was prima facie proof Of
his smbition-for. Of course this play
that came to the Belasco last evening
mad no point whatsoever in common
with THE World and His Wife" save
alone its excellence.
Naturally the first curiosity about the
production was the play, so-called, FOR
It was less well known than Faversham
Eight years elapsed between the time
Beerbohm Tree introduced IL in London
and Mr. Favcrsham had the courage TO
produce Il here.
Courage Needed
Courage was needed. Despite care
full explanation TO the contrary ON the
program the play is % better piece OF
literature than drama. The audience
At the BeIasco sat entrsnced at times
with the beauty of the lines, and then
sqUlrmed at tho melodrama Of the ac-
lion. Poetry as telling as any written
in modern times is given to the mouth
II Herod and to Marianne the stua-
tons are warped out OF proportion
again ana again 20 gain effectiveness
Mr.. Faversham must have known this
Yet he probably realized. too. just what
The Christmas night audience did thai
no story told 10 such htting phrases
could fail TO gain hearing and nc
prophesied well.
The setting. the costumes the on
vironment, are all historical. and made
ninutelv so by Mr.. FaNeiS sham, but the
story is not wholly SO. The HerOd of "A
poctiC-drama naturally sloughs Off mucl
OF the coarScucSs history gives him foI
fine SensitiVCness me die not possess
his greed Is made ambition rather than
svaricc, his sensuality IS shaded into
SensuouSncss. The dCatl of AristO
huius gives him more 1anEs than hi
original probably felt aud his emotion
al the murder Of Marianne Is trans
lated from chaGrin to rcmorse. Aroun,
these two events the play hinges
Whatever OF finer dramatic values tu,
drama may lack. il drives home tn
theme that what power Herod ma
gained without he has lost within" TIN
cries OF Hall an hail, Herod. King o
the Jews. and the incense burninj
cast of their majesty of the first ac
FOR 2 fine sarcasm when they are uru
uounced OF the Hcrod, jcsolatc ant
demented. OF the third act This Hero
81 the play IS sometime more Caesa
than Herod and again more Macbet
than King Of the Jews. but he "a
least, is a dramatic creation. and he
little concerned in the meIOdrama tina
enters into ether characters.
Mr.. Fsversham's Achievement.
Many wished and probably Mr.. Faver
sham himself, that ne had NOR
majestic presence and "a more resonau
voice for this portrayal. But physica
limitations should not enter into