The Washington herald., 1909-04-04


sham" and The Conflict" the three
latest plays may point to something.
There seems TO be a significance OF grav-
ity. They all deal with modern society
We have had a congestion Of Western
plays. At present the stage Is used 10
mirror the foibles and. worse. the wicked
ness. OF society. "A Fool There Was
carries its own mission for any one who
has gazed upon a copy OF Sir Burne-
Jones' famous picture. The Vampire, -
Of which Kipnng wrote his poem about
the fool who loved "a rag and bone and
a hank Of hair" To make the play miss
none Of its significance in the event that
any there was who had not read the
poem or seen the picture. the management
folded copies Of both in the programme on
the opening night The scene was the
Liberty Theater. and Robert Hiiliard ap-
peared as the hero of Porter Emerson
Brownies daring play.
In the first act there is a suicide on the
deck of an outgoing steamer This is a
mere atmospheric touch. A youth is seen
10 come out OF the crowd Of tourists and
hide himself behind a convenient corner
which a rather striking-looking young
woman among the passengers Is about 10
pass. For a moment they stand confront
ing each other The woman appears
startled The man acts like one pos
sessed. Presently he flashes a pistol into
her face The pistol does not explode. a
smile fits over her face. Soon the beau
tiful face assumes a Waggish expression.
Her lips move, her face is bent forward
with an enchanting look. Kiss muh!"
she whispers. "Oh. God" exclaims ihe
man; there is a pause; the report of the
pistol, and the youth sinks down on the
deck in his own blood The woman draws
her skirts aside, smiles cOntemptuouSly,
and disappears in one Of the alleys. Great
excitement. The body is removed, the
blood washed Up, and the event hushed.
Presently we see the seductive woman re-
clining In a steamer chair with magazines
about her and settled for the journey,
while near the railing a handsome man
Of middle age and in a light, handsome
summer suit is waving farewell 10 his
wife and child and Intimate friend on the
pier as the steamer pulls out They van
ish from view. and he turns. The eyes
Of the two meet-and the play begins
It is the old, old story Of the man who
goes 70 the devil for a worthless woman,
forgets wife, child, and home and sinks
10 the lowest level Of social degradation.
Browne and Hiliard have gone the limit
of this theory. No half stations and
final redemption Had they done so, the
play would not have had some Of those
wonderfully telling scenes. and perhaps
neither Hiliard nor William COurtleigh
would have abandoned their lucrative
vaudeville enga gements to play them.
Hilliard. as the light-hearted Jack Schuy-
Ter, with a high position in diplomatic life
and a little Eden Of domesticity, and
Courtleigh as the blum. honest, slangy.
modern New Yorker, who. having once
been a worshipeT OF Schuyler's pretty
wife (Nanette COmstock), Is now the hon
est friend of the family. and presently IS
called on TO exercise every moral instinct
of unselfish devotion 10 arouse the con-
science of the fallen husband. Whisky
and woman-Or rather a womsn-bring
Schuyler TO the threshold OF depravity.
IN the last scenes he IS a hopeless drunk
ard in which HiHiard recalls scenes of
Drink and Ten Nights in a Bar
room His work is graphic. and, barring
the horror his realism inspires. his acting
alone should make the play 60 But
there's the rub. Ii isn't exactly "a pleas
ant play" and critical opinion is divided.
It shocks some by it's unSparing truth
fulness, and attracts others who don {
mind being enthralled by the illusions OF
the stage II remains 10 be seen which
side the public takes. The role OF the
vampire is played by Katherine Kaelred.
a young Australian actress, who shared
honors with Courtleigh in the splendid
supporting cast. which includes a remark
able child actress. little Emily Wurster.
Next in the order OF production comes
SHAM" by Geraldine Bonner, and Elmer
Harris, which was summoned OF the road
to fill the gap at wallacks Theater Gre
ated by the withdrawal OF Votes for
Women" which lasted only a week II
served 10 recall Henrietta CrOsman from
the vaudeville stage. and bids fair 10 re-
establish her in popularity in Broadway,
where she has not in a long time been
seen IN a success. In Sham" she real
izes the role OF the heroine Of a true
modern picturesque romance. a female
Beau Brummel living by her charming
wits and practieing the arts Of a gay de-
ceiver with the gentle skill Of a social
Dick Turpin. The piece has already been
seen in Washington. and you know the
story. New Workers never saw Miss
CrOsman look more radiant than in the
role Of this enty-eight-yeaT-old bache-
lor girl The interval since her memor-
able triumph in Mistress Nell" at the
Bijou. was wiped OF the board as Il no
such thing as time ever played pranks
with an actress And everybody seemed
rejoiced 10 see her again.
Robert Drouet on Monday night ap-
peared at the Garden Theater in "The
Conflict" /" which did not score heavily. II
IS by young San Francisco writer named
samuels. and exploits the magic skin
problem In Balzacs famous story Of Ia
Peau de Chsgrin.' translated into Eng
Iish under the title OF The Wild ASS
Skin" A young Partisan. tired of life
and about to cast himself into the waters
OF the Seine, waits for nightfall in the
old curiosity shop Of an antiquarian. and
IS given the Wild ass skin. inscribed with
q cabslistio legend IN Arabic, which de-
clares that the possessor may crafty any
wish, but with each wish fulfilled the skin
viii shrink until IL is reduced to nothing.
when the pOssessor must die. This old
curiosity shop scene was we'll presented
and the events held the audience in a
strong grip. But the next three acts
were written without regard to Balzac's
story, and diminished In interest in CORE
spondence with the shrinkage Of the skin.
Raphael IS shown between the influence
Of a siren and poor young girl who loves
him from pure motives. RE becomes
rich. but riches bring misery and the
knowledge that death and pain are draw
ing him nearer his fate. It is the pure
love Of the poor girl that makes him wish
for the welfare Of others. and thence on
the skin no longer shrinks and he regains
happiness and health.
DR. Wullner, the famous German IIeder
singer, who used to be noted actor with
the Meiningen Company, has been appear
ing at the New German Theater here in