New-York tribune., 1909-12-05
gaE LONDON STAGE
Children
p.l;day PLAYS for Children
T.ro Smiths.
London. November e.

ss,,ssI year by year fanioE-irae. IN
e-p - being condemned as old-fash-
is converted into a medley O.
R- aance. spectacle. farce and clown
.ns i more iavishly mounted and
No - with more variety and vivacity
60 christmas season. AS many as
.,rtornirnes are now IA rehearsal for
-. suburban and provincial thea
and q host OF players. musicians
-. rsinters and costume makers will
-,-,oyed In producing them Aladdin,
.-...,rtv Dumpty. Cinderella Jack and
pesnstalk. Red Riding Heed. the
-, Thieves. the Babes in the Wood.
= s,eepiug Beauty. Alice In Wonder
80. Dick Wilmington. Goody Two
s~,ss and the other familiar nursery ro-
-.,,-s VIII be staged anew with -ol-
,.-,,,,r fun n the hyplay and gorgeous
-s..ts of color in costumes and trans
..--,stion. Little Lord Fsuntleroy alone
!. MISSING. and he may turn up at a pro-
.s,,isi theatre before Christmas. London
= - have rival AladGins in Miss Marie
r,o-re 81 nrury Lane. and Miss Doro-
=, r-aske. 81 the Lyceum, and AZ each
.hestre the cost OF the pantonine has
- largely increased. There has been
.-saction against the vulgarity OF nusi-
81 comedy and topical songs. and the
.,reay PLAY r. now more consistent in
-,ct more Ineligible as story and more
sscsrtlv ph-ased and 5udiciousIy enacted
,san q has been during recent years.
~ Barrie led the way In improving
,.e AZ o. entertaining children. and
peter Pan" reproduced year after year
Al ne Duke q Yorks, has helped 10 keep
,vs-vbody Young. Not only Is II an es-
,sblshed institution. for London could
nj have Christmas without q. but IL
hss siso set Z higher standard for hcli-
Az recreation and proved that there can
na subtle appeal 20 the Imagination
shsn fai-yland is refracted through the
-,sn6 cf childhood. 'Pinkie snd the
rairies." by M Graham Robertson, with
rnsie By ar. Frederic horton. was high
r. successful last year AZ His Majesty's
sr6 VIII be revived about the middle OF
recerber. Il is not q whimsical Barrie.
but Il carries ont the natural method OF
.ggce in Wonderland" in Determining
he relations between children and
,sl-iss. accepts the 6ctions cf TIE nurs-
en- as realities. and reproduces them IN
, roigh-forward way. The principal
actors are three children. and the play
E : whole Is tbs best substitute for
Peter Pan" yet devised
IL. Herbert Trench. who. with Lord
Howard de Walden and a syndicate OF
rich reu behind him. is striving 10 make
TIE thestrs more progressive and artistic
ths- L has been, IS trying his hand az
heleay eulertainnent- The Blue Bird"
VII Be rhe December attraction at the
Eayuarket, and E company OF a hundred
ps-e-s sne children has been engaged
f1r this rehned. symbolic play. Beautiful
ssne-y has been designed for it-a
f-ong paint IL Afr. Trench's manage
-snr; and the dances and music viii be
tTanged with painstaling care The
sznents. light and water, and many ami
iazls snd birds are 70 be impersonated:
fri there VIII be q most artistic fairy
Ind III Arthur Bourchier is also pro-
r6iEg holiday sport At the Garrick.
shere serious drama VIII be suspended
n December. and Where Children Rule"
WI be. produced with the help OF large
c1nrary OF clever youngsters NJ sgd
-ey Blow End M. Douglas Hoare are
the authors. The old favorite. alice in
vcnder-and." Is 70 reappear AZ tie Court
Theatre for . short season Sir Arthur
Ccran Doyle's play Of the prize ring, az
tae Adelpht is not 70 be accounted a
chldrers play; nor is the new Gilbert
arc German opera IT the savoy. Fallen
Eliries." designed for the young people.
but without these interesting pieces there
VII be fun enough at the fair 9or holi-
sly audiences. In spite q politics anc
taxes IL is likely to be a Merry Christmas
ior young LOndOners.
TIE stage IS setting up z high stand
s-c r. parl1rnai5s. Miss Marie Lohr.
Who has been appearing az the Comedy
Theatre IN AIr. Somerset's Maugham's
succssstul play. smith" has shown how
G@lle. ingenious and unaffected a ser
vani can o. and how natural and inevita-
be il be- f1r G. breezy. broad minded i'm
perLaLst 70 fau IN love with her. Now
tast this accomplished tngenue is needed
a. ono-her theatre. another Smith has
been found in rhe person OF Miss Irene
fsabrugh. L is q smon part for one ot
ne alst ul 5rle and brilliant actresses on
te English stage. but how wel il is
payed, The nrst smith was almost too
rs1tle and refined q parl0rmaid- The
seco-l smith has come out Of servants
hli there is a coclney Endertone IN her
vC.le. thc~e are er-lry-ard poses during
ne intervals of brisk service: and there
are little touches of vulgarity tllunined
~ practical comedy style Miss Irene
fa-brlgh is n0t tlc leading lads OF Sir
A-Inu- Pi1ero's earnest dramas cf TEN
pefsmeut and life mssquerading as
laroruaid she has mastered the i'm
lersonarlor and is completely inside the
terr and a. much ~ home as she was I'D
~ cabin or the desert island waiting
upor ae- lord and master. the Admirable
tsichtou. The setting Il not - brilliant
e. her charms and talents require but
as b,t Cf acting II is nothing less than
rem
Ararr frlm the Beethoven play az HIS
Aajestya and the production Ct The
house Opposite" by Mr. Percival Ian
iol a. Lll Queens Theatre, with Mr. h
e lrying. supported by Miss Eva Moore
sno 3Ir. Herbert Waring there viii be
ny novelties On the London stage for
isrinight. Mr. Cyril Msude has HANDED