The Washington herald., 1909-04-11

Madison avenue, in the expectation Of be-
coming the future home Of the universal
dramatic art Of the fatherland in New
York. but was shipwrecked. principally
through conflicts of interest and general
mismanagement, is given over to the
first production of an operetta by the
composer and librettist OF THE Merry
Widow Next week this pretty play
house. decorated by Alfons Mueha, be-
comes the home OF American art and
will henceforth resound to the echo or
English speech
Der Rastelbiader." translated. means
''The Mouse Trap Peddler." The piece is
without the sensational features OF The
Merry Widow" but is extremely amusing
through the antics Of one Pfefferkorn,
who has the leading role. and is inter-
preted by Emil Berla. II Berla could be
transferred bodily TO Broadway and made
70 play the role in English as well as he
does in German, the success Of the opera
would be assured. In spite OF the fact
that the operetta is presented in a way
that leaves room for criticism. both as
to the quality Of the musical resources
OF the little company and in point OF
costuming and mounting, Der Rastel-
binder pleased immensely on its first
production by its inherent tunefulness and
by the excellent playing Of several Of the
principals.
The Lambs Club is arranging another
big tour Of some OF the principal cities
with a company that viii embrace the
leading stars IN the country. and Victor
Herbert. with his band OF fifty pieces.
The first performance will be given at
the Metropolitan, opera House, in this
city, on May "a New Haven. Boston.
Philadelphia. Brooklyn, Washington. Bal
timore, Cleveland. Pit;s5urg. and Chicago
are included in the itinerary UP to the
present time.
II Is either a feast or a famine in the
way Of theatrical productions In New
York. This week there Is practically
nothing new on the boards. while the i'm
mediate future is rosy with promises OF
good things. AT the Herald Square Ber-
tha GaIland closed her downtown engage
ment in The Return OF Eve" on Friday
night. and goes uptown to open the new
Plaza Theater, thus setting az rest the
rumOT that she is 10 retire. Her place al
the Herald Square is taken by the new
musical comedy. The Beauty Spot" by
de koyen and Joseph Herbert. which is
expected 10 run all summer al this play
house On Monday afternoon Joseph
Weber produced at his theater for series
Of matinees a new piece. called The Gil
max Monday night sees the first New
York production Of Clyde Fitch's latest
comedy "A Happy Marriage" at that
playhouse. At the Belasco Theater
Blanche Bates is succeeded by Going
Some a comedy by Paul Armstrong and
Rex Beach. which had preliminary try
out last season, Miss Bates going to the
West End for a week. On the same even
ing RAYMOND Hitchcock goes into the
New Amsterdam, where Robert Manten
has been filing the time for four weeks
in a revival OF The Mascot" with Flora
Zabelle as BettIna. and The Travelling
Salesman after eight months, vaeates
the Gaiety tonight 20 make room for
The House Next Door," IN which z. j.
Dodson is featured.
a stubborn Cinderella which has been
running for several months at the Broad
way Theater. closed tonight. and the
show goes to Philadelphia and subse-
Quently 10 Boston for a summer run. with
John Barrymore and Sallie Fisher still in
the cast.
Vesta THIey has returned TO these
shores after an absence OF several years
in London. There was a line OF ticket
buyers outside the Colonial Theater on
Monday night that extended in dim per-
spective down the street 20 the next cor
ner. and spectators were doing a land
office business She had a veritable ova-
tion after her first song. when the Right
Girl Comes Along stalls and gallery go
ing mad over her Her clothes are ire
proachable. the latest London mode. and
she wears them as II she had never
known petticoats and corsets In the
manly toss Of an Eton youth. a water
ing-place Johnnie. and Tommy Atkins.
she sang MY Word. He Is a Naughty
Boy" and Jolly Good Luck TO the Girl
that Loves Soldier. Flowers were
thrown on the stage. and at the end she
had 10 make little speech Of apprecia-
ton
Julia Marlowe has closed her tour for
this season at least, and the scenery OF
Mary Johnston's metrical drama, The
Goddess Of Reason has been stored.
Rumor has it that New York is to see a
special season Of classic plays at the
Academy Of Music By Miss Nazlowe. in
conjunction with Mr. + r. Sothern The
latter followed her recently at Daly's
Theater in his first appearance here as
Richelieu and in his repertoire Of stand
ard and popular plays and has still an
other week 70 run before his engag cement
comes to a close.
At the Irving Place Theater the man
agement staged a tremendous sensation
last week when they put on Gretchen,
a comedy by Davis and Lipschutz. two
daring German farce writer's who had
their comedy played 30 times in Vienna.
but have only recently effected a modh-
cation OF the official prohibition Of the
piece in Berlin To get even this con-
cession they have been compelled to de-
odOrize their work OF much OF It's flavor
OF scandal, which shocks the sensitive.
II was played with wonderful dash and
brilliancy by the competent company of
the only remsining German theater IN
town. and without any emasculation. The
reputation Of the farce must have pre-
ceded il. FOR. the house on the opening
night was the largest Of the season.
Gretchen is the heroine OF an episode that
involves the fate OF a contemplate little
village and expands It into the propor-
tions OF a city through her delightful
cajOlery OF the reigning prince. who has
made a wager with q charitable countess
that Gretchen will not be proof against
temptation 1t would be dangerous 70
enter into more circumstanual details
The audience was suspended between
laughter and astonishment throughout the
evening. Nothing more bold has ever
been put on the stage. though not ar
offensive word Is spoken and the whole
performance has an air of absorbing deli
cacy. Gretchen was played by the lead
ing ccmedienne. Hermine Holman. and
the prince by Magnus Stiff, the leading
man or the company, with Gustav Con.
radi, famous comedian, In a prominent