The Washington herald., 1909-05-09

enthusiasm as ]. E. Dodson, in The
House Next Door" and George Fawcett.
in The Great John Canton" which was
put on at the Lyric for the first time
Monday evening. The latter play was
tried out IN Chicago. where the perspec-
tive was perhaps e little too near for
comfort; but here We know Chicago So
ciety and business conditions only by
hearsay. and the way IN which John
Canton runs his packing industry inter
ests US only as a philosophical phase
of contemporary life. OF course. Hartley
Manners took the theme Of the play from
Arthur J. Eddy's novel. Some Of the
critics thought It lacking somewhat in
originality. but most Of them said the
piece was interesting. and al agreed that
Faweett's acting Of the packing house
king, who falls out with his college-bred
son over the latteT's interest in May
Keating. q daughter Of his old enemy.
whom the packer drove into ruin and
suicide. was Of the highest order and
ranging side by side with DOdsOn's old
school English gentleman at the Gaiety-
Fawcett who IS best remembered in New
York for his excellent character work
as the Irish politician IN The Man OF
the Hour. scored a far greater and more
significant success Monday evening. by
the method with which. free from theat-
rical bathos ana pulpy herOics. he pie
tured the outwardly coarse hull Of the
packer and subtly denoted the animating
spirit OF generous humanity and shrewd
humor within that crusty exterior. The
actor never stepped out OF the character.
and though. at first flush. Canton is an
unlovable character in his hardness and
love OF power. II became q portrait IN
the hands Of Fawcett. II which sense Of
shrewd humOr and marks Of a noble
generosity blended into a most sympa-
thetc personality which went straight
over the fOOtlights
For three acts the play maintains a
level OF well suspended interest and the
treatment differs IN some particulars
from the novel OF Canton & Co" Il
shows Up the shrewd. hard methods BY
which John Canton has made himself
the king Of packers. These methods
differ from the ideals OF his son. and
when the son falls II love with the
daughter Of the old packers enemy. and
affects the company Of people who are
socially educated On q different basis
from that Of old Canton. the fat IS in
the fire. These details Of the framework
Of the play are not essentially novel.
John Canton. under various names. has
figured before in the play OF capital and
labor but We never had him so artisti-
Cally, 50 SympatheuCally, and so normally
presented as BY George Fawcett After
MS hardness reaches the climax in a
scene in which he IS overcome by. phys
ical pain, graphically played. the reaction
sets in and n the last act the mighty
John Canton sends for May and volun-
JaTily places her hand in that Of HIS son.
Aside from enabling Mr. Fawcett 10
score a decided artistic hit. the piece
brought into prominence a young actress
OF great promise. Laurette Taylor, who
played May Heating in a manner that
rang so true that she gives promise OF
occupying place close 10 the head OF
her profession in a few years II hattery
does not spoil her in The meantime.
Bob Cole and Rosamond johnson, the
cOIored comedians, formerly seen In
vaudeville. blossOmed out this week at
The Majestic as cOIabOrators in the com
position Of a musical comedy. The Red
Moon, with considerable credit TO them
selves and 70 the obvious amusement OF
a AEtiAtl4cAEELlhE dAH4tlEE- ne cOnleQT
Is described as a musical piece in red and
black. so-called because il deals with the
troubles Of some negroes OF SWamptOn.
Va. and 4 tribe OF BlsckfOOt Indians in
the land Of the setting sun Il starts
cut with g fair show OF beguiling the
tedium OF the early summer days which
are coming upon Us.
The past week has been decidedly
fruitful in the making and unmaking Of
theatrical plans The lively shifting OF
positions on the checkerbOard is almost
as interesting as the recent European
situation The entente cordiale between
Klaw & Erlanger, on one hand. and
Messrs- Beiasco and Fiske, their erstwhiie
implacable opponents. on the other. has
been completely restored after many
years Of estraugement, and entirely new
algnments are 10 be looked for in the
twelve months. Indeed. we are standing
on the threshold Of new theatrical era.
II IS not only the theatrical syndicate
or Messrs. Fisks and Belasco that is
involved, but the whole situation. which
has long been resting on a Quicksand.
No sooner had the announcement been
made OF the new alliance than the Shu-
LfeL no az laUA EEN-IEElE as the most
formidable opponents Of the theatrical
trust-served notice that they had restored
the balance Of power by an ARRANGEMENT
with the producing firm Of LiebIer & Co.
for the booking Of the latter's attractions
IN the Shubert playhOuses all over the
country
In the meantime. James K Hackett
ceases 10 be an independent and passes
under the management OF Charles Froh-
man next season Che is Just about 10
appear for the summer IN the William
Morris vaudeville houses). And IN the
meantime. too. the New Theater enters
the field, and Is followed by the private
venture OF Mr.. Butler Davenport. while
the corner stone Of the new Comedy
Theater has just been laid: the broadway
Theater has changed from a syndicate
house to a Shubert holding the Herald
Square Is said to be approaching its
end as legitimate theater. destined 70
become link 10 the chain OF Morris
vaudeville circuit. the Empire Is 10 re-
turn 10 It's former policy OF presenting
repertoire. two or three rev teroples Of
the drama are quietly building IN various
parts OF the town. with no announced
pollcies-snd, II things keep on al this
rate. the New York public will have cause
70 rejoice, for by and BY there VIII be
too many playnouses, The price Of seats
viii come down. and the admission viii
be 81 instead OF 81
The bridging of the gulf that has so
long divided Belssco and Fiske from the
syndicate Is regarded as the master stroke
n the NapOleonic career OF A L. ErIang-
CT. 10 whom the title OF the Little Cor
poraF' now passes from the brow of
Belasco. and al the same tine the most
profitable arrangement that could have
been made by the two leading fnde-
-,.-ae-as II Is estimated that .ha III