Evening star., 1909-01-24
THE FOREIGN STAGE.
Correspondence Of The Star.


LONDON, January 13, 1909.
George Mahrer, an Austrian dancer
who has been brought over from Paris
by George Edwardes to appear in The
Merry Widow says the best dancers in
the world are the Americans.
Vienna he says, lis the home of the
waltz. but my countrypeople are not. in
my opinion, the best walters. That dis
tinction belongs to the Americans and
Parisians. The English lift their feet too
far off the ground, dance too quickly and
turn too rapidly" And yet the average
tnglishman has poor opinion of the
American as dancer, and loses no
chance of ridiculing such innovations as
the 'half-time" and the glide
London, in common with the rest of
England. had a snowstorm about a week
ago. 1t was an innocent little affair. and
the height Of the snow as it covered the
ground did not exceed an inch. Yet prac-
tcally every theater manager in town
has fearful tale to tell of the hundreds
of dollars he lost through the inability of
his patrons to get out of doors in the
"bliZZard.''
Snow like this means a loss of from
$500 to $1,000 a night to me- said one
West End manager. People are afraid
to venture out Neither horses nor motor
cars can get through the snow. SO the
playgoer remains at home.
1t is estimated that the total loss to
theater managers on little snow furry
is about $4,000 q day. One wonders
what would be the results of a real SNOW
storm.
The withdrawal of Jack Straw has
been made permanent because Hawtrey's
health will not permit him to resume the
title role. This is a tacit acknowledge
ment by the management that without
fhSa Nf 81,
as clever the chances of continued sue
cess are too risky to be ventured. An at
tempt was made to induce Beerbohm
Tree to assume the role, and a salary of
no less than 1910 a performance was of
fered. but the manager of His Majesty's
refused, although he was resting at the
time.
1t would not have been the first time
that Tree and Hawtrey had appeared in
the same parts, for 1t was the former
who first played the role of The Private
Secretary in which Hawtrey made such
a brilliant run at a later time. However,
the general opinion seems to be that Tree
would not have shone in the part of Jack
Straw and that the only actor in Eng
land who would have made a success of
1t after Hawtrey was Sir Charles Wynd
ham.
it promised to be and Lena Ashwell has
revived Diana of Dobson's' for run
pending the preparation of a new pro-
duction. Just how much life there is left
in the second success of Miss Ashwell's
management of the kingsway Theater
will remain to be seen. but there should
be enough to fill the little house. In a
theater that seats only a few more than
five hundred people this popular actress
enterprises are limited, and it Is not too
much to hope that she will soon see her
way clear to taking a larger West End
house.
Evelyn Millard whose term manager
of the Garrick has been marked by
successful run of Idols dramatic
alton of William ]. Locke's novel. which
ran well past the century mark, has re-
vived 1.-The Adventures of Lady Ursula
by Anthony Hope. Evelyn Millard and
Herbert Waring both appeared in the
play when it was originally produced and
1t was in the nature of a renewal of old
friendships in the matter Of both play and
actors.
Now that the pantomime season is we'll
advanced one may talk of those who have
made the big hits. Curiousiy enough
American performers bear OFF more than
their share Of the honors. George Ali,
whom. although born in England, we have
come 10 regard as an American, and who
will be remembered as "Tige'' in Buster
Brown" carries off the honors at Drury
Lane. where he is appearing as the cat
in Dick Wilmington" Truly Shattuck
also has come in for a large measure of
appreciation in the same production. Not
a stones throw away. namely. at the
Lyceum Theater. Julian Rose is saving
the production.