Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-21

| has only to recall the Hattie Williams
| of sprghtly demeanor in THE Girl From
Maxims" or later the frivolous Hattie
! Williams that was Vivian in "Vivian's
| Papas,' to imagine how easily this same
energetic resOurceful. versatile PERSONAL
| ity should easily walk the ways of the
adventure-loving. courageous American
| girl transplanted to a scene as full of
! excitement and incident an experience
| of Sherlock Holmes.
The curious thing about Michael Nor
tons Detective Sparkes' is that the
gentleman never appears in the play at
| all. He has no place on the program
| nobody knows what he looks like, nor
! his whereabouts; yet every body is talking
about him, everybody is looking for him,
| and in the end everything that is done is
done by Detective Sparkes.'
FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE
lOTHER.-To step from the seriousness of
Shakespearean plays to the buffoonery of
a musical comedy comedian. then back to
play of such dramatic power as
Francesca di Rimini' and then once
again back to comedy, is al experience
| for actor to remember. William Nor
ris, who will be seen here next week in
| the leading role in the new Shubert mu
steal comedy, king of Cadonia,' is an
| actor who holds such a unique record.
| Beginning first member of a stock
company, Mr.. Norris forged to the front
until he became known as an excellent
comedian. When he turned TO musical
comedy and scored in THE Burgomas-
| ter and King Dodo" il was expected
that he would remain in that field. There
fore his success the Jester in Fran
cesca," when that play was in vogue
with an all-star cast. was complete
surprise Following other successes I'm
support of such dramatic stars Ethel
, Barrymore. Viola Allen. Otis Skinner and
| T. NJ and Joseph Holland. Mr.. Norris
once more returned to musical comedy,
! nyric
ming and in THE Country Girl and The
CfngaIee" he again showed his versatility
This season Mr.. Norris had Intended re-
turning to the serious drama when he
was engaged by the Shuberts TOT Ihe
leading comedy role in king of Ca
donna.
Il think 1 like musical comedy best of
all" saws Mr. Norris, although | feel
that experience in the more serious WORK
ena bles me TO broaden myself as an actor
But with all my experience ] wish to an
nounce here and now that | have never
had even the slightest yearning TO play
Romeo.
MUSIC HATH ITS CHARMS.-Rosalind
Lowe of THE Neapolitans. at Chase's
this week says that, in her opinion, music
is absolutely necessary to most people
Few Of us realize that it Is a neces-
sity,'' says Miss Lowe. for we have II
| most OF the time. But shut man or
woman up in q prison or put him in
forest. and what is the thing he Graves
most after food and drink? Music. I'M
questionably. | saw u splendid proof OF
that a few years ago. L was invited by
some friends TO join a party of people
going to the Andes mountains. our host
being the owner of n big silver mine
there. The men who We're overseers and
| heads Of departments in the working of
the mine were mostly college men from
the United Statesmen of culture and
refinement. seeking their fortunes there.
"One day while were being taken
on a tour of inspection. / started to hum
the little chanson provencal which sing
in the vaudeville act OF The Neapoli-
tans l was looking about and not pay
ing much attention when one Of our
party nudged me. and. upon looking up
| inquirngly, / found that every man in
| the mine there had stopped work and
was listening to me intently. l stopped
I'm confusion--I hadn't realized that / was
singing-but when ] stopped they begged
me so earnestly to continue that l
couldn't refuse. They were Just hungry
| for music.
| They had been out there several years
| and hadn't heard A note, except what
lfhey themselves had sung. and there