Evening star., 1909-05-02

with the frankly experimental as
exemplfied by The Whirlpool
Mr.. Sothern has realized what has evil
IDENTIFY been his life ambition. He has es-
| tablished himself as legitimate star OF
the first rank and has attained the wish
dear to the heart of every thoushttui
player. a success IN Hamlet" Mr.. Soth-
ern's Hamlet is the expression of
studious rather than fervid personality,
and it is when he diSdatns the artificia1-
ties of stagecraft and contents himself
with in erpretng the metaphysical rather
than the emotional aspect of the charac-
ter that he is at his best. He has accu-
mulated a repertory which permits hlm
to present series of plays each dlNers-
ent and each interesting. He is one OF
the very few actors of the present day
who are not under the necessity OF con-
stantly providing themselves with new
vehicles in order to maintain popular m
terest in their effor,s. And he is probably
the only actor who could without sacri-
flee of prestige as legitimate star in
clude SO farc.cal portralture as LORD
Dundreary in his gallery of creations
Lord Dundreary. however, as played by
Sothern is rather tribute to tradition
than manifestation of the actors per-
manent aspirations.
The whirlpool is another of the plays
which seek To make audacity take the
place of original ingenuity. II aims to
be a photogra phic presentation of con-
ditons which would have been bettered
long since IL cold hard analysis of their
horrors by writer's Of fiction could aid in
the discovery Of certain means of re-
form Having started Eugene Walter on
his career as a playwright. Messrs. Wa
genhas &, kemper seem to be engaged
in an effort to overtake him in his later
presentations of realism. The Whirl-
pool'. is not a dianiticd literary produc-
ton and will. need some readjustment to
give it the dramatic suhtety and finesse
requisite for career on the strength of
u simple appeal 20 popular emotion.
The season of summer entertainment.
anticipating the calendar by few weeks,
opens tomorrow. The Aborn Opera Com
pany promises song i'll abundance and
the Columbia Players will provide en-
tertainment for those who prefer story
| unembellished by melody. The Beasco
extends it's regular season to an eXcep-
tiona, length and arrangements for
stock company at that house are not
vet in shape for the definite announce
| ment of details.
\ NEW AMERICAN PLAY.-klaw
Erlanger recently closed contract with
Mr. Henry Beach Needham for his play
on American political life. entitled
| Senator West" This is the play with
which Mr.. Roosevelt's name was associ-
hat
the President was writing play. IT
deals with political complications In
| Washington and the middle west, but
| has a real love story running through IT.
| The announcement is of unusual interest.
| as the play is said to have been read and
| approved by some of the most prominent
| of our national figures. including former
President Roosevelt Postmaster General
| Hitchcock. Senator's La Toilette and
Beveridge and Representative Victor
lector OF the port of New York and
| formerly secretary to President Roose-
welt SAYS: Il am delighted TO hear that
| Mr.. Needham has placed his play so
| auspiciously. and / know that President
Roosevelt will be glad to hear it. as he
| was intensely interested in the theme
and the sincere message which Mr. Need
ham is sending to the country in tins
| drama. We have had great many
Washington plays. but ] know that Mr..
| Roosevelt believed this to be real poll
| tics" Senator Beveridge. who read the
play some months ago. wrote to Mr..
Needham The best thing of the kind
| ever read. President Roosevelt told me
| he thinks so. too. / believe it will be
great go and make money and reputa-
| ton for YOU" Senator La Toilette April
| l6 wrote as follows: You have i'm the
political theme Cf your play made
graphic. dramatic cosmos of many OF the
! existing political conditions, and the play
will. | think, make a strong appeal to
audiences in various parts of the coun-
try 1t combines many elements with
| in the personal experience of people in
both the large cities and the smaller
districts 1t is a play with message
for those who choose to hear it. but the
strongly dramatic story would hold those
who had no interest in politics II is
the purpose of Messrs. klaw & Erlanger
to give the play production in the early
autumn Mr. Needham, the author, is
magazine writer, who first attracted
the attention of ex-President Roosevelt
by a series of articles on athletics He
has been in Washington for the past
seven years. During the last presidential
campaign he travelled through the middle
west with Mr.. Hitchcock. the then chair
man of the republican national commit
| tee.
Lulu GLASER.-Lulu CHASER has been