The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-01-24


is now presenting at Days. is romantic
drama. The Vampire, which was done
for the first time IN this city. al me
Hackett, on Monday afternoon, IS a play
which deals seriously with a new mental
process. and forms the third OF the meta
physical problem plays, beginning with
The Road 10 Yesterday and followed
by The Witching Hour" which the Shu-
berts have produced in two years. II is
the joint work Of Edgar Allan WOof and
George Sylvester Viereck. The former IS
only known as a writer Of little dramatic
vaudeville sketches, while the latter's Os-
car wilde-like genius Of writing erotic
poetry in German and English has al
ready given him considerable standing in
literary circles
The Barber OF New Orleans deals
with events Of circa 1904. just after New
Orleans. the little Paris Of the wider
ness, had passed under the jurisdiction
Of the United States by virtue of the
Louisiana purchase-the period Of pOliti-
cal fermentation and conspiracy. in which
the Spanish and French adventures land
The Creole population were deeply in
'volved. This barber OF the play is Victor
Jallot, a French refugee, who has grown
up in America with secret love for the
United States. and q hale fellow well
met, who is as skillful with the rapier as
he IS with the razor: brilliant and witty
poet, entertainer, and dancing master The
heroine is the ward Of old FrOebel. An
toinette. the belle Of the town. who comes
10 th1 barbers studio 10 learn the latest
step and the grace Of pose that be-
longed 10 the bellies OF that ceremonious
period. And. Of course, Jallot falls des-
peN1ely in love with her.
Now, the fair Antoinette, though she
has turned a cold shoulder TO al the
beaux in the city. proves 10 be a slave
girl, who was left in the keeping Of old
FrOebei as a mere child. along with
the plantation and slaves belonging 70 a
Spanish adVenturer named LuiZ DelicadO.
who had disappeared and not been heard
Of for twelve years. But now Delicado
returns 10 become the head Of a con
spiracy against the United States and
the first thing he does is 10 demand an
accounting Of Ludwig Froebel, which
ruins that prominent merchant, who has
had sundry other misfortunes.
He does not give up AntOinette. but
DeIcado discovers the maiden's identity
by accident. and forthwith demands her
OF Froebel The old man loves her like
q child and is heartbrOken as well as
financially unable 10 redeem her The
Spaniard offers her At a private sale q
y - r-~ al,
ends in Jallot buying her and pledging
the men 10 secrecy regarding her origin
But AntoInette discovers the secret
learns the part Jallot has had IN her
dishOnor. and suppOsing that he pUr-
chased her because she had refused his
love. turns upon him with terrible sCOru.
Jall0t sets about 70 discover her history.
gets the SpaniaTd in his power. and makes
him confess that AntOineJte was one Of
the French Redemptionists, who escaped
10 Louisiana during the revolution, and
were sold into practical slavery for their
passage and keep. She is the daughter
Of a noble family
Now, 5allot releases her and tells her
she IS free But on learning the chival-
rous character Of the young Frerchman
who is himself OF good family, she vOlUn-
tarily offers him her hand. and thus
=
tons.
The theme IS purely romantic The play
showed some inconsistencies: but on tht
Eh0le proved a very well written and
popular American play, which enabled
William Faversham 10 appear TO goOC
advantage in the part Of Jallot and CAV,
julie OPP opportunities 70 display som,
gorgeous old-fashioned gowns and d
some excellent acting as Antoinette- Thh
IS the second production in the roper
toire Of plays which Mr.. Faversham Ia!
set out 10 produce
The Play has history. It was writer
by a Philadelphia newspaper man. Ed
ward Child Carpenter, who sent Il q
the committee in charge Of a play con
test conducted last year by the GIob'
newspaper Frederic Thompson hat
agreed 10 produce the play selected.
won in a contest among writers Of Il
plays that were read and rejected. Bu
while the author was waiting for Mr.
Thompson 10 decide definitely and ente
50 contract with him, he read It to Faver
sham in Philadelphia and disposed OF
oct OF hand No sooner had he close,
that he had accepted and would prOduC3
the play within twelve months But hi
message came too late and Favershau
remained in possession. despite threat
Of a lawsuit which never was insti
tuted-
A radically different atmosphere greet
you in The Vampire" which is modern
and yet exceedingly POesQue in its fan
tastic form. I shall not undertake Z
tell the plot, but the subject is con
cerned with the case Of a great literar7
man who has such developed power o
mesmerism that he surrounds himseI
with young sculptOrs. artists, and poets
houses them in his luxurious home an,
ct night saps their brains Of their vital
ity BY the touch OF his hands, and as
Stimulates in his own literary product
what he has stolen from his victims
These victims realize that they are ren
dered pOweTiess 10 create for themseIve
and have lost the capacity for produc
tive literary work, but have no suspicion
OF their benefactOr. The truth deveIop
through the medium Of love story be
tween a young writer, his victim. an
the vampires own ward. q young painter
who has likewise suffered at his hands
She watches one night and catches tn
vampire entering the young mans roor
through a secret door in the wall. [
absorb the dreams Of his victim. Their
IS a big scene between the vampir
and the young girl. who is the onl
being he really loves. which ends IN ha
leading her unfortunate lover out Of n
house beyond the reach Of the hypnOtis
The story IS well handled By the tw
young authors and makes a strange ar
peal 10 the Imagination OF the audienc,
L is a strong pTesentment Of an extra
ordinary case Of hypnosis, but dealin