Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-17
VAUGHAN CARRIES OFF HoNoRs
stands Above Any other Ora matist of
the Past Year In England.

stands Above Any Other Ora matist of
the Past Year In England.
LONDON, Jan. 6.-CSpecial Correspond
ence.)-In the year that has Just drawn to
a close one playwright has stood head and
shoulders above all others in England,
Judged by the success of their productions
Somerset Vaughan has probably made
more money than any other play wrigh
on record In their first year Of success,
and If signs hold ~good-they seldom do-he
Will within a short time be assailing the
enviable position now held by Clyde Fitch,
Who. l suppose, makes more money than
any other member of his calling.
To pick and choose between the three
successes which have been recorded in
Maugham's favor during the last year
would be a difficult job. His plays are
OF the light, inconsequential order, that
depend so much upon the personal view
point Of the audience. Then, the situation
is further complicated by the fact that tho
success of each of his three plays is bound
up with the personality Of a leading actress
or actress whose Individual triumph in the
part has been as great or almost as great
as that Of the author. For instance, al
though Lady Frederick was an extremely
clever play, the majority Of playgoers will
tell you that Ethel Irving was even
cleverer still. For the part of Mrs. Dot
Vaughan was fortunate enough to secure
Marie Tempest, who, 1t is generally agreed,
is the best light comedy actress In England
at the present time. And, for the part
of Jack Straw Vaughan would find 1t
hard. If not impossible. to better Charles
Hawtrey. who ENACTED the role for nine
months.
No one will deny that the assistance of
such players as these constitutes a first
mortgage on success, but with everything
considered. Vaughan has demonstrated
quite exceptional talent as a dramatist.
The year has been remarkable for the
~pre-eminence of the younger school of play
wrights. Besides Vaughan there is Gran
vile Barker, whose Waste despite its
disagreeable theme, was universally COM
mended, and the banning of which by the
censor brought to a head the general and
growing feeling of dissatisfaction with the
interference of chat official in matters
theatrical. Like the House of Lords, how
ever, the censor is a British institution
which eNemplifies the old saying, Threat
ened men live long" John Masefield's
Nan was another noteworthy production,
as It gave promise OF better
things to come from its author. Roy
Horniman gave us 'Bellamy the Magnifi-
cent" in which Charles Wyndham made a
$3.50" success and which probably would
have run longer had It been better cast
Horniman is also In a measure responsible
for Idols" an ~undoubted success, since he
dramatized it firm William ]. Locke's novel
OF the same name.
Although most of the older men have
given us works from their pens, it is i'm
possible to say that they have added any
thing to their regulations. The Tunder-
bolt" by Pinero, had a short life at the st.
James; Getting Married, +" by George Bern
ard Shaw, would. in my opinion, never have
been produced II written by any other man;
Sutro's Builder of Bridges" is still run
ming, but has failed to produce any clearly
defined impression OF worth on anybody: !
while Dolly Reforming Herself Is far,
far removed from being the best thing that
Henry Arthur Jones has given us.
Barrie forms the one exception to this
general marking time" OF the older dram
atists. His What Every Woman Knows"
Is Enthusiastically charming and delight
full and must be a source Of satisfaction to
the Scotch author in view Of the fact that
his play which Immediately preceded it was
such a flat failure.
or the women. Cicely Hamilton literally
runs away with the first prize. Her "Di-
ana OF Dobson's' is easily the best thing.
as well as the most successful, that has
come from the pen Of the gentler sex for |
many months.
.
would like to give a long. glowing ac-
count Of the enormous success Of American |
born drama in England during the last
year, hut am afraid I cannot with sny re-
gard for the truth. TIE NAV which nm
doubleday made the greatest impression
upon the English playgoers was "A White
Man" by Edwin Milton Royle, which served
Lewis Waller for many weeks at the Lyric
theater. paid In Full was highly praised
by practically every critic in London. lint
ran only a few nights; Way Down East"
was withdrawn after even a shorter period.
while THE College Widow" after running