Evening star., 1909-05-30

tended.
1t is not often Frohman is tempted to
write to the newspapers. He has, how
ever. broken his rule by addressing let
ter TO the Times on the subject of the
National Theater. There is no blinking the
fact that Frohman's announced determi-
nation to turn the Duke of York S into
repertory theater has created consd-
erab stir in the camp of the nationaliStS.
Their fear Island / am bound to confess
it seems to me fairly well founded-that
with these counter schemes of Frohman
and Herbert Trench to establish roper
tory theaterS attention will be diverted
from the larger and more important prof.
ect. Frohman defends his position warm
| ly. insisting that he Is merely clearing the
ground for others more capable than he
to cultivate 1t, and that he will be only
too pleased to hand over the fruits of his
labors to the committee of the National
| Theater the moment that institution is
sufficiently advanced to make effective
use Of them. And now we are endeavor-
| ing to possess our souls In patience, pend
ing the development Of events.
| Laurence Irving writes me that he has
received an offer from Lee Shubert to
return to America in October for a tour
of twenty weeks with THE Incubus"
| his own version of Brieux LES Han
melons," which he produced a few weeks
ago at the Hackett Theater in New York.
| Irving, together with his wife Mabel
Hackney, has been playing at the Coli
scum This week, and, on the termination
of his enlargement at that house, was to
have made round of the provinces. But
| Oswald Stoil has consented to release
him, or. rather. to postpone the fulfill
1 1,t All
| turn from America.
Gillette's version OF Samson" is to be
withdrawn at the Garrick at Whitsuntide
when it will have achieved a record OF
something like 40 performances. The
| result. perhaps. is a little disappointin9
as the play went off with a boom that
| seemed to promise long career. 1t is
to be replaced by Clyde F'itch's piece,
The Woman in the Case" of which
Herbert Sleath recently acquired the
English rights. Arthur Bourchier wants
holiday. consequently he Will not ap-
pear in Fitchs play, which is to be in
| trusted to the hands of Violet Vanbrugh.
Grace Lane. Charles V: France and
| Seath himself. The Woman in the
Case" has. l understand met with sue
| cess for four years in America, and |
can only hope. for the sake of all con-
| cerned. that it will enjoy equal prosper
| ity in this country.
Charles Frohman is still further en-
larging the area of his operations. He
showed me yesterday a list of over 200
| theaters in Germany and Austria which
ne is going to supply with adaptations
of successful English plays The Ger
man versions are to be made in London
and before being sent out will receive
the tmprimatur Of the original authors,
to whom F'rohman will be personally re-
fny S-,1t
also. after its midsummer production at
the Paris Vaudeville, is to be turned into
French and sent on tour through France.
Spain and Italy. My sole fear is that
with these rapidly increasing interests
all over the world Frohman may be,
tempted to neglect that one little spot
| called America, which has served him
so well as point of departure.
1t is rather startling bit Of news that
George Alexander has decided not to play
in Pinero's new piece which is to be the
autumn attraction at the ST James The
reason seems to be that the part de-
| signed for Alexander has not panned out
exactly as was originally expected-any-
how. Alexander considers either that it is
not suited to him or that he is not suited
to 1t. Irene Vanbrugh. however. remains
as leading lady and that capital comedian,
iC. w. LoWne. who so immensely enhanced
his reputation by his performance in
Lady Frederick will have an important
part. Alexander, meanwhile, VIII go on
six weeks provincial tour. starting in
September. BY the time that comes to a
| close he will be able 10 judge how far
Pineros piece is likely to carry him, and
whether to produce the new Humbert
Henry Davies comedy which he has in
his possession at another West End thea
ter or to hold it over until the st. James
Is ready for his return.
1t was currently reported last week that
Sir Charles Wyndham had at last been
persuaded to appear on the vaudeville
stage. There were good grounds, too, for
the rumor. Alfred Butt tried very hard
to get him for the Palace But, at the
last, negotiations fell through and Sir
Charles now tells me that in about ten
days time he will be crossing the Allan
tic. He wants, he says, to have look
at THE Blue Mouse which he has
bought for this country. and which he
proposes to present at the Criterion in
the fall of the year. My own idea, how
ever, is that he has the rowing mood
strong upon him and that he Is by no
means indisposed to shake the London
dust from off his feet for while. He
is largely interested. too. in ranch and
mining property in Colorado, as well as
in South Africa. MALCOLM WATSON.