New-York tribune., 1909-04-13
THE DRAMA
OLD AND NEW.
The Easter Revival.

The spurt Of enterprise that annually 1nanifests
itself IN orr theatres at Easter duly arrived yes
terday and exhibited uncommon vigOr,-chehy be
cause theatres are numerous and because changes
Of bill made in a considerable number of
them. in tire afternoon play called The
Climax Has acted at Webers Theatre; Miss Grace
George. at the Hackett Theatre effected a revival
or ''DiyorCoas' announced in that Old ingenious,
aIluring way, as BY special request'); and
tine Lyric Theatre an extra performance was given
Of the indelicate, offensive but apparently popular
farce Of The Blue Mouse thing which has dis
craced the local stage for time. The pro-
oeedlngs Of the night were varied and active, al
most 30 tle extreme Of bewilderment. At the Acad
emy Of Music, Mr.. ManJell began an engagement,
acting BrutUs, in Julius Caesar,''-a noble per-
Torrance, well remembered and justly admired.
a the Caiety Theatre Mr.. J. Z. Dcdson, an actor
OF exceptional talent who was warmly welcomed.
made his re-enIrance, appearing in a play,
called THE House Next Door" At the BeIasco
Theatre a vapid play, with the silly and vulgar
title Of Going Some was exposed TO public view.
At the Garrick Theatre new play from the pen
Of the teeming Mr. Clyde Fitch was acted for the
first time IN New York: it had been tried in the
meadow regions. and found satisfactory. At Days
Theatre Mr.. Sothern revived, to the delight Of a
large audience Mr. Justin Hunty IcCarthys clever
play IF I Were King which has long been popu-
lar. and in which the comedian gives a diversified.
picturesque. enjoyable admirable performance At
the West End Theatre that brilliant actress Miss
Planche Bates,-in whom power, humor. and deep
feeling are SO deftly blended,-began a brief
sasement. appearing IN TIE Fighting Hope"
At the Herald Square Theatre Mr.. jefferson de An
gels performed. in the musical play called The
Beauty Spot'-which first shown here last
Saturday night.-wnile the New Amsterdam
Theatre MI Raymond Hitchcock disported, in The
Mascot Thus, busily. the Easter festival Of pleas
Ure and action began, and thus busly. for a little
while, il Will continue: but only for little while.
The dramatic season has been pretentious and
laboroUs more than either prosperous agreeable
and will lr1o-
for some OF the worst plays ever seen. and some
Of the most ab1ect failures ever recorded have
marked results naturally and inevitably
consequent on an excess Of play-houses and on the
necessity of finding something. no matter what
with which 10 keep them open Already the clos
ing performances Of various current plays are
nounced or intimated- Mr.. Sothern,-who, how
ever has had. and has deserved to have. a good
season-wil close his engagement at Days The
atre next Saturday night, repeating his perform
ance Of Richelieu, with which he began it, on
March - Next week that stage Will be devoted to
e play called The Gay Life" by Mr.. R L. Nc
CardeIL which comes here under the direction OF
Mr.. Harrison Grey Fiske Mr. Robert HIniard,
now performing at the Liberty Theatre. in an
extraordinary concoction called a Fool There
Was, will very soon. convey that startling drama
OF things as they are 10 the hayseed districts,
where, possibly, It may 'startle.' It has caused
no effect here. other than Contemptuous surprise
that such paltry exhibition Of the lowest form Of
human depravfty should have been deemed worth
tne trouble or PUBIC exposure Somebody. pretty
soonr Il such things that plays,
EdenIly be expected TO dramatic the cesspool and
the swill-bucket- The dirty farce Of Gretchen
81 the Irving Place (German) Theatre will expire
next Saturday, and the season at that house will
terminate the Saturday following. April "a Mr..
Wilton Lackaye's engagement at the Savoy The
stre. where he has been acting since December 2I
1913. IN the play of THE Battle Is to end
That play contains suggestive thought, pertinent 10
social conditions. and Mr. Lackaye's hold and
vigorous acting in It ought to be seen, by all per-
sons who 10 keep themselves informed TO
representative achievements the contnporary
stage
The most gratifying and at the time the
most auspicious event Of the dramatic season
was the brilliant re-entrance Of Robert Mantel at
the New Amsterdam Theatre, where his steadily
successful engagement OF five weeks was ended last
Saturday night. Had he given no other perform
ance than that Of King John, Mr. Aianteu would
have amply vinGicated his title TO the leadership
of the American stage. Another gratifying event
was the success Of Mr. Barrie's charming play,
What Every Woman Knows play which is
s-il current at the Empire Theatre, and in which
Miss Maude Adams gives the most essentially
dramatic performance that she has ever given.