The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-06

Rivers"
Casino-COntinuOus Vaudeville.
Gayety-"The Serenaders."
Lyceum-"The Big Review"
Augustus Thomas undoubtedly deserves
the title of leading playwright OF the
United States. Well-known and we'll
liked for his successful plays of decade
and more ago, when In Missouri and
Alabama" represented the best attrac-
tions Of the time. he bridged over the
space between that class OF plays and
the present by Arizona" which ran
proftably for great many seasons. and
may be running yet, for ought we know.
IN these older plays Mr. Thomas showed
strong evidence Of his genius in creating
atmosphere. In Alabama one could al
most smell the magnolias of the South;
In Missouri" gave a strong impression
of the shiftiessness Of Pike County. and
its types were most effective. ARIZONA
was all action and heart interest. The
dust of the alkali plains fairly got into
your lungs. and one never failed to be
impressed by the vitality OF its story
and the naturalness Of his characters.
When Mr. Thomas gave up romantic
atmosphere. he merely kept abreast OF
his times, or. in fact. he elected 10 lead
the public taste into channels hitherto
UNEMPLOYED by the dramatist and his au-
diences. He had gained the public con-
fidence along with it's liberal patronage,
and was now ready for his experiments.
He found himself all over again when
he delved into mental suggestion for THE
Witching Hour" and while the opinion
may not be generally held, that play was
but a beginning as compared with the
development noticeable in his latest play.
THE Harvest Moon" The newer play
outrages no sense of proportion; it is a
complete entity. with no concessions to
the old school of heroics, or any devia-
ton form the worthy central theme.
For The Witchlng Hour one felt a
marked incredulity; for THE Harvest
Moon not the slightest desire to correct
the author or TO argue with him. In his
gradual change from the sentimental 10
the intellectual appeal, Mr.. Thomas has
not lost his title 20 being the greatest
creator OF atmosphere that we have
among our dramatists. The psychological
atmosphere Of THE Harvest Noon is
powerful IN its simplicity. His expos
tons are so direct that one wonders at
their never having been used before.
AS distinguished from the rather hete-
rogeneous and undeveloped herd OF
United States dramatists. Mr. Thomas, in
his earnestness, his simplicity, and his
power 10 command thought, stands alone.
He comes the nearest by a great dis
lance TO the English playwrights, the
masters of the craft.
The all-conquering power Of love IS a
theme as old as the alphabet, but Is al
ways attractive when surrounded by an
atmosphere capable of imparting subsidi-
airy romantic effect, and nowhere ars
these certain conditions more strongly
accentuated than at those periods in his
tory where two nations are brought to-
gether, either in conflict or in the natural
course Of human events. Solomon and
the Queen Of Sheba, Antony and Cleo
patra, Othello and Desdemona, Jerome
and Bonaparte. and Betsy Patterson are
all examples OF this literary element.
varying only in episode and circurn-
stances. American history is full OF such
opportunities. The occupation Of Flor
ida, California, and Louisiana. the con
Tact with the Indian tribes. our iuxtaposi-
ton TO the French Canadian. and even
the seemingly pTosaiC processes or Tor
eign immigration, in bringing the Ameri-
can into contact with various nationali-
ties, all furnish boundless material for
the building up Of this sort OF story.
The writers of "Springtime" have used
for a background one Of the most re-
markable epochs in the career OF the
nations. The traditions and Characters
ties Of the Creole. the excitement OF COM
Ing OF the Yankees, and the English
attack. the characters oS such men as
jackson and LATTE, afford many side IS
sues 10 play upon. and We believe that
the strong reliance upon this sort OF
atmospheric accompaniment adds 10 anv
plot or story. In this particular in
stance, however, they we're Just touched
upon enough to give color to the thing.
with the purpose, no doubt. of preventing
a detractlon from the main theme
In response 10 many inquiries as 10
the pronunciation Of her name Mabel
Talieferro says it is pronounced TOLL
YER" the same as the Senator from
Florida. For this pronunciation Of a very
musical name, neither the charming
actress OF "Springtime" nor the senior
Senator from the Everglade State are re-
sponsible. This way Of sounding the
name IS probably as old as the name it.
self, and the habit very probably comes
from England. where the clipping OF the
pronunciation Of proper names IS ex-
tremely common.
The reIgning fad fust now seems m no
classical dances. The season began with
Loie Fuller and her graceful muses.. then
came Isadora Duncan for q return en-
gagement, and Maude Allan, the English
dancer. gave Us an exhibition Of her art
on Friday. Miss Allans Interpretation Of
the Peer Gynt" suite was a revelation
in grace and a remarkable exposition of
acting. The frenzy into which she works
in the Halls of the Mountain King"
movement, with the distorted move
ments Of her arms and legs, was little
less than marvellous. These gestures
seemed almost part Of the weird chant
ing measures Of the Grieg music Miss
St Denis will shortly be here with her
Hindoo dances, and We have only 10
await her to complete a quartet Of per-
formances which have attracted almost
worldwide attention.
Raymond Hackett. the little boy who
plays David IN The Awakening OF
Helena Richie" is not related to James