Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-07-09

ONDON, June 2J.--ln my last lot
ter ! referred 20 a new COM
bination organized to control the
English market for French plays.
II was Intended that the scheme should
be kept secret for yet another week
or two, but as l found people we're be-
ginning to talk about t In Paris | took
upon myself TO force the hands of the
promoters, These are j. H. Nedrenne
Of Nedrenno and Barker fame and a.
@. Mackenzie. an influential director Of
the Gaiety Thcater company Macken-
zie Is one Of the leading London actu-
aries and has made pile of money at
the business. Years and years ago, as
far back indeed as the seventies. he
acted a. ghost" to II. Il. Farnie. that
amazing ScotChman who, at the time |
allude To, held a corner In French comic
opera. He was responsible for the pro-
duction In London of such pieces as
Madame Favart." Les MantcauX
Nuirs' and so forth, and died leaving
respectable fortune behind him Mac
kenzie was then known In theatrical
circles as Alfred Murray. Apart from
his work for Farnie he has never done
anything theatrical worth talking OF.
although | have read several OF his
pieces in manuscript Now he * COM
ing TO the front again as "A financier,
however, rather than author.
r. .. Seneschal theatrical agent
resident in Paris, approached Nedrennc
with the new project. Regarding
Seneschal there Is rather a good story
told-it was, indeed. Charles FrOhman
who related Ii 20 me Some time ago
he went to New York. alleging that he
had got the whole OF the French au-
thors in his grasp. Sardou included.
no taf 10 = hn
Of that distinguished dramatist he
promptly cabled across, "SenesChal has
none of my plays even IL he had he
could not read them lie seems to
have been more fortunate in his later
dealings. With the exception Of Born
stein and Henry Bataille he has made
contracts with the principal play
wrights In Paris who have given him
the first call upon their works Tor Eng
and and the colonies. These he has
reassigned to Nedrcnne-for, of course,
a consideration. The idea is to form n
syndicate with a capital of 100000 For
an option on each piece $500 Is to be
paid, that sum to be forfeited II the
play proves unsuitable for England.
To Clinch the bargain a further sum OF
$3.50 is To be handed over.
The plays acquired are then 10 be
placed in the hands of skilled adaptors.
\ West End theater will be secured for
dictate elects to run on It's own account
The remainder will be offered to the
various London actoT-managers TO
whom the principal part seems best
suited. 1t Is AN excellent scheme-On
paper. But, personally, l have very
serious doubts as to It's proving a finan-
cial success. Elizabeth Marbury, II
she liked, could tell a pretty tale re-
garding her experiences in the same
direction And when / look back upon
the long list OF French adaptations pre-
scented ia this country 1 aIn forced TO
confess that the failures far outnumber
the successes. ! placed the whole case
before FTohman and asked how IL was
likely TO affect him. He replied Cnig-
matically that the syndicate was vel
come To- all the honor, glory and profit
II could make out Of the arran cement.
After all, the French authors have been
careful to preserve their freedom In
respect TO America. TO which drama
lists of all nations have come TO look
for anything ike big money. SO far as
Nedrenne is concerned he Is on velvet,
seeing that whatever happens he Is TO
draw 5000 a year as managing direc-
tor.
Charles Frohman returns To New
York on the steamer sailing Wednes-
day, July 6. tie is trying TO keep the
date Of his departure secret here, for
N IL gets known in London he VIII Do |
delJgod with letters and appeals for |
nnal interviews. The early part Of this
week he spent in Paris whittier ne |
went To sae new Belgian play, The |
Marriage OF Miss Beulemans." which. |
after a record of 100 performa noes In |
Brussels, rs CrOwding the Paris Renais- |
iance nightly. It is one of those pieces |
with a splendid part FOR a bright young
ngenue. after the pattern Of the hero
ne Of My WIFE" played on this side
ny Marie Lohr and on yours by Billie
Burke.
Frohman, as he told me In a long
hat we had toge Their mas the best
iopes for next season. Aftor storm
ONES a calm. after an Interval Of de
,ression a period OF cXaltatlon. The
,ublfc, he insists, viii flock to the |
heater next fan and, as he quantity
Idded, Il want to have my fair share
# the general prosperity" He has Just
lecided that Irene Nanbrough shall !