The Washington herald., 1910-06-05

The Academy-Vaudeville
The CasinO-COntinuous Vaudeville.
The Gayety-BurIesque.
tits difficult for the uninitiated TO realize
the amount Of work entailed in the pro-
duction last week by the Ben Greet play
ers OF i've different plays Usually the
accomplishment by a resident stock com
pany OF one play a week is regarded as a
feat which Is sufficient TO occupy the
time and attention OF e fairly capable
stage manager and company Of actors.
In some localities stock companies give
two performances daily, leaving only the
morning hours for rehearsal, but this is
fearfully trying on the actors and not
productive OF the best artistic results.
TIE Greet players have one advantage
WITCH must not be overlooked. and that
is that they have an extensive repertoire
OF plays which they have done before
with practically the same casts. With
The Merry Wives Of Windsor" for In
stance, It was a case of brushing up in
the parts. rather than learning them for
the first time But credit Is none the
less due Mr.. Greet and his company for
their efforts to give Washington a sprng
engagement that is attractive In every
particular. In Miss Violet Vivian we
have an actress who is still young
enough to be enthusiastic and she puts
her best work into everything she does
Her Juliet aroused much favorable COM
ment, and there is no doubt that her
"Babbie" viii be equally as interesting.
Ter Trgfb IA col
her parts ranging from character work
10 leads. Mr.. Greet himself is probably
the best actor and producer that has ever
played stock company engagement in |
Washington. Indeed his reputation as an |
aetOr-manager is of the highest.
The Shakespearean matinees on Friday |
are not the least interesting feature OF
this notable engagement. Large num-
bers Of students are benef1ting from the |
productions. which while not given on
the sumptuous scenic scale, say, Of the |
New Theater, are at least presented with |
an eye TO the unitieS, and are or i'm |
measurable good in instining into play |
goers Of all classes a love for the works |
of Shakespeare. who is the standard |
dramatist for all times.
His classic production, his modern |
comedies. and his occasional special per- |
formances Of various kinds, keep Ben /
Greet pretty busy man. This lnsures /
good work for there Is an old saying /
10 the effect that IL you want something |
done you must go 10 a busy man, for 4
he will know how and when TO do il, /
and can be relied upon. Mr.. Greet is sn |
illustration OF this adage.
Mr. Greet will be out OF the cast of |
''The Little Minister" He has worked |
so hard acting and producing plays for /
Ia 81 Ell
season al the Garden Theater, New York. |
during which time he worked necessarily
over nearly twenty different productions, |
that he feels entitled TO a short rest,
from the labor OF acting at least. Nat
urally. his viii be the guiding hand OF /
the production and the ones TO follow.
A week Of Shakespeare viii shortly be |
announced by Mr.. Greet, when every one /
VIII have an opportunity 10 see the COM |
pany IN its splendid presentation OF 1.-THE |
Tempest" which delighted Friday after |
moons audience.
The theatrical seasons roll around so /
fast that It seems as If one hardly comes |
10 an end before another looms I'D in
the horizon. 1t Is only the producing
managers, however, who are busy now
adays. The actors are resting for the most !
part. Those who made money are spend /
ing II in EuFope-that Mecca OF the /
Thespian-dividing their time between |
witnessing important foreign productions
and recuperating for the coming cam
paign. Every Atlantic liner sailing from
New York carries its quota OF player
folk nowadays and as they have worked
during the winter to give enjoyment 10
the public. we cannot grudge them this
brief breathing spell and chance for
frolicking on their own account.
Some actors accept stock engagements
for the summer. if that sort of work is
to their liking. There are others who are
obliged TO extend their time, either due
10 Improbable season or because Of the
demand for their services. IN the latter
class are SOtheTn and MarlOWe who are
still tour the West with their Shake
spearean productions. The New Theater
Company too is playing in Chicago, and
may visit one or two other cities whose |
residents are clamoring for view of |
the most distinguished company of play
ers in America.
Apropos Of the New Theater, in spite
Of the apparently weIl-organized opposi-
ton against the institution in some
quarters, the season was a profitable one
This is a handsome tribute to the dis
corning American playgOers and quite
a feather in the cap of the management !
who We're under all sorts OF disadvan-
tages, principal OF which was the entire
lack Of precedent, which made the en-
terprise largely an experiment. Although
the object Of the New Theate- Is not COM
mercial, II has been able to show a
balance on the right side Of the ledger,
and at the same time, by pursuing
dignihed and well-defned course, has lived
"a inc nd ,,fo !.
knocks Of Jealous people, who, because
they were not invited to take part in the
movement, inspired vindictive comment
and uniformly adverse criticism where
ever they were able TO buy space for the
purpose.
The New Theater stands forth as a
glorious monument TO the drama in the
United States and has marked an epoch
in theatricals that VIII inake the season
OF 1909-l9l0 historic
just now the selection OF young Mr..
Fyles as literary director is exciting a
good deal OF ribald testing IN New York,
but It is never safe to predict that a man
will fail IN a given project until he has
had the opportunity TO succeed The
guiding spirits of the New Theater prob
ably know what they are about: that is
what they are paid for. If Mr. Fyles
proves inadequate to his position. he can
easily be replaced: but there is no reason
why he should not be given trial as the !
successor 20 John Corbin. It is an ex-
celent chance for young man TO show
the best that Is In him.
The grand opera situation IN the United
States was never in a more prosperous
condition. due largely to the enterprising
Oscar HammeTstein. who put into il that .
competition which Is the life not merely
OF trade. but OF every profession and call
ing under the sun.
AS was stated in this column some {
weeks ago. the manager who takes adj :
vantage of the popular taste is bound to !
make money and friends The Aborns
are giving an excellent brand of grand !