Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-06-11
Especial -orrespondeuccl
ONDON, May 2S.-Stronuous eff.

ONION, May Zs.-StTenuuuS Ell
forts have been made this week
10 induce r. 5. willard To re-
turn TO the London stage Since
he gave up touring in the United States
Willard has been lying low, as he Is
quite in a position to do. lie lives
IN chambers In the West End, reads a
good deal. takes an afternoon stroll
through the park and is occasionally to
be seen at first night. From time
TO time he crosses the channel on d
holiday trip, as happened only little
time ago when he paid a visit to Monte
Carlo. lie has himself told me that
he would willingly take up actins
again, provided the cOnditi lions were
favorable but, so far, apparently moth
ing has come along which could proper
~ be placed under that heading. From
what / hear he is just triie diff
cult to please, and why not after all,
considering that he Is master Of the
situation
Hail Caine. however, has completed
a play called THE UnWritten Law"
and the idea occurred TO him that viii
ard was the right man To play the
leading part-a sort OF RIP Van Wrinkle
character In his early youth, the
hero commits a crime, To return after
many years to the place where II was
lone so changed and aged that for the
moment no one recognizes him. vii
lard undoubtedly was much attracted
Oy the role but somehow or other
whether the manager, Wentworth
Croke, who holds the rights in the
piece, offered too little, or Willard
! asked too much-negot fell
through. Immediately afterwards
telegram was dispatched 10 Seymour
Hicks, now touring in vaudeville, ask
Ing II ne was open TO consider a pro-
1osal, but up 10 the time Of mailing
this letter no answer has been re-
cciycd, Crokos Idea is To produce
the piece at the Lyric on the conolu-
sion OF Lewis Walters season there,
but his plans are necessarily some
what ncbulous at presentalthough they
May matcrialize at any instant
Charles Frohman tells me that he
has given up the idea Of producing
any more plays at the Rcportory thea
ter this season. As | stated week
or two ago he had intended TO do "A
piece by Henry James, the novelist.
entitled The OutCry' That intCn-
ton he has now abandoned So, for
the few remaining weeks Of the sea-
son, he will practically depend upon
"Thelawny of the Wells and "Prunel-
Ia" seeing that his latest production.
Chains" has failed To catch the fancy
of the public TO any appreciate eN-
tent
/ hear that Bernard Shaw has Sc
coded from the RopeVtory theater and
that Granville Barker viii follow his
example shortly. In losing them. I
am not at all sure that Frohman IL
likely to damage his banking account
Barker, Notwithstanding. t. an eN-
tremely clever and rcsourceful pro-
duccr;" as you may remember his rep
utation IN that respect stood sufficient
hfph a hriDp him "a n pffgr tho
New tMillionaires) thcater to become
permanently attached TO its STAFF. AS
playwright, however, there is. I'm the
current phrase, practically no money
in him" Nor can II be honestly de-
clared that Bernard Shaw remains the
gold mine he was once supposed 10
be The time has now arrived when
the Duke Of Yorks-that is the Re
pertury theater-has to be entirely re-
decorated, reupholstered and recon-
structed. This will necessitate cou-
pie OF months work which will afford
Frohman breathing time TO mature his
plans for the future.
Another bit Of news given To- me by
Frohman Is To the effect that @. y.
Huntley Is % remain on your side all
next season. He and Hattie Williams
are to Join forces in version NJ De
Caiilavet & De Fler's latest comedy.
lie Bots Sacre." which has enjoyed
considerable success at the Paris Va
rietos Its production was followed
by a particularly acrimonious attack
by the authors upon Adolf Brlsson,
Sarcey's distinguished successor 10 the
position Of dramatic critic on Le Temps
Brisson had happened 20 say that the
piece was hardly 50 good as some 9th
ers from tho same pens. the result be
ing that he brought down upon his
unfortunate head storm Of vitriolc
abuse In the ensuing controversy the
critic ] think, got rather the best OF
n, as was almost bound TO he the case.
OF course all this rcclame only served
to heighten the interest attached 90 the
play which, in II slight and unassum
ing way. Is a bright and amusing piece
Of work The story deals with the
question 81 whether the legion Of
honor shall be conferred upon women.
a question hotly discussed not very
long ago in connection with Sarah
Bernhardt The chief character Ia a
popular lady novelist, played by Ma
dame Jeanne Granior Amongst her
devoted admirers Is the Count zgkous-
kline. a particularly fantastic parsonage
who. as impersonated by Max Dearly. |
proves to be one Of the most enter |
tanning features ~ the performance. |
These two characters will on your side |
be played by Hattie Williams and q. |
y. Huntley. |
Arthur Bourchier has found a new |
title for the version or Paul Hervieu's |
"Connais-Toi' which he. in conjunction |
with FrohmAn. produces at tho Globe |
Theater next Monday week. The adap- /
tation has been done by Kennth Barnes |
brother-in-law, and was /
originally TO have been called "Glass