Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-09


no longer the supreme test Of the popular
favorite on the stage. Many an actor is
successful on whom doublet and hose
would appear absurd, Shakespeare has
many traditional handicaps. There is a
misty impression in the minds of many
Of US that the true and essential quality
Of the bard of Avon is represented either
by a sepnlohral voice repeating Il am thy
fathers spirit, or else by a wild, rau-
cous shout Of Me kingdom for a horse,''
Mr. Sothern and Miss Marlowe have
'abored with excellent taste and with
practical finesse to put the noet. whose
greatest admirers have allowed pedantic
zeal to make them lis worst enemies,
upon basis of frank human under
standing. The auditor OF the present
generation is mace feel something
akin 10 cotemporaneous interest So
constant are the traits of mortal being
which these plays 50 wildly set forth
that this is easily done when real ability
consents Ia discard scholastic affectation
The lover yearns for the words OF a
Romeo 10 express his devotion TODAY no
less than III the Eliza bethan time, and
the fact that katherine is not a militant
sunraSette does not prevent her from
nenS recognizable type in some of our
"os' modern households. So close to
current Intelligence does frank and
cohhdent portrayal of Shakespeare come
tha' thfSe presentations tend 10 vindi-
cate the uniformed but discerning audi
'o.' "ho' aftef seeing one of Americas
ceiehrated stars play Hamlet, enthusiasts
tcaHy called for Author"
Like MIR EarerSpup,
lierod has been one of the wonders of
the theater, Mr. Sothern deyeloned from,
IiSht comedy into co1nrIa ndina, place in
classic interpretation Mr.. Sorbarn ,s
probably weary OF being reminded of
Lord Chumiey. but his triumph in that
piece was SO important an episode i'm his
career that it cannot be ignored or for
gotten That he has not lost his facility
In lighter vein was demonstrated i'm his
Fetruchio.
Nhen in circles of chatty discussion that
question of eternal conversational mo-
tency arises, Whom do YOU consider orr
greatest actor Sothern's name is SIRE
10 md ardent cha npionship. In many in
stances great producer or a great stu
dent is accepted a great actor because
ne is the central and dominating figure of
an Impressive display. To conquer pub
iie opinion by intellectually and scholar
snip is surely as great a thing as 10 win
IL py physical graces or personal magnet
ISM glfts often bestowed by fortunes
erratic beneficence on personalities not
Otherwise; admirable. To analyze the
qualities which have enabled Mr. Sothern
10 attain his present eminence might be
Interesting. but scarcely important, since
"a in uix- tIa
and the same time what it desires and
what ii ought to have. This is a proud
distinction, sufficient to silence caviling
To observe the appearance of Miss Mar
lowe in Shakespearean roles after her
presentation of The Goddess of Reason
Ii like seeing her step from fog into sun
light Several plays in which this great
actress has appeared have been saved
from duliness by her marvellous reading
Her Juliet burd ms her with no handicap
and will rank model and standard
of comparison for many years TO come.
kyrie Bellows appearance in The
Builder of Bridges may be taken as a
hopeful evidence that he has been finally
established in line of characters above
and apart from roles of fimsy romance.
such, for instance, as "A Gentleman of
France Mr.. BelleH is an actor of
native elegance of manner and graceful
repose. 1t is refreshing to see him as a
gentleman of the present day, who can
perform deeds of fine chivairy without
swashbuckling or homicide
Mr. Sutro, the author of the play, whose
literary factory has enjoyed a large pat
ronage in the dramatic mart. makes a
demand on credulity as great as that
presented by Mr.. Gus Thomas in The
Witching Hour" although it is less spec
tacular. In most plays the plot has
what might be called dead center to
overcome, point which requires
imagination emotional momentum to
prevent the machinery from coming to a
halt. This occurs in The Builder o.
Bridges" when the first betrothed of the
woman rushes unbidden into an as
semblaS1 of people with most of whom
he is on distant terms and bawls forth
the details of business of the most private
and delicate nature. IL would require Il
great deal more enthusiasm and mag
netism than the casting of the role pro-
vides to excuse this affront TO the crndest
sense of propriety on the ground of eager
anu RECKLESS impulse. The play is in
teresting, and has wealth of charmin.
epigram in its dialogue. and il seems
strange, even culpabie, that this jar
should be permitted to occur in its other
wise polished, efficient mechanism
The Columbia Theater has had a num-
Der OF engagements which tend TO indi-
cate the presentation of standard sue
cesses rather than current novelties "a
the policy OF that house. 1.-THE Man Of
the Hour is one OF several economic
dramas which have found favor II dis
cusses questions of municipal govern
ment. but with so much Difference 70
heart interest and heroics that the moral
becomes obscured by the meio,ram ma
Mr.. George Broadhurst, like Mr. Charles
Klein, believes that play should have
some topic of general public interest as
its Inspiration. and both these writer's
have enjoyed measure of attention and
esteem sufficient to vindicate the theory
on which they proceed.
PHILANDER JOHNSON
DAMROSCH AND Won BUELOW.-
Walter Damrosch dwells with partfcu-
lar fondness on the time when he was
received with so much kindness by Hans
Won Buelow in Frankfort. Famous as
Won Buelow was for his caust!c Wit and