The Washington herald., 1910-04-24

Washington saw two plays last week.
which, although coming at the fag-end
Of tho season. moro than compensated
theater-goers for the many disappoint-
ments that the year has held
Billie Burke in Mrs Dot' and Marie
Dressler in TITLES Nightmare" offered
so far as possible widely divergent
forms OF entertainment yet they were
admirable companion pieces. for in each
the personality of a woman was the
principal charm. Miss Burke is young
and In measure inexperienced. Her
roles, on this side OF the Atlantic. at
any rate, have been few. but she has
won an enviable place among our ac-
tresses, and richly deserves her pres
ent vogue. She is the embodiment OF
sweet femininity-all unreasonableness.
and temperamentally a mine Of ever
changing moods. To watch her play a
role such as Mrs. Parbury in THE Tyran-
ny Of Tears" for instance. would be a
privilege too rare to be hoped for
Marie Dressler has a perfect right
TO the title of the funniest woman on
our stage. She has a comedy face.
comedy voice. and figure that lends
itself readily TO the peculiar habiliments
which the actress devises Her 'Tillie'
is a carefully studied portrait. a combi-
nation Of humor and pathos. that is in
imitable Miss Dressler is past mistress
Of the art of the human touches that
carry role clear out over the foot
lights and bring home 70 each member
OF the audience some recollection. some
suggestion that makes him realize the
utter naturalness of il all What so
often passes for comedy is only buff
foonery, and that is a realm which Miss
Dressler does not explore. Her bur
lesque scenes are always legitimate. |
never exaggerated beyond the bounds |
of probability
Miss Dressler viii go TO New York next |
week and open az Lew Fields Herald |
Square Theater Her name will go up
on the electric signs, and she will be a /
full-hedsed star. II is not too soon; in /
deed it is a tardy recognition Of one of |
the most talented actresses that we have !
Miss DRESSER is a great believer I'm the |
clean-mindedness Of the American people. |
and her success I'm Titles Nightmare" !
justides her belief, for she has two hours
and half Of solid fun. with never a |
suggestion that would bring a blush 20 |
the most sensitive. Her contempt for the /
vile farces which have recently flooded /
the stage knows no bounds. The fail |
,ure Of these pieces one after the other
she feels is an excellent tribute 10 Amer
lean theater-goers- She told the writer
that she believed this cancerous growth
is only temporary. and that the reaction |
has already set I'm.
Titles Nightmare" succeeds the long
run Of Blanche Ring in "The Yankee |
Girl at the Herald Square Theater and /
IL is a coincidence that two such clever /
condolences should follow each other
IN the pleasant task Of giving New York |
clean and wholesome comedy. Ii is a !
safe bet that the theater that sticks to /
this class Of entertainment will be the /
one TO reap the desired financial reward /
Every one who saw Titles Night 1
mare will wish Miss Dressler the big /
gest kind Of success on Broadway.
medal Of handsome design and bear /
ing the inscription. Presented 20 DR.. /
Horace Howard Furness by the founders I
of the New Theater for his distinguished
work I'm the cause Of dramatic art in /
America" was given 10 DR.. Furness at a |
luncheon In the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel. /
Philadelphia, last week. The prescnta- /
ton speech was made by Winthrop Ames. /
director Of the New Theater The origi- /
nal plan. which was foiled by DR.. Fur /
ness illness, was to make the presenta- /
ton at the opening Of the New Theater. /
Dr. Furness is the weH-known Shakes !
sob
new Variorum edition Of Shakespeare be- I
ing. perhaps. the most authoritative work /
on Shakespeare. Winthrop Ames. Lee I
Shubert, the members Of the New Thea /
ter company, Langdon Mitchell. and John /
Luther Long were among the distin- /
guished people at the luncheon.
Mr. Louis n. Parker. who translated |
L Aiglon' for Maude Adams. and who /
Is now at work upon the translation Of
'Chantecler,' which Charles Frohman /
will present in New York next autumn.
has been interviewed by the London 4
DAILY News and the first authentic report /
or his progress with the translation |
comes through this channel The repre- /
sentative Of that newspaper approached /
Mr. Parker with this question: rs II not /
true Mr.. Parker, that 'Chantecler' is not !
only very difficult 20 render into English. !
but that you have made little progress?' |
"As a matter Of fact" he replied. 81 |
have done great part OF the work. ri
IS much easier than I anticipated. The /
translation Of L'Aiglon. for instance /
gave me a great deal more trouble"
The playwright admitted, however. that /
there were passages in 'ChantecIer' that /
could not be rendered literally into Anglo /
Saxon Such was the case with the puns /
made by the Blackbird in the play. puns /
for which no English words could be 4
found, and therefore one had to use /
equivalents. Again, the same difficulty /
was met in the translation of the long
harangue Of the cockereI 70 the birds he /
had convened 20 his court.
have done the whole play in blank /
verse explained Mr.. Parker. with the /
exception, Of course. OF the lyrical pieces /
Tor which I have made use Of rhyme
Here is the last stanza Of the famous /
Hymn to the SUM-, as copied from the /
translator's manuscript:
Thee adore, Thou fIl'st the air with roses
The brook with fame. the burning bush With God
Ihourt hemeted in gold. in gold art shod.
Leading the world to its apothcoss
Mr.. Parker reiterated the opinion that
Rostsnd, in spite OF his preciositv.' was
more transferable than many a French
poet-Victor Hugo and Alfred de NIusset.
to name only two Of the greatest sing
ers OF France
nargal u A~tL,,,. - x,..,,. -