Arizona republican., 1911-04-02

| of the American public and her west
 ern tour will be repetition of her east
 ern triumphs. It is gratifying to learn
 that she will appear in a play so well
 calculated to display her charm as an | actress
 'The RejuvenatiOn of Aunt Mary
 has met with almost unprecedented ap-
 proval from those hyper critical the
 atrical iconoclasts who make their liv-
 ing by tearing dramas in piecemeal,
 drawing vivid exposes of unsatisfac-
 tory or inartistic products.-in other
 words. the critics, professional, anna
 teur, and all combined On it's open
 ing night the play was seen by a multi
 tude of first nighters. coldly expect
 ant of another addition to the already ! long list of theatrical bambOOzels. this. particularly for the reason that drami-
 tizations of novels are more often un- successful than not. The last curtain fell on a scene of enthusiastic tumult,-
 before the foOtlights. not back of them,
 and the house was in an uproar Miss
 Robson had scored another success. The play was acclaimed as one of the few genuine, real. worthy successes of
 the season, and it has since sustained the reputation given it by the critics
 during its first run, and has met with
 the same success in every city to which
 Miss Robson has cared it.
 The story is a cheerful depletion of the old fashioned life of an old fash
 toned woman who comes under the in fluence of modern sophistry, or at least associates with its disciples, and her horror of certain innovations and new
 ideas is portrayed in a manner which necessitates a storm of laughter, and yet the notable thing about it is the fact that the humor is not created by any crash suggestiveness. or immOrali- ty. The lines are crisp and bright all through the play and the entire pro- duction is amusing from beginning to end-and the endl A sparkling, hilari- ous denouement that closes the last act in burst of sunshine.
 With the exception of "The Rejuve- nation of Aunt Mary" no other notable play will be presented in Phoenix dur ing the month of April, but the ab- sence of other productions will not be keenly felt. The one, clean. bright and wholesome drama in which Miss Rob- sen stars will compensate, easily. for the lack of other plays.
 This brings 10 mind the plaints of critics the world oyer that there are too many plays produced in America these days. The commercialization of the stage has resulted in a competition among theatrical managers. and in a building of new theaters, and in a rais- ing of almost innumerable actors to stardom. that could have only one ef- feet on the one time purity and general excellence of the American stage Disaster. Playrights are not as num- erous as hack drivers. and good plays are not written over night. Writing at the command of managers and pro- ducers. the most talented and capable writers fail to produce the marvellous realism of the older plays which were written only after years of thought and preparation The fact that they write under the hammer of the pro- ducer is too often visible in the strained and hurried work of some dramatists, whose plays lack the finish and charm of the dramas, for instance, 0f Ibsen, 1 who took nearly two years time for every play he wrote. The best ones, at least. were written slowly. and with studied thought for the truth to be embodied and presented. and with an artistic solicitude to paint, in the lines and situations, the accurate delineatiOn of character color. and scenic tone. which painters of genuine talent bring | to life on their canvases.
 The season in the east has not been | notable for the production of any ex- ceptional dramas, and the stars of l proven worth have found their best | success in the revivals of older dramas l of recognized merit. In consequence | of this dearth of new material a num- Der of stars. sent aloft by aspiring and | managers to sparkle in the | theatrical firmaments, but for a mo- l ment, have dropped back to supporting | positions in the companies presenting | other better known artists. who owed | their elevation to long years Of assidu- l ous and untiring labor for the refined | and perfect interpretation of character. | Mediocrity has found it's level once l more. and as for the old favorites. | among whom might he mentioned Billie | Burke. Maude Adams, Julia MarIowe, | Nazimova, Leslie Carter. Ethel Barri- | more. Helen Ware. Eleanor Robson, | Robert Mantell, Southern and John | Drew,-their seat in the hearts of their | admirers. who have laughed and cried | at their plays for years and at times | is stronger and deeper | and firmer than ever.
 The public is still waiting for the | appearance of powerful drama which | shall equal the classics in interest and | realism. Whether they will get it from | a new and as yet unheard of play wright. or whether some of the dra- natists now writing for the stage shall develop into artistic luminaries,-re- mains to be seen.