New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-13
THE GARDEN OF ALLAH
Dramatizing the Algerian Ro-
nance of Robert Kitchens.

"The first time | visited Biskara, IN
Southern Algeria. 1t was mere dot in the
desert; the second time l visited Biskara
| was with Robert Kitchens and our stay
was forcibly limited TO twenty-four hours
and the third time l visited Biskara
Yankee girls had appropriated the common
herd from the public garden and, book In
hand, were plotting out the love scenes OF
Mr.. Hichens's story, 1.-THE Garden OF
Allah"
Thus did George Tyler, dropping while
the managerial cares OF THE Garden OF
Allah" play. chat Of his visits TO Algeria
in search of local color. 1t is far cry
On the phrase of the cub reporter) from
North Africa 10 Mr.. Tylers present quar-
tiers. He sits in the seats of the mighty.
Where the great spirit Of Otto II. Kahn
brooded over the dramatic waters where
Winthrop Ames directed and Van Ness
Harwood told tales-briefy, in the oiflces
Of the New. now the Century, Theatre-Mr
TYLER. head Of the firm OF Liebler q Co.
is working like a mailer to make his lease
hold of the "millonaires playhouse
success
A ceaseless stream of callers, the some
what Persian apparatus, the tlnkle Oh the
telephone and the racket OF motor cars
in the street keep eye and ear busy But
nevertheless, the managers mental eye Is
fixed on the Algerian desert, the scene OF
his new production.
why were you and Hichens driven away
from Biskara?" asked the interviewer
taking up the thread of talk
Because Hichens had found il an Oh
scure native village and had made it a
highly popular resort. The gratitude OF
The inhabitants was overpowering. AS in
stances OF It, let me mention that the hotel
proprietor. when We asked Tor our charges
handed MS receipted bill, and that
Hichens simply couldn't buy thing In
the local bazaars, the storekeeLers press
ing everything on him as gifts. ! say Ola
chan we can't stand this, you KNOW. re-
marked the novelist bitterly. Wen nave
~ cut and run And We did. Inc Blshaid
fradesmen and innkeepers were preparing
a big festival in his honor-a sort OF Old
Horne Week-which he thus barely es-
caned II he had stayed, / suppose they
vould have made him patron SAINT III
the French calendar and derived MS
descent direct from Mahomet in the
Arabian.
1T was my most recent Visit 20 southern
A1eiers." continued Mr. Tyler. that fuzzy
determined me 10 produce The Garden OF
Allah as play. Mr.. Hichens and his col
! bors tor-my contract forbids me to men
tion the name-had been working ON the
three years. There were
many difficulties. and at times ! felt tempt
al 10 throw up the project Going TO Bis
Lara visited the beautiful garden where
the lovers meet and speculated how the
scene might be realistically transferred 10
the stage. Presently 1 heard talking. Here
r. the gate by which he enters' spoke a
pirljsh voice OF decided New England
twang. oh. ON" chrped another girl IN
Middle Western accents, she sat on TINS
very bench when he told her Of his love
Turning around 1 saw through the
shrubbery an eager party Of Yankee Glrl
tourists who were doing all my work for
me. though OF course they weren't aware Of
that They knew their Garden Of Allah
forward and backward and with finger
on verse and line were carefully locating
each situation. each speech almost, Of the
famous scene. II VAS then ] made my
final decision. II struck me forcibly that
book exciting such keen interest and cvOk-
ms such enthusiastic pilgrimagcs would
simply have to be produced, and that If