The Washington herald., 1911-08-27

Despite IHe Sy "IlCh 10 iS-
ported in New York, Washington has
shown a flattering enthusiasm for the
theater in this August cline, and glad
some tidings have come from all the
various box offices from Seventh up
to Fifteenth streets. 1t is evident the
season is not being forced, and the
managerial smile is working overtime.
The most interesting announcement
of the week concerned the permanent
organization of the Columbia Players
into a Washington-Ba Baltimore stock
company. They will open in the Monu-
mental City September IL, at AL
baugh's, and it is to be hoped they
will find as substantial a niche in its
affections as they have here. The
company has won its way by sheer
merit and its career in Baltimore will
be watched with deep interest.
1t is a far cry from the Henry Ar
thur Jones who wrote The Liars" to
the Jones who wrote The Hypocrites"
and Mrs Danes Defense" AS a sa-
tirist of society, and as an austere
critic of society, he possesses two dis
tinct dramatic methods. Pinero has
also oscillated between comedy and
the problem play-witness "Trelawny
of the Wells and The Thunderbolt."
6OIn OI lHtSe MASTER CIdllSIIlSH HdNS
spent the last decade upon the drama
of power and preaChment, and all the
lesser creative satellites have followed
them
However, there are unmistakable
signs of a reaction. Pinero and Jones
have been compelled to surrender the
limelight more and more to an ad-
vanced band of intellectuals, including
Shaw. Barker, and Galsworthy, and
have met with serious reVerses in the
past few years. Consequently, both
playwrights are resuming their orig
inal meter, and Pinero's most recent
play, preserving Mr.. Panmure," is a
comedy. After his recent experience
with We Can't Be as Bad as All That.
That" there is little doubt that Jones
will follow in the same direction.
important. if true" is the correct
label to be placed on the announce
ment that Sarah Bernhard is to play
in The Easiest Way" in Paris. There
are obvious difficulties in the way of
Visualizing the great Frenchwoman in
the role of Laura Murdoch, but genius
has a way of surmo Inting merely phys
iCal limitations. But the production
of the Walter drama in Paris will be
an interesting experiment. No Ameri-
can play adheres more closely to Con-
1inental standards of construction;
nothing that has been written on this
side of the Atlantic is touched more
clearly with real brilliance, despite its
theme There is no American drama
which has a greater right to be pro-
duced in the French capital than The
Easiest Way" unless it be The Great
Divide" or The Witching Hour
1T is evidently the slow waltz that
in operetta appeals most strongly to
Americans" says a New York news |
paper 1t cites the fact that the fiery. |
heady waltz from The Girl in the |
Train was much more admired in Eu- |
rope than the placid, saccharine, and |
rather obvious strains of Spring Maid |
waltz while exactly the contrary situa- |
tion prevails here. The Pink Lady" |
waltz might also be cited as case in |
point.
English composers of musical COM |
edy have the laugh just now on their !
home critics. who in general consider |
their particular musical wares un-
worthy of serious attention. Through |
the enterprise of Gabriel Astruc
George Edwardes's production of Lionel
Moncton's new success. The Quaker
Girl'-with Phyllis Dare. Joe Coyne. |
and all the other component parts
has been transported to Paris, to the
Chatelet. and not only have the French |
audiences received it with enthusiasm |
but the critics. too, have given IT most |
courteous consideration. 1t has even |
won the heart of Reynaldo Hahn, who, |
like many another French composer, |
in the intervals Of creative inspiration, |
reviews the work of others in one of |
the Paris papers-his medium is LIE
Journal.
The Quaker Girl in the opinion OF
the composer of Isl mes vers avaient |
les allies" and "Lheure exquise," |
realizes ito perfection all the require
ments of its genre" The composers |
method, he finds. proceeds in large |
measure from that of Arthur Sullivan
and also recalls at times that of Andre
Messenger The music of The Quaker
Girl is always agreeable and often
charming; lively full of ingenious de-
tails, and very neatly orchestrated."-
Musical America.
Shaw can always be trusted to add
TO the gayety of nations In his intro
huction to a new volume of plays by
the French dramatist Brieux. he
writes, regarding the making of a typ
ical popular comedy:
First, you have an idea for a