Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-05

ton as many distinct phases of
development in the theater. Ii
tradition is 10 he blindly rever-
enced for its own sake the dignity OF the
nIavborse must he regarded upheld
most consistently by the Ministries For
the semi-circle does not change. YOU
NAV brofder it with electric lights and IN
-roduce athletic celebrities orator of
the day: you may suppiant the old-time
songs of sentiment with the rattle or rag
time: you may moderniZe as much as IN
eenuity will permit, but the old spirit
dominates the scsle. The man who rests
his weight on oile foot and links MS
thumb into wa.stcoat buttonAole While
he sings ballad is a glorious perrnanency'
the stump speech applies the OLD run TO
new conditions ard the dance reisns SUI
p-eme, most alluraTg when ii reyerts TO
its earlier forms. Minstrelsy is not re-
garded as an elevated form of entertain
ment, yet II holds its own AMI enduTes
with a yieor that may make il intimately
known TO the archeo,ogist of the future
when other forms of popular amusement
now cnrreut are understood but msti1y.
A play like "The Commuters is a dis
tfnct concession to the passing hour. 1t
stage dialogue and tahleaux revealing the
AVERAGE state of society with frank
carfcature for whose Interpretation an
average amount of talent aburdantiy suf-
fees THE Commuters recognizes the
self scrutiny which distinguishes the pres
ant generation. It reconstructs no classic
forms and reveals no heroes in the throes
# mental anguish physical trial
The cub goes still further into mod
aInity Not content with depicting, 1t
Undertakes to discuss. and the Kentucky
stcd is presented with minglng Of SOM
70 realism and screaming burlesuue that
could easily give pause to the most blood
elsirsty avenge~. Unfortunately for the
eofift of society The Cub is not likely
10 he seen where it would do the most
GOOD A representation of the characters
and incidents such as Mr.. Fairbanks fig
ares in might lead to the abandonment of
old feuds. but only for the purpose OF
settling The score of a deadlier affront
thar had ever before wounded family
honor
With many meritorious qualities. The
Cub" confuses the auditor by trying to
be too many kinds of a story at once. 1t
Is farce. tragedy melodrama and in fact
a little of everything except opera. Hav
ing created picture of conditions among
8 strange people with a faithfulness that
commands artistic respect. it destroys 1t
with travesty which is the more fatal
because of it's efficiency. And when the
mood of boisterous absurdity is estab-
Hshed it unceremoniously is overwhelmed
by grim and CHASTITY suggestion.
The present week offers a bridge on
which the auditor may stand and look
both ways into the past, when scholarly
influence was strong in the theater, and
into the future with its developing tend
ency to use the stage as a rostrum for
the eager. but often immature discussion
Of social and economic questions. The
dramatic author Of the present aims to
be pragmatical rather than poetic. Yet
the basic principle of art is ever in evil
dence and sure Of public interest. Occa-
sionally the genius of the theater pre-
sents itself in forms that defy time and
custom, and produces a Shakespeare.
whose poetry remains vitality extant
through the centuries, or a Sarah Bern
hardt, who defies the barriers of Ian
suage and claims the whole world as an
audience. PHILANDFsR JOHNSON
WHERE SOTHERN WAS BORN
50 much diversity OF opinion has been
.Xpressed as to the birthplace Of E. H.
sothern that admirers of the famous actor
rho reside in New Orleans. where he was
eally born, have at last determined to
let matters right by erecting a tablet and
arved likeness over the entrance of his
birthplace In biographies published from
inc TO time il has been variously re-
ported that he first saw the light of day
England, Scotland and also New York
was, however, in a now somewhat iso-
ated street of New Orleans that Sothern
born. Sothern himself was always
Houd of the fact that he oan call Ameri-
his birthplace.
Were one to look for the Sothern birth
,lace in New Orleans he would have
much trouble in finding it at present. The
original number was 80 Bienville street
,ut the reclamation of much property
nat had been swamp land has caused the
itreet to be enlarged, until all the old
numbers have been effaced The house is
low located in one OF the picturesque
french restaurants mingled with those
brewery next door. There has been
gut little change. since the days when
Sothern, the elder-Dundreary Sothern-
made one of his summer excursions to
he southern metropolis with the present
.ctor's mother and engaged lodgings at
he little four-stOry house The sign
Furnished Rooms to Rent" that then
greeted the elder Sothern, is visible to-
Jay. In all those years intervening the
little place has been run as a furnish
.d-room house.
MRS CARRIERS UNIQUE STAGE
.AREFR.-Nfrs. Leslie Carter's career is
mique In stage annals. During the twen-
g,years Of her stellar life In the theater,
from the time she made her first New
York appearance, in 1880. until the pres
snt, she has played only ten parts. Her
lame as an actress Of emotional roles is
widely established
Mrs. Carter was born in Lexington,
KY, and made her first appearance on
he stage in non-speaking part in 1881
Tor three years thereafter she remained
obscurity, except to Mr.. David Be-
asco, who took her under his tutelage.
November TO- 1890. she appeared as
star in the role Of Kate Graydon in
Paul Potter's drama, The Ugly Duck
ing" at the Broadway Theater. New
York Another year Of obscurity followed.
The next time Mrs. Carter appeared It
aas in a musical play from the French.
Miss Helyett This was in 1891. and
Size remained in the play for two sea-
;cns After two additional years OF
eclipse she once more emerged into pub
Gal,