Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-14

Continued from page 10

ConHnaed Prom page ~
zation of "A King and Few Dukes" by
Robert w. Chambers and of "Carnac
Sahib," by Henry Arthur Jones. Neither
of these however, could be called classic
| do not know that it is generally known
that the first classic role Miss Rehan was
preparing for the following season was Adri-
enne Lecouvreur, in the French drama of
that name, in which Sarah Bernhard and
Helena ModJeska SO long were famous
The time has passed. and we never shall
see the glorious Rehan in the part Nine
years after Days death Adrienne Lecou-
vreur was acted on the stage of his theater
But the Adrienne was not Miss Rehan, by
that time permanently retired Oddly
enough, the visitor who played the part was
Olga Nethersole, who, at the beginning of
her career, was brought to America by
August1n DAILY himself, when he thought of
making her leading actress of his stock COM
pany, and starring Ada Rehan independ-
emily.
SOME casts that have been formed to play
"Othello were reasonable to expect; but
one, at least, was not. When Mr. and Mrs
H. B. Irving were acting in this country
they made friendly proposition to Mr.. and
Mrs. William Faversham to join them in a
brief revival of the tragedy Mr.. Irving
had already played Iago in his own country;
but Mr. Faversham would have been new
to Othello, as Dorothea Baird to BESIDE
mona and Julie Opp to Emilia. The plan
fell through; but it was made in good faith.
Iago would have been among Frank Worth
ing's roles had he not backed down at the
last moment after agreeing to play a spe-
cial season with Robert Mantcll in 1908.
And Eleanor Robson studied Dcsdemona, as
well as Cordelia in King Lear" and Ros-
allie in LA Morte Civile, when Salvini
proposed paying farewell visit to America
and she to head an English speaking COM
pany in his support. But that performance
we shall doubtless never see; for Miss Rob-
son is not likely to emerge from her retire
ment as Mrs. August Belmont, and ii is I'M
likelier still that at his advanced age Signor
Salvini will ever act in America again. But
there IS no reason to suppose that Wilton
Lackaye may not some day get an oppor-
tunity to fulfil his pet ambition and play
Othello; and there is less cause to doubt
that Z. II. Sothern and Julia Marlowc will
add that tragedy to their repertoire, a
thing they contemplate doing very soon.
But proposed performance OF "Othello"
headed by certain trio of male stars was
never in any likelihood of fulflment Iago
ana olhellO can supply Two stars without
favoritism. Ermcte Novclli and Robert
Mantel, whose Othello and Iago are adj
mirable, happened to be acting in New York
at the same time a few years ago, and under
the same management. That astute man
ager took occasion to announce, through a
leading New York paper, that his two stars
would appear together in the tragedy for
some charity. To strengthen the appeal,
the actors would invite Richard Mansfield
to join them and choose any remaining role
he pleased.
Mr.. Mansfield's secretary read this i'm
pudent announcement and fastened up to
the actors home on Riverside Drivc-a
house, by the way, that this very manager
purchased after Mr.. Mansheld's DEATH
The secretary arrived before the actor was
out Of bed, and he fumed in apprehension at
the imminent rage of the none too gentle
star. When Mr.. Mansfield finally did APP
pear, he still delayed the information until
the lion should have eaten something. Then
he led up very guardedly and gently to the
paragraph.
There was long and terrifying silence
WELL" said Mr.. Mansfield finally, I'll
choose Desdemona; but when Othello
comes around to smother her in her bed"