The Washington herald., 1912-02-18

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old timers say. win be seen at tho Belasco
with the excellent cast which the
ShubeTts have provided That monu-
mental droll, De Wolf Hopper, heads the
cast Least season the same enterpris-
ing management gave us an excellent re-
vival Of ''The Mikado," 90 the great de-
light Of an appreciative public, and It is
announced that either Patience or The
Pirates OF Penzance' will follow Pima
fore" this coming June. More grateful
news could not be received
George Evans, one OF the real fun
makers of the day, is certain to have a
prosperous week at the Columbia His
powers as a comedian have always been
recognized by discriminating connoIsseurs
Of tomfooIery, and he has come into his
own rapidly in the past three years. His
new show possesses some genuine novel
ties.
There are four voices on the stage
which arc vocal magic: Those Of Maude
Adams, David Warfield, Johnston Forbes
Robertson, and Julia Marlowe. The first
has a spiritueIle beauty all its own, the
second fairly throbs its message. the
third has a chaste Grecian majesty, and
the fOurth-well. perhaps II Is best TO say
Of Miss Marlowe's voice that II fairly
sings and thrills with romance. The
reams of paper have also been utilized
in celebrating the beauty Of the Sothern
and Skinner vocal organs.
Retrospect over the Sothern-Marlowe
engagement will yield but little fresh
comment. All Washington was delighted
TO find Mr.. Sothern's powers as a come
dian. as evidenced by his Petrucho and
his Malvolio, at their highest reach: II
discovered new fire and authority in HIS
Romeo and profound sublimity in his
Hamlet. 1t liked his Shylock and his
Macbeth least Of all II any skeptic
needs TO be convinced that Mr.. Sothern's
title to leadership on our stage rests on
A firm basis. he has but TO study the
amazing range shown between his Romeo
and his Malvolio. Both of these imper-
sOnations are permanent contributions to
the annals Of the drama.
Miss MarlOwe, despite some impression
to the contrary, is at the zenith and
maturity Of her powers; her rare and
finely wrought art, vibrant with beauty,
makes her Juliet and her Viola true
classics of our time.
Yes; there were very few vacant seats
at the Belasco last week, and 'standees'
were in evidence at every performance.
Two first nights" Of more than usual
Importance will be given at the Columbia
within the next three weeks: One is the
appearance OF Wilton Lackaye in THE
Curious Conduct of Judge La Garde, !" and
the other is Henry Miller in the new
comedy by A. f. Thomas, THE Rain
bow" Mr.. Miller has rarely elected to
appear as a comedian before the Wash
ingtOn public, but he achieved consider
able success two seasons ago with Her
Husbands Wife" which. introduced Mr..
Thomas to the public. Despite the fiasco
registered by What the Doctor Order
ed" this young playwright formerly
dramatic reviewer on a New York news
paper is the only one of the native guild
now attempting light comedy of the finer
type and much is expected Of The Rain
bow" That il has passed through the
crucible of Miller's Judgment increases
this expectation,
Winthrop Ames is rapidly becoming one
Of the important figures in American the
RterIand. For a man scorned and roUted
as q dilettante he is doing fairly well to
say the least. Last season, as manager
Of the New Theatsr, he gave The Piper"
TO the public This season he has import
ed "Sumurun" from Germany The lat
ter production is destined to have revo-
ludonary effects on the mechanics and
graphiCs of the stage. From this point
OF view It is the most important achieve
ment of the season.
This week Mr.. Ames opens his Little
Theater in FoTty-tourth street, New
York. However exotic this little bandbox
OF a playhouse may seem to the bulk
public attention in degree quite out of
proportion to its size. 1t will find its
own following and shape its own style OF
art. Mr.. Henderson, in the New York
Sun, points out how admirably suited It
is 10 the presentation Of Mozartian opera
bOuffe and other intimate" musical ere
stiOns and claims it for this purpose,
should it fail as a theater to gain public |
patronage.
OF the latter disaster, however, there is |
little danger, for there is a real clientele |
even in New York-for such works as |
Galsworthy's The Pigeon Miss Bar |
ker's Chains" Housman's Pains and |
Penalties" and Barker's THE Madras |
House" There is a not inconsiderable |
group Of critics who consider Galsworthy |
10 be the leading English dramatist. |
Justice" and Strife" are his best |
known works, the latter having been pro-
duced by the New Theater company tive |
years ago. It is significant that Mr.. |
Ames has elected to become the protag- /
onist Of Galsworthy in the United States; |
The Pigeon" will be the first play to /
be given at the Little Theater, and 9TH
Crs will follow
OF THE Pigeon" produced in London
only two weeks ago, an English reviewer
SAYS:
In The Pigeon Mr.. Galsworthy pur-
sues the same path that he has so stead
fastly trodden IN The Silver Box in Il
Strife and in Justice He bids US pity 1
and understand and succor the outcasts,
the disinherited OF this world. He shows
US not only the sadness but the irony
Of their fate; the breakdown of our So
cial machinery in dealing With them, the
need not for more systems but for a new
spirit An apostle. then. he is, first and
foremost using art TO awaken our con-
sciences: but 1t is always art that he uses I
art without base alloy, art with that |
that qutntessential poetry which wells up
when feelings are deeply stirred and with
that beauty which is the outcome Of /
clear and complete expression. Work of
this high emprise' and so finely wrought
IS rare in the theater; every one must
feel grateful for It; must feel that our
stage is ennobIed by IT, But, of course,
il is Christening, troubling. the very re-
verse of joyous: there can thus be no
'thunders of applause for N-onIy Al
luiet. thankful appreciation. And so The
Pigeon was received quietly last night
One paid IL, rather the tribute of a sigh.
and went away pensive and with certain
old words about charity recurring OBJ
in the mind. And in that mood
Mr.. Galsworthy had his reward"
It was an unintentionsl hut very real
ll-turn TO America-and TO everybody
Interested in things theatrical in Amer
cs-thst Haddon Chambers lately did.
On his return to London he met ]. N.
Barrie and said TO him, Don't worry