The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-06
NEWS AND GOSSIP
 OF LONDON STAGE Fawcett Triumphs in ''The Great John Canton" THE PATRIOTIC NOTE Sir Herbert Tree Turns Down S100, ,000 Cinematograph Offer-Parker
 Play May Deal With
 Old New York
THE PATRIOTIC NOTE
By MALCOLM WATSON


 to chronicle the personal success of George Fawcett in "The Great John Canton" The public gave him a most cordial welcome. showing conclusively that they had not forgotten the excel lent work done by him in "The Squaw Woman" at the Lyric. And as last Sat urday evening progressed their atti- tude became more and more cordial. the performance ending in veritable ovation Fawcett is the most modest of men and wears his laure1s with a diffidence that charms everybody. l am not sure that the play pleased in anything like the proportion which the principal performer undoubtedly did. still 1t Is good to know that bus mess at the Aldwych theatre Is on the upgrade and that although. so far, expenses have exceeded receipts there Is very fair prospect that the piece will enjoy fair run. Fawcett has one or two more plays in his knapsack which he would like us to see and sincerely trust the opportunity will not be lacking. Sir Joseph Beecham, who runs the theatre, has plenty of money to back up the enterprise, but, of course, he is far too much of a bus mess man to continue putting his hand into his pocket unless he can count upon some sort of return eventually. The only other production to be re- corded since my last letter Is that of H. V Esmond's new comedy, "A Young Mans Fancy" at the Criterion Es- mond's luck has been out for some time
 and we all sincerely hoped he would score an emphatic success with his new piece. But, alas, our hopes are, | fear. doomed to disappointment. In this instance he has watered his wine To such an extent that ] greatly doubt the public will care to partake Of it. The plot too has little or no claim to novelty while treatment and charac- terization are sadly old-fashioned. Lot tie venne did her utmost to infuse lire into the performance, and so long as she was on the stage we eheerfully delivered ourselves over to the witch cry of her presence. But even she, with all her cleyerness, could not always cheat us into the belief that 1t is pos sible to make bricks without straw. Remembering the excellent work done by Esmond in the past-who has Tor gotten When We Were Twenty-One,
 or "One Summers Day2'-It Is par IaCuiaTlN u ihd fN ''NNfS to praise in his later efforts.
 Tree is having a splendid time of 1t in
 Glasgow in vaudeville. Glasweigians are Hooking to see him in 'sThe Man Who
 Was while private admirers are doing all in their power to render hls stay pleasant Meanwhile he has had an offer from one of the cinematographic conl- panies that would make any other man. ager's mouth water This Is no less ,I,nI 2faI for the right to reproduce upon thf screen twelve of the plays produced at his majesty's during the next ten years Sounds rather appealing, doesn't it? However Tree has turned a deaf ear to the voice of the charmer for some reason best known to himself. He was not, l happen to know, by any means too well pleased by his first experi- ence in this direction and the circum- stance, probably, had induced him not to risk another experiment in the same line. After all art comes before money in Trees estimation and we all like him the
 better for the fact.
 l have had a long and interesting chat
 with George Alexander about his new play. "The Turning Point an adaptation of Henry Kistemaeckers La Flambee.' As the story turns upon the killing or spy who endeavors to obtain information at the expense of the heros honor Alex ander evidently considers that here is a splendid chance of booming the political side of the piece. The subject of espion- age has been very much to the fore of late and, taken in conjunction with the wave of patritism' at present over running the country, offers an undoubted opportunity for focusing public attention on the St James production. Let me add that Alexander is not merely out for gratuitous reclame; he is. in point of fact seriously impressed by the dan ger to which. in this connection. all Euro pean countries-and England. certainly, not least are exposed. He told me story of how he himself, wals- ing down Piccadilly, overheard two foreigners conversing in manner which clearly showed they were in possession they could only have acquired by under hand methods. Practically the moral 70 be drawn from "The Turning Point" is that If you encounter a spy whose con- tinued existence is a menace to your coun- try the wisest thing you can do is to shoot him at sight. It may be little rough on the spy, but that is a detail you need not stop to consider.
 Louis Napoleon Parker sails for New
 York next week to assist in renearsals of the play he has just completed, stage version of Hugh de We're Stacpoole' S novel, "Tho Order of Release" It is, be- lieve, tale of the French Revolution and designed to exploit the talents of
 Madame Simone who. we are almost be-
 ginning to forget. once bore the name of Le Bargy. Before many weeks are over New York playgoers will have a
 chance of judging of It's quality. For some time past Parker has had an idea swimming in his brain which he is ex- ceedingly anxious to carry into effect. It will, am confident, appeal to You
 all on the other side. Here you have 1t in a nutshell What he did for Eng ! land in "Pomander Walk he thinks of doing for America in play which shall 1 treat life and character in old New York very much in a similar fashion. The
 project, think you will acknowledge. is
 of a distinctly fascinating nature and might well result in charming comedy of manners.
 l It is long since George Edwards first uttered in my presence his threat to in- clude in every contract q clause forbid
 ding any member of his company to marry under penalty of a heavy forfeit. Now | however he has returned to the charge l publicly announcing that in all future en- agreements this condition will be made
 binding. George probably realizes as viv idly as anyone the utter impossibility oi ever enforcing such a measure: ever had he tho power, I gravely doubt tha
 he would endeavor to use it. Time aftel time he has had trouble with fascinatinf
 members of his company who, after sudden leap Into fame. have come to hin with tears in their eyes, requesting thai they may be released from ono yoke ir order to assume another. Obviously, fl
 is exceedingly irritating to find that wher