Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-01

an.e So finished as that given by the
de Koven Opera Company. Ihere was
a touch of romance about IL ali
was the realization after very many
wears of the dream of two ChicaSo
Youngsters one poet ana the othei
a musician. The Robin HOOD thd'
has been crowding the theater Is tue
real Robin Hood" that the magma
lions of Harry II. Smith and ReSlnaid
de Koven created: not the partial eX-
preston which must suffice when the
experimental stage has not been passed.
With all the reverence due the. bosto-
mans i'm mind. it must be admitted that
they could not have made produc'ioil
of Robin Hood" to compare with that
which has caused the public to awaken
10 thu, fact that we have at least one
\ native work to be compared with the
productions in lighter vein OF GILBERT
and Sullivan. PIanquette. Audran and
.NIlloeckcr.
1t was expected that Mr.. de koven
would be in this city TO conduct at least
one performance of the opera The
weeks engagement represents an espe-
cial triumph for Mr.. de Koven since
this city has been the scene of some of
ated artistic endeavors. His residence
in Washington witnessed great activity
= on his part in an endeavor to promote
AM interest in music and to induce
popular taste for its higher forms The
same fearless liking for big things
that led de Koven to undertake to eS
tablish a distinctly : nerican school of
light opera composition and later to
see possibilities still in process of de-
velepment toward making Washington
a great musical center has led TO the
organization of the opera company now
bearing his name.
II is an era of revivals 'Hanky
Panky" is full of suggestions of a style
of humor which in its day was ex-
hilarating in its audacity. 1t is the
big show" of some years ago. when
there were still fantastic changes to
lie run in costume and when the merry
quips which form the essentials of eX-
travaganza had not passed into the
list of what the comedian with a scrap
book mentality describes as "sure-fire
stuff
All that lights. music and costumes
could do 10 make 'Hanky Panky an
aliuring entertainment was in evidence
at the Belasco Theater. Novelty of idea
was not very prominent. the object being
To emphasize bits of tV-play until what
had seemed plere trifles of exuberance
became exa@gerations. The idea OF al
lowing stage performers TO work in the
audience. at first startling and agree
able surprise. Is rapidly becoming, merely
a boresome Intrusion. =.
THE WinseE4e V'idon-,. is a Ziegfeld
show and Illustrates what would have
been done with a Trip 10 Chinatown"
lad it been presented by Mr.. Ziegfeld
instead OF Charles Hoyt. II is in line
with the spirit OF revival now so strong.
Lavish in equipment. it represents cap
itaiization rather than inspiration.
4 danger in connection with the re-
viVai is the feminiscence it is sure to
invite y revival like :Hanky Panky"
\ is sure to bring up memories of the
Mays when Weber and Fields astonisned
khe public by paying enormous salaries
pr material for the highest and ARREST
Fvesty. The Winsome Widow is
hinder that the laughter OF hygone
.rs has lost its spontaneous rims and
h the comedies OF the e:rltics cannot
fuse as do the follies Of the current year
presenting revival the material is of
Importance. Robin Hood with its foun-
dation of permanent merit, has "A great
advantage. over creations made to please
the fancy OF the passing hour and to be
forgotten. Reminders of Old-time gay
cites which are not securely lnke. with
well defined tradition are likely to call
forth only the sigh Alas. poor Yorck"'
5'PHII-FNDER JOHNSON.
A TEST OF PLAGIARISN-Dav
Belasco famous for his powers of stage
craft iii making realistic that which be-
fore was only ideal, with unerring dead
iiness has wreaked a terrible vengeance
upon d playwright who accused him of
plagiarism.
Mr.. BeIasco and William c. De Mile
had made "a play, The Woman Abrsi-
nam Goldknopf also had made a play
Tainted Philanthropy Mr.. Goldknopf
accused his rival of stealing the sour
from Tainted Philanthropy to pive it
10 The Woman. Armed with his
manuscript. Mr.. GOldknOpf. not only an
author. but an orator. wendell his way
10 the United States circuit court. in
New York. and 10, Mir. EelascO and Mr.
lie Mile had 10 answer to the law.
Just mere l. where Mr.. BeIasco's real
Genius for realism came 10 the surface.
and he wreakcd his terrible vengeance.
Theater the same afternoon. exhibits in
| the case. \ decision has not been rendered,
VHor mas announcement been made To
whether its production. under dis
tinguished auspices, mas brought 'Iaint-
cd Philanthropy into demand with
the booking agencies. Mr.. Beiasco :
counsel has asked the court To in
corporate in its decision "Censure for
the plaintiffs and tine lawyers who bring
such silly suits on no grounds at all so
that il may serve a warning to others
who always trying to waste the
time of the courts with such cases
SHAKESPEARE AS AN ACTOR MAN
AGER.-''ActOr managers. says f.. H.
Sothern, ARE not of recent growth.
Shakespeare might readily be classed as
one even though there Is authentic rec
ord OF his having appeared in only two
parts the Ghost, in Hamlet and Adam.
in AS You Like It,. Having played
these roles il is safe TO presume that he
also attempted others: and while We have
no record OF his skill actor. there
sample evidence regarding his executive
ability as owner and manager of a
tlieater.
I'VE find ne had been in London only
a few years when he became a share
holder in the Blaekfriars Company. This