The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-08
Playwrights Who Can Turn
 Out an Act a Night
MISS ASHWELL BETTER
English Manager Has Come to Con- clusion That England Has Little to Learn From Conti-
 mental Producers
By MALCOLM WATSON.

H. s. Sheldon's play was presented by him at the Garrick Thursday afternoon and fell hopelessly flat. He had rather better luck with Stanley Houghton's new comedietta, "Phipps,' wherein Bourchier sustained the part of but. Ter. But even that is hardly to be de. scribed as a masterpiece Bourchiet confided to me that the idea had been developed by himself and his wife. Vio. let Vanbrugh. Houghton being respon. sible for little more than the dialogue. That, he seems able to turn out with marvellous swiftness. In conversation the other day he stated that he had written the entire first act of "Hindle Wakes" in a single night, and the whole of the piece in three weeks. In this respect he resembles Louis N Parker, who thinks nothing of doing an act in one day.
 Of course every dramatist has his own particular method of working. That adopted by the two playwrights mentioned above contrasts curiously with, for instance. Haddon Chambers It is just upon II months since I tray eled with him from London to Paris, whence he was going on to the Riviera for the purpose of obtaining quiet for the writing of the comedy he had prom ised Charles Frohman. The days have heightened into weeks, the weeks into months, and still the manuscript lies unfinished. Chambers tells me, however, that the first two acts, at any rate, are ready for delivery and that he is hard at work upon the third. This is the piece which Frohman destines for Ethel Barrymore and which he at one time contemplated producing at the Duke of York's in February. after the run of Peter Pan" Chambers has not yet definitely settled whether or not he will cross the Atlantic in order to superintend rehearsals.
 Two Each Night
 Ferdinand Akoun, managing director of the Luna park in Paris, who has secured a lease of the London opera house from oscar Hammerstein, in- tends giving two shows a night and not improbably ono in tho afternoon. The entertainment will consist largely of cinema pictures together with sketches, musical and otherwise, short pallets and other music hall acts. Prices will range from s5 for a box seat to 10 cents for a seat in the gallery, the price for a stall being little over a dollar. Whether that figure be not a
 
 cumstanees, Is debatable point. As his = general manager the new lessee has engaged Ben Nathan, the well known variety agent, who sails in the course of the. next few days for New York in search of novelties
 am glad to have increasingly good news both of Mrs. Patrick Camp bell and of Lena Ashwell who have been equally unfortunate of late in the matter of health. Even now there is very little chance, I learn, of the for mer being well enough to resume stage work for at least a year to come. On the other hand, there is every likeli- hood that Lena Ashwell will be out and about again in the course of six or eight weeks.
 Tree is back from his holiday trip to the continent, looking the picture of health. He has had a really good time of it and neither in Paris, Vienna nor Berlin did he sec anything that he considered was not as well done In this country and perhaps even better done. In point of fact his wanderings have only tended to confirm his good opin- ion of theatrical art in England. An hour after my chat with Tree I ran across Granville Barker. There is only one thing to be said on the other side" he remarked, "and it's this; in respect of play producing and scenic effects there is nothing we need envy Ger many for except the possession of Reinhardt'
 Miss Drever Engaged
 George Edwardes has engaged Con stance Drever, who, you may remember, came into prominence two or three | years ago in "The Chocolate Soldier" for a term of years. She makes a start under his management at Daly's with in week or two as Gertie Millars successor in "Gipsy Love" Drever, of course, will depend principally upon her powers as a vocalist just as Gertie Mill lar relied chiefly on her ability as a bright and lively actress. Talking of dancers, Lydia Kyasht. the fascinating Russian ballerina, who has long been | the bright particular star at the Elm pire theatre of varieties, is deserting | us for a time. Lee Shubert settled for | her to cross the Atlantic last autumn, but some difficulty arose and prevented the plan being carried out. Now she has arranged to go to Vienna and Buda Pesth at the tidy little salary of 5000 week. Early next year she returns to the Empire. where she Is under con tract until 1913
 Cyril Maude is having "The Little Cafe" rewritten and hopes by the meas ure to secure for it d fresh lease of life at the Playhouse. He still seems undecided as to its success. Just before sailing for New York Winchell Smith | told me that might expect to see him again in London about Christmas as he was returning then to produce "The | Fortune Hunter for Maude. On the other hand, Maude has taken a fancy To a new comedy named The Head master" by Edward Knoblauch and | Nllfred T. Coleby which he may after all, make his next attraction at the | Playhouse.
 The annual motor exhibition at Olympia brought last week a lot of srist to the theatrical mills in the West End Business suddenly improved ev- anywhere and managers rejoiced might fly, hardly pausing to inquire the real reason of this sudden outburst of prosperity. Disillusion came last Mon day when receipts, save at q few fla vorcd houses, showed an oininous de- crease Nor is there much of a re- covery 10 Dc hoped for until after Christmas when the young folks will bd home for the holidsys and ca ger to ! make round of the thea tres Of course. pantomimc will come in for tha chief share of their attention and Drury Lane. Tn particular nay b. expected 10 beennt largely therenv At the present moment the position there is nos with out grounds for anxiety. Arthur Col lins Is confined to his bed by an un- usnaiiy severe attack of gout; at the best some days--1nd every hour is of importance noV--nust elapse before he can venture out.
 lsolyat Cannot Appear flruriher. if is yir;lialiv certain that