The sun., 1912-07-15
THINGS TALKED ABOUT
. AMONG THEATRE FOLK
Three New Plays in a July
Week. One of Them an o.
Henry Product.
THEFT OF AMERICAN SKITS
City Officials Will Open Julian
Eltinge Thcatrc-Bcrnard's
New Musical Comedy.


ever the season Of the year il may be-
II was often said during his lifetime that
the famous writer Of short stories was
a. work on play. but it was never heard ,
from in any moro definite form. Out Of
two stories that form part Of "Cabbages
and Kings" however. o. Henry had
begun a play when death put an end
to his labors.
Joseph Medill Patterson and Hugh
Ford then set out TO make a play from
the work that MIR. Henry had begun
several years before. The title they gave
the play was first NO Extradition.| al
though it VAS changed at the last minute
TO "Cabbages and Kings"
"Cabbages and Kings" was Henrys
only long story. and his venture into
this field was not sufficiently successful
TO make him try the experiment again.
The form Of -Cabbaees and Kings ia
nothing else than a string Of short stories
a. novel the effort lacked unity. One
is called The World and the Door and
that has been utilized as a part Of the
play
The scenes are laid in Central America
IN the mythical land Of Anchuria. There
society is made picturesque by the
absence Of any eXtradition laws by which
Americans may he returned to this coun-
try. however deeply they may be wanted
here: In such community there Ia
inevitably a strange mixture. One man
one day added To it's population In q fugi-
tive because he has taken the respon-
eihility for a crime committed by his
brother. He becomes important in the
community by acquiring the ownership
of a fruit importing company. attains a
certain political standing and Ia the lead
ing figure in the exciting events that
make up the action of the play. The
dramatists who have finished the work
are said to haze caught something Of
the spirit Of the authors humor and
characterizat ion.
Other plays have had midsummer
trial. AZ Atlantic City Room a." by
Marie Nordstrom, was acted for the first
time. Miss Nordstrom. who has not
been known hitherto as dramatist
is playing in Bought and Paid For"
For the foundation of her farce she has
usedthe rebellion of young woman gainst
the EFFORTS OF her family until she pretends
that she is married. takes the name of an
old school friend of her brothers and
goes to live in n Virginia town. This
friend was supposed TO be incurahly
insane in Paris hospital. but ne RECEIVERS
his senses and goes to the same town in
Virginia when he returns to this country
There he finds that ne has wife. or at least
that there is living there a married woman
bearing his name. II ia the acquisition
Of this wife Of whom he has not the slight
est recollection. that leads the Young
man TO doubt that he really has been cured
Of the effects of his accident on the foot
ball field.
Two other plays owe their performances
nj
One. Our Wives. was the closing play
Of the season in Hartford. The difficult
ties that follow tn" marriages of three
friends, who cannot understand that
they should not have their same old bache-
lor privileges and pleasures. make up
the contents Of the comedy. which is by
Frank Mandel and Helen Kraft
The persevering Metropolis Theatre
last week added to its list Of new produo-
tions with a Girl in Pawn" which is a
little play about a. mother who pawned
her child. In that circumstance resides
much OF the little plays merit. II is
difficult TO regard the possible effects
Of, say. four acts Of this same kind.
II Is interesting TO read that the Julian
Eltinge Theatre is to he opened with
appropriate ceremonies in which various
important city officials will take part
Such encouragement Of the drama in this
country ought to be source OF gratif-
cation to all citizens who are devoted to
the interests of the theatre. One may
almost overlook the absence of any
theatre devoted to the glory of Edwin
Booth. Charlotte Cushman. Joseph JeTer-
aon or Richard Mansfield when such an
honor has already been paid to a blushing
Young actor who has won such distinction
after a career Of few years.
Nathan the WISE which Howard
Kyle and the players OF St. Mark Church
mounted recently. will be revived again
during the summer. Lessings play has
never been acted here in the vernacular
before. 1t is intended to enlarge the
repertoire OF the players connected with
81 Mark Church and professional actors
will be seen in plays by such modern
authors "a Ibsen and Maeterlinck.
1t used to be Seymour Hicks who for
merly came to the United States and
annexed all that was novel in musical
Performances Now that this custom was
originated by him in order to find material
for musical plays at tho Gaiety and other
theatres IL has gone into the halls along
,"rh some other well known British
institutions. American sketches are lifted
80 promptly and copyrighted with such
small changes that 1t Is impossible for the
american authors to benefit by their
performance in London at all II is only
through the courtesy of the managers
who refuse to book these stolen plays that
Americans may hope to benefit from the
Performance OF their sketches in England.
II is now probable that one of Lehars
most charming scores. written to The
Man With Three Wives" will be heard
in Now York next winter and Sam Bernard
may play the leading role. This comedy
mas been I>ne OF the successes OF the season
IN farLas well as in the principal German
clt( during tho last four years.
Marguerite SYLVIA earned $50 600 during
her season as the star of Lehar's Gypsy
Low" That has enabled her TO go
hack 10 Europe and sing when she wants
20 without having to accept any. engage
n"u' that offers Recently she sang
'"rror in one OF the open air arenas
y france She will remain In Europe
r"u winter Her place in the company
pr"-"nrIng Gypsy Love- will be taken
a. Phfll- Partington. who sang the
'''e ~ 'he first performance OF the opera
j" ih'- '''v when Miss Sylvia was i'll.
Hugo ielS. who is 10 come to tins
f'H'r' next month to conduct the per
lrffI tr. .. ,,f ,nusi.nI ,OmcdV Tan