Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-21

axad aversion from which no
amount of prestige in author
shin. management or previous
success can persuade ~.
The crime play is barred
There is no active resentment-such
as might suggest tendency 10 the niss-
ing or potato-throwng that constitute
feature of dramatic discussion In the
large commercial centers.
II is doubtful whether Washington
really dislikes the crime play
The town simply refuses to make its
acquaintance.
IN insists on a certain vivacity of in
depreciation and cannot be persuaded TO
accept the hard. uncompromising MARIA
tive such as has become so generally IN
evidence
A certain tendency to specialization may
have been an influence toward this de-
velopment of the plain. unyarnished tale.
Dramatists have been more and more en-
couraged to strive for direct elemental
effects at the expense of general and
c6nprehensive scheme entertainment
Pfoblems rather IMAM character studies
hive been made the dramatists chief
care, Mr. Beiasco specializes in the old
Mr.. Augustus Thomas specializes in psy-
chic mysteries, and Mr.. Charles Klein
sneciaIizes i'm the wickedness of high
finance Mr.. Klein does not so so far as
to make heroes of his criminals. but he
cannot avoid making technical CRIMINALS
Of his heroes He never goes as far as
pauI Armstrong has done in representing
the objects of police pursuit as martyred
opponents of unselish saintliness. but in
discussing certain phases of legal 0er-
atoms he is frankly and uncomproms-
ingly against the police.
While ..The Gamblers is less crime
play', than its title would suggest. in 1T
Mr.. Klein specializes with greater Sc
verify than he has ever done before
The play is typical of the prevailing
school of play-writins.
resentment of trite effects and de-
sire to avoid them has led to the aban-
donment of various effects of the finer.
sort until nothing remains but the one
big situation.
One of the finest thrills that an old
melodrama could promise was the satis-l
faction of seeing the villain delivered
into the custody of the police while
triumphant virtue looked on in scorn-
ful pity. Later il was considered more
artistic to let the villain work out his
own fate and fall into the pit he had dug.
for others. Poetic justice also became
questionable. and on the plea OF real
ISM the villain is now permitted to 30
on In respectable afruence while the hero
10 delivered into the hands Of the war
den Literary diction is not sought
after by the American playwright who
frankly appeals to practical popularity
Realism is again his plea. and he ex-
PRESSES the belief that by limiting his
dialogue to words of one syllable ne Is
getting closer to the intelligence of his
audience, which is not altogether COM
plimentary to the audience. But the
audiences are patient and good-natured.
They ask no more than to be amused or
interested and offer no objections to the
producer who makes his measurements
according to the material at his ccm-|
rnand If he can deliver an idea So big
that it will stand alone. unadorned bysI
wit or eloquence or close character
ANALYSIS. he is welcomed as producer
OF results He Is one of natures noble
men In the world of talent. a little crude.
perhaps. but genuine.
THE Gamblers concerns itself en-
tirely with plot construction. The ex-
pertinent ia to see how intricate knot
can be woven without thought of Its
Acknowledgement It is marvellous
knot whose various threads Of interest
are of strong familiar material. Had
the Gordian knot been of such ingenious
construction even Alexander would have
had computations about cutting it,
To be considered AN artistic success
even on it's own specialized lines. THE
Gamblers should have been much bet
ter acted i'm essential roles than 1t was
In this city.
That remarkable little woman Elsie
Janis holds conspicuous place in field
that may be described as Dillinghammer-
stein opera. IL is a style of presenta-
tion which surrounds entertainers of skill
such as Eddie Foy and Montgomery and
Stone and Bessie Mccoy with the best of
music and the most attractive of scenery.
Mr.. Dillingham; has elevated this curious
and audacious style of creation to prom
inence which many enterprises of greater
artistic consistency vainly seek. Surely
Miss Janis. graceful in dancing and glee
somely enthusiastic in her representa-
tons OF celebrities. is more reliable of
charm than the prima donna who reaches
a high note with ease. but who struggles
for comedy.
The dancer has always been a domi-
nant influence in light opera. Offenbach
frequently had to recognize that the high
kick was mightier than the cadenza.
Chauncey Oicott is always pretty much
the same which fact accounts in a large
degree for his extraordinary success The
artistic unrest that prompts so many stars
10 weary Of the line of parts in which the
DuNlic offers them applause has retarded
M even destroyed many a hopeful ca
reer. Mr.. Olcott has established a vogue,
aoa each season finds him winning new
Is4ends without risk Of having to say fare
Won to any Of the old ones.
PHILANDER JOHNSON.
MAYNARD FOLK ON THE STAGE
When tho costumes for the Maude Adams
productton Of @Chantecler'' arrived from
the French tailors they were far from
approximating reality. More than that.
once the actors were clad in the enor-
NOUS headpisces and the projecting breasts