The Washington herald., 1913-01-07
new YORK THBATERS
BY EMORY q. cALyERr.

New York. Jan. 6.-The theatrical sea-
son Of 1912 and 1913 reached It's height
this week with the production of eight
plays. and from now on there will be
noticeable different policy among New
York producers. Less new plays viii
have premieres; there win be reyivals
Of tried successes. and those plays which
have hit upon a popular vein this sea-
son will settle down to a long run which
win carry them well into the summer.
Reviewing the early productions from
this, the crest Of the theatrical season.
II may safely be said that never before
in the history of the drama of New
York have there been SO many and
varied new offerings placed before the
metropolitan public. Neither have there
been so many early successes culled
from the yearly crop of virgin plays.
nor SO many midseason failures.
For instance. four new plays had their
premiere on Monday night, and Of this
quartet three proved to be disappoint-
ments. and but one a winner.
All for the Lady.
Sam Bernard was the gallant fireman
who rescued the lone piece from the
Monday night holocaust Of disappoint-
ment. He was seen in "AIl for the
Ladies' at the Lyric Theater.
Mr.. Bernard. as funny as ever, takes
the role of one Leo, who has devoted
his life TO the service of femininity. The
role, Of course. Is not unfamiliar to play
goers. Times without number the con-
ceited man. who conceives himself the
Irresistible champion OF those who wear
skirts. has been portrayed upon the
stage. But in this instance Mr.. Bernard
lends a new charm to the character, and
carries all before him with his inimit-
able humor.
In addition to Mr.. Bernard there was
an excellent company containing three
women of especial note, to-wit: Adele
Ritchie, Alice Gentle, and Louise Meyers
Eva.
Perhaps the most disappointing of the
other three disappointing plays produced
on Monday night was Eva" a musical
comedy by Franz Lehar, produced at
the New Amsterdam Theater. OF course
Lehar is at a disadvantage by reason
OF having set UP for himself a standard
of excellence In the writing Of the
Merry Widow" by which his later pro-
ductions must inevitably be judged.
Leaving t6is feature of the proposition
entirely aside. however, IL cannot be
said that Eva" has naught TO recon-
mend II save the reputation of the au-
thor.
Neither Lehar's songs nor their rendi-
tion. by the members Of the cast were
particularly pleasing.
''Cheer Up"
An attempt by Mary Roberts Rhine
hart to foist upon an unsuspecting pub
lie the situation that gained for her
fame and fortune in Seven Days as
the fundamental principal OF Cheer
Up which had its premiere on Mon
day night at the Harris Theater, failed
dismalIy.
In Seven Days" Mrs. Rhinehart seq
regated her cast in a town house. using
a plague quarantine as convenient
means or eliminating them from the
outside world. In Cheer Up she has
changed her locale to a sanatorium. on
a mountain top, and has introduced a
blizzard TO cut OF all Communication
with the outside world.
The abundant material for a rattIine
iarce is maltreated to such an extent
oy Mrs. Rhinehart that 1t proved most
disappointing. The large cast did its
pest with the lines provided for it. Wal
ter Hampden gave a debonair sketch of
the actor resort manager, and Alan
brooks fmpersonation of a man on the
verge OF delirum tremens for the drink
ing members of the audience.
'Thc Drone."
The most miserable Monday night fail
ure of all proved to be The Drone :.
which was produced at Daly's Theater.
and which was received with no en-
thuslasm at the BelasCo Theater in
washington the week of December Is
The players, laboring uphill against the
thick North country brogue, laid on with
a heavy hand certain amount of local
co.or. IL was all to no purpose for
from start to finish The Drone' proved
10 De listless anaemic and colorIess
play. which it is predicted will hardly
survive the printing OF this letter
"Rutherford and SON."
The second successful play to be pro-
duced this week was Rutherford and
Son. which had its premiere at the
Little Theater on Tuesday night
Rutherford and Son. deals with old
problems, but places them In
a new light. >Githa Sowerby, its author,
has shown marked talent for characteri-
zation in penning its lines.
The portrayal of John Rutherford by
Norman McKinneIl, is IN the spirit of the |
play. Remarkable performances also are |
given by the other members of the cast, |
who kept their roles in a subordinate
key and harmonized with Miss Sowerby's
characterization throughout.
"The. Argyle Case.-
Another pre-New Years production, |
which had its premiere on Tuesday. was
The Argyle Case" at the Criterion, by |
Harriette Ford. Harvey J. O'Higgins, |
and William J. Burns, the famous de-
t. ctive.
Inasmuch as The Argyle Case" was a |
detective play, the name OF Detective !
Burns as one of the co-authors lent an
added lIster to the piece. Mr.. Burns
also was kind enough to display his
sleek presence before the curtain of
the Criterion and address the audience
at some length upon the merits OF the
piece.
The Argyle Case may be said to be
a detective play of the old order. with
piots and counterplots. blood and sub
terfuge, through which a detective of
the Sherlock Holmes type miraculously
digs up obscure clews and works them
to a rather astonishing conclusion with
wholly unbelievable perspicacity.
Robert Hilliard, whom Mr.. Burns
as a typical detective"
eads a cast large enough TO comfortably
ill a musical comedy stage. Hilliard
plays the part OF Asche Kayton, the de-
tective, with an insight that proved very
to those who still have a
craving for detective drama Notable
among the other players was Selene
Johnson, who took the role of the wife
IF the counterfelter. Miss Johnson gave