The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-30
Strong Demand in London for
the Return of Those of
Real Action
MUST HAVE WEALTH
TO MAINTAIN STYLE.
American Ambassador Can
Hardly Meet Expectations
on Less Than $50,000a
Year---E aster Gives
Americans a Rest
Especial Cable to The virginian.)

/ LONDON, March 29.-There is al.
ways lamentation somewhere in every
4big citys theaterland, but just now
| there is weeping and wailing and
gnashing of teeth almost everywhere
| in London's show house district. Seven
theaters last week, according to a
morning paper, played TO less than
$75 per night. One played on one
evening to ) shillings, with two peo-
pie in the gallery. There must he a
cause for this. Lent is now over and
the weather has been favorable
enough for theatersoers.
The correspondent of The Virgin
ian asked George Broadhurst, the
American dramatist and author of
THE Man of the Hour and other well
known plays who has been going the
rounds of the theaters what he
thought of the present conditions.
| The interviewer asked If ii was the
fault of the plays or the public or
what else. To this Mr.. Broadhurst
replied:
Judging by Londons present crop,
American managers will be obliged to
look anywhere else than England for
a supply for the American market if
America cannot supply itself. As far
as | am concerned, there is not a
single play that l have seen in Lon
don that ] would produce in New
| York or invest a single penny in. New
York demands a play and not a series
of polite conversations. There is not
a play at present running in London
that. in my opinion, would stand the
rigoTs of a transatlantic voyage. The
demands of the actor-managers on the
English dramatists are all for some
thing which would please Lady
Mary. who sits in the stalls. and
there is no consideration for what
the pit and gallery want The dram
atists must not displease Lady
Mary" and hence their plays have
become tepid and lack vigor and
punch. They have degenerated into
mere conversations without situations
or action. The result is that the the
alter public which still exists is not GO
ing to the theaters, but is turning to
the music halls and musical come
dies. Nevertheless. they want to see
real plays. The fact tina ~ are
very anxious to see them "a
by the revival of 'DipIon
is real play. and during
of this play on Wednesdl 1ht~yN'
audience simply became Wildly enthu-
siastiC.
ITO my mind, this illustrates both
the strong desire, which is growing
stronger every day, on the part of the
big theatergoing public of London to
see plays that are real plays, and their
resentment at being asked to listen
to mere anaemic dialogue.
at was rubbed into me on both this
and the other side of the ocean that
the English cannot appreciate Amer
lean humor, but this is a fallacy. II
has been pricked once more by Frank
Craven's success in Bought and Paid
For" The audiences that attended
the performances of this play in
American never exceeded the Lon
doners in quick appreciation of this
actors every point. He was not on
the stage for two minutes before he
scored his first laugh The audience
was so quick that it frequently saw
the approaching point before Mr..
Craven had time to finish a sentence;
and yet one man who saw the dress
rehearsal was kind enough TO say to
me: If l had any money in that piece
would not permit Craven to play
that part.
Speaking of the possibility OF the
success of within the Law" In which
he is interested. Mr.. Broadhurst said
Il understand that AL. Woods has
arranged for its production with
Michael F'araday. He has permitted
the latter TO localize it completely.
In my opinion this is grave mis-
take as it will rob the play entirely
of Its character
Interest as to Ambassador
Society Is taking a certain amount
of mild interest in President Wilson
difficulty in finding a suitable person
to fill the post of ambassador to Lon
don. There was real interest in the
possibility 50 long as it lasted of Rich
ard Olney, member of President
Cleveland's cabinet, and President
L Nf To ra ING
over Englishmen know that, although
the roll of American ambassadors to
the court of St James comprises T.
wonderful list of names which are
notable as national and literary fig
ures. modern times demand the APP
pointment of man of very consider
able wealth. The American ambassa-
dor to London nowadays cannot get
through with an expenditure of less
than $4,000 year. This. of course,
is a mere fraction OF what 1t cost the
late Whitelaw Reid to maintain his
famous pitch of magnificence.
Even when the post was a ministry,
when living was cheaper and when en-
tertaining had not reached its present
dimensions by any means, Robert Lin
coin. the American representative
here, declared that he WAS unable 10
live even with the greatest economy
under $37 600 a year. The expenses
of the post have increased enormous
ly since that time. and although Mr.,
and Mrs. Iseia entertained in Monte
Christie like magnficence, this was
neither necessary nor perhaps desir-
able. 1t will be absolutely necessary
for the new American ambassador to
London TO have enough money to keep
up the great position of the ambassa-
dor of the American government to
London, and it must not be forgotten
that there is no ambassador to Great
Britain who takes higher or really
such a high position as the one who
represents the United States.
Resume State Concerts.
The court mourning for the king
of Greece has been altered to a GER
tain extent. AS at present arranged,
King George and Queen Mary viii re-
main at Windsor for a short time, but
otherwise society will not be greatly
affected for the grand season has not
yet commenced. 1t is believed that
the king and queen contemplate a
revival of the state concerts which
were discontinued after the death of
Queen Victoria. There used to be two
of these concerts every season in the
ballroom of Buckingham palace. The
lord cham berlain was In the habit of
issuing about 900 invitations for each