New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-12
"Get-RiCh- Quick WaIIlngford''
To Be Seen in British
Capital This Week.
NEW JEROME PLAY AHEAD
Marie Tempest to . Appear
Shortly in Serious Drama
Forbes Robertson Tells
His Plans.
lBy Gable to The Tribune ]


pest decided to make January II the
date of the first performance Of Jerome
X. Jeromes new play. Esther Cast
WAYS" at the Prince Of Wales's The
atre. The play is in four acts, and a
scene is laid in America. II is not
comedy, but "A serious play, though Mr..
Jerome has avoided tragedy and has
sought To treat the subject from
Commonsense angle.
"Get-Rich- Quick Wallingford,' to be
produced at the Queens Theatre next
Wednesday. continues the American
invasion" and Years of Discretion
will be brought from New York in a
few weeks.
Gladys fingers play. THE Son and
Heir" which will be given at the
Strand Theatre in February, it is now
learned. is much on the lines of John
Galsworthy's play, The Eldest Son.
In fact, this was the title originally
chosen by Miss Unger. Pride of family
is the theme of both plays. though the
DEVELOPMENT is entirely different. Miss
(, Ungcr shows narrow minded coun-
try squire who has sacrificed the re-
naming members of his family 10 his
son and heir. IL is this attitude pushed
to the extreme which stirs the eldest
daughter 10 rebellion and TO an indig-
nant refusal to accept the conditions
imposed on her and her sister and her
long suffering mother.
Forbes Robertson Talks.
Johnston Forbes Robertson. Eng
lands foremost imaginative actor, Is
10 give his farewell season in London
at Easter He has taken Drury Lane
for the purpose, and will appear with
Miss Gertrude Elliott in repertoire
which includes Hamlet" THE Mer-
chant of Venice" The Light that
Failed" Mice and Men" THE Passing
Of the Third Floor Back Bernard
Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra and
probably "OtheIlo," If suitable lago
can be found.
For some of the plays MIR. Forbes
Robertson will reduce the size OF
Drury Lanes vast stage by using
false frame" which can he fitted into
the proscenium opening.
In an interview, in which he adj
mitted that he will reach the age OF
sixty next month. Mr. Forbes Robert
thaf
lsh stage was never better than 1t is
to-day: that the plays are better the
acting more thorough and the genera
outlook never brighter
The whole note of the Engllsh
stage" ne said. IFS that II is more
cultivated Criticism has had its good
effect. II has produced a wider interest
, in the drama and has made the pubic
expect more. But the real advancing
influence has been the fine work of the
repertory theatre. And chief praise
should go To Miss Horniman. Of Man
chester. and Lady Gregory with the
Irish Players There have been ten
tative efforts in London. but these two
ladies have stood To their guns for
wears. and | believe that now they are
even reapng the benefit financially
Decline Of Melodrama.
That the taste for crude melodrama
is diving out MIR. Forbes Robertson has
been convinced by his present provin-
ciaI tour. He admits that every now
and then there are backwashes when
ford. meaningless plays enjoy run
Of booking Office success, hut he holds
that IL is the plays that quicken
thought. or the plays like "Bunty,'
"Milestones" and others that have
sweetness and light, and combine art
and commonsense that are earning
genuine popularity
Mr.. Forbes Robertson does not want
1t 10 be thought that in championing
the repertory theatre he is anxious to
condemn the actor-manager Lon
don. on the whole" he says has been
well treated by her actor managers.
OFTEN they have put on plays because
they were ambitious enough to try for
an artistic triumph they have not al
WAYS thought Of the bo1 office.
But in the ordinary way the box
office must always be an influence In
London. seeing that $4,000 year is
not an uncommon rental for London
theatre That is why | am convinced
that the subsidized theatre, where ex-
periments could be tried. where actors
and dramatists could he trained, is
coming nearer.
America is leading the way" he
added. Every city OF any size there
has its repertory company. Perhaps
this is why in the United States the
old-fashioned prejudice against the
stage Is dying down more rapidly than
J i'm England. Theatregoing has become
much more a part of the life there
than here.
I'm England the question is, Shall
we go To the theatre In America 1t
has become What theatre shall we 60
to- When | was playing the Passing
of the Third Floor Back there my
dressing room was visited by minis
tiers Of every denomination. eager To
discuss the play. And the rabbis were