Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-05

Deyil' Is clearly anu
sounded in the first page OF
the program. Indeed. this in
stitution called theater
program is rather more interesting thaH
MANY people give it credit for oelhs' IL
contains some very valuable suggestions
often overlooked in the wilderness of dec
grafton and general information that sur
rounds the matter pertaining distinctly
to the play.
The authorship recites two little lines
Of poetry-still poetry, though incumbered
and desaced in the process of translation.
"A mother dipped her pen
Into the heart OF her SON.
Efxtrayagance of metaphor is expected
in a Rostand production. The name IS
associated with a style which delights to
startle the world with the audacity of its
figures of speech. But metaphor is an
elusive mode Of expression, and in this
case has hardened in the process of trans
lation until the idea it conveys is some
what severely associated with the i'm
preston of surgery. Nonetheless it gives
the viewpoint which enables the auditor
to follow the story of the play as a crea-
ton OF logical consistency and not as
mere phantasmagoria. Comparison with
Peter Pan" Is inevitable While Peter
Pan" presents the quaint humor CT is al
ways necessary to mention quaint
humor'' in referring to Mr.. Barry's writ
ing) of childish fancy, carefree and
frolicsome, the Good Little Devil goes
deeper, shows the intensity of yearning,
the fierceness of resentment, the heart
aches and the tears as well as the re-
joicings of the mind of a child. sensitive
and alert. who in his inexperience must
make up much Of his own world as he
goes along.
The American presentation of this play,
while it reflects primarily the spirit of
the great French poet, even though ex-
pressed not directly. but through the me-
diumship of his family. has entailed more
work than the average original produc-
ton Monday night there was not the
clamor for Belasco that would have
arisen some years ago when he was fight
ing for foothold in this city-the most
valiant leader of the so-called independ
ents. But there Is no debut that Mr..
Belasco would have had the customary
tribute had it been known in a general
way that he was in this city. Reports OF
his recent illness probably created an i'm
preston that his leutenants were in
command. AS a matter of fact. he has
been very much on duty. untirinG in his
attention to the tremendous mechanism
involved in this play anC supreme in in
dustry in his little world where hard
work is the thing most eagerly sought.
The methods by which the various eff
fects he uses are attained are multitude
nous. The animal voices are produced not
only by mechanical means, but by human
imitators. The boot owl that sounds dis
mally through the twilight is young
gentleman of especial accomplishment in
this line, and the noise of the deer crash
ing through the underbrush is produced
by. q man who treads a runway over
which thin Stats have been nailed Re-
plying to question as to whether the
soft, cooling sound of the fairies was
suggested in the original manuscript Mr..
Belasco laughingly replied:
mo. we had to invent that language
and we feel that we have gone little
step beyond VUlapuk or Esperanto in
offering a means of universal expression,
limited though 1t is in significance to
gentle and underlined emotions
forum is different at matinees from what
it is at night. At night there is serious
attention, and the eager, sympathetic
smile is sometimes hidden for a moment
by the handkerchief that brushes away
a reminiscent tear. In the afternoon the
children are in possession and the house
rings with laughter.
"A Grain of DuSt' iS NOT pIay u-boea
story gives full measure of return in
popular attention for the excellent acting
Mr.. Hackett does. Nor is the surround
ing company fully equipped to carry the
burden of interest in scenes where the
star is not in evidence. The play has
moments of power, but Mr. Hackett's
admirers expect him to be in evidence as
a figure of chivalry and romance. with
every advantage of plot and surround
ings. The moving picture revival of The
Prisoner of Zenda," for which Mr.
Hackett has arranged. will introduce a
striking yet substantial novelty-a phase
OF amusement that has more than once
audaciously challenged the legitimate
forms of entertainment on their own
ground.
William Norris as the wicked aunt has
introduced phrase that promises to get
into the vernacular. AS an interjecton
signtfytng disapproval of things in gen.
eral oh guggery mumpsr' Is as in
coherently impressive as anything that
mas struck the current vocabulary.
Uukind remark: There are times when
q grain OF dust looks as If It were due
Tor ehe vacuum cleaner.
PHILANDER JOHNSON.
MRS. OTIS SKINNER'S HOBBY
NrA Otts Skinner. who is pleasantly
rVmembered by playgoers as Maud
DuToin, has not appeared on the stage
for several years. nor IL she likely to
return to her professional labors. But
though retired she is by no means in
active. She takes a prominent part in
the educational, philanthropic and So
cIa1 affairs OF Bryn Mawr, where the
Skinner home is situated, and her par
ticular hobby Is the Charlotte Cush-
man Club OF Philadelphia, of which or
s,anfxation she has been an officer
since its genesis.
The Charlotte Cushman Club was
formed three years ago for the pur-
pose Of providing a temporary abiding
place In Philadelphia for women Of the
theatrical profession whose means are
not sufficiently large to enable them to
live at the better hotels. yet who desire
establishment IL equipped with all the
couveniences Of q modern club, and the
cost of rooms and meals Is within the
raach Of thosa receiving even the