The Washington herald., 1913-09-28
TWO STARS, NEW TO
US, HERE THIS WEEK
''Her Little Highness" Caused Boston
Critics Volcanic Eruption of 4
Praise Last Week.
By JULIA CHANDLER MANI.

inpton theaters goes into history with
sensational ear-marks a-plenty, ranging
from the temperamental fit Of clown
to the salacious dancing OF exponents of
high art. and now gives place TO the
introduction of two stars new to this
city.
The other day, as was dejectedly
wondering what might be the raison
d'etre of Gertrude Hoffntan's revue, !
spied a penciled note from the special
representative of the Hungarian prima
donna who comes to the Columbia Thea
ter this week in Reginald de Koven's new
operetta telling me thing or two, one
of the most instructive Of which is just
how MizZi Hajos is pronounced, any
way.
II you haven't already guessed. call 1t
High-osh. That's what the lady from
New York says, and she ought to know,
since she came all the way for Just a
day. so that We might not go around all
week waiting for the other fellow to
pronounce it first.
The name, like its owner, Is Hunga-
rian. The girl is the youngest prima
donna in captivity, and, il We are to pin
our faith to the Boston critics, one worth
looking at and hearing.
Her Little Highness," with Miss
Hajos in the title role, had its premiere
H.
are paid to tell the public of the merits
or dement's of dramatic productions ex-
hausted the dictionary in their search
for adiectives with which to convey to
the world the prettiness, the humanness,
the artistry, and the charm of the young
star.
Washington Is the second city in Amer
ica in which the Hungarian song
bird will appear as a star. The comedy
- . e1aa
Columbia Theater this week, is taken
from Charming PoIlock's play, Such a
Little Queen" Rennold Wolf collabor-
ated with Mr. Pollard in comic operating
the book and the score was furnished
by Mr.. de Koven, who is frank in his
declaration that it is the best thing
he has ever done.
Even the didactic Mr.. Parker, dramatic
critic of the Boston Transcript, who gives
unqualified approval to 50 few produc-
tions, erupted praise all over the Trans
cript last Tuesday morning, both Of the
new piece and its presentation.
While Miss HajOs is less known in this
country, she is the idol of Budapest
where, when THE Merry Widow was
first produced, she appeared in the role
Of Sonia. She created the part OF Ma
dina in The Chocolate Soldier in
Vienna. the city IN which both her art
Miss Hajos was chosen by Heinrich
Reinhardt to sing the part OF Princess
BOzena in THE Spring Maid" and IL
was Mr.. de Koven himself who selected
her for the title role of his new Ope-
retta.
For the first time since the days of
the old Charles Hoyt comedies Julian
Mitchell, Ito whose direction the gaye-
ties of the "Ziegfeld Follies" for the
George Marion are working together for
spectacular results in Her Little High
ness
What Happened to Mary" doesn't
matter SO much according to metro
= politan ideas). as Olive Wyndham, whit
creates the part of Mary in the Over
Davis melodrama which begins week
engagement in the Belasco Theater to
morrow night.
When the play was builded on thu
MARY" feature story which appeared
in the Ladies World. and produced las
spring in the Fulton Theater, New York
Miss Wyndham's elusive charm attract
ed great approval, one reviewer waxing
50 enthusiastic as to declare her to b.
the Splittin image of an angel"
Miss Wyndham. who makes her frs
appearance In Washington as a sta
this week. commenced her stage career
with the late Kyrle Bellew. From in
genue roles with Mr.. Bellew she gradu
ated to leads. She was a member of tbs
FIRST dramatic organization which oc
cuped the New Theater in New York
with which company she won Critica
attention and achieved much artistic sue
cess At the end Of this engagement sh,
played two seasons with William HOdg
in The Man from Home" being Mr.
Hodges leading woman. after whic!
she toured in Winchell Smiths The Only
Son" Last season she was engaged b.
Charles FrOhman to originate the ingenu
role in Chains" the Elizabeth Bake
comedy of the English lower-middl
class which Mr. Frohman gave a pro
duction at his Criterion Theater. Mr.
,Frohman next placed Miss Wyndham il
his alI-star oliver Twist" cast, follow
ing which engagement she Createt
Mary" in the Owen Davis love story
which will unwind itself on the stag
Of the Belasco this week.
Having once begun the construction o
his play. the dramatist builds his Incl
dents. his situations. and his stage pic
lures from material gained by chance
here. there, and everywhere. Usuall
ne creates in his imagination. at tn
very outset a very definite stage set
ting. since all the movements of hi
characters must be determined by tn
= surroundings in which they are placed
Edward KnolauCh. the author of "Kis
met" the Oriental drama in which Oti
Skinner returns TO the New Nationa
Thcater this week. is very painstakinl
in regard to all the mechanical detail
IF his plays. His written stage direction
are voluminous. and his stage plans ar
80 minutely drawn that they might al
most serve as working drawings for tn
scene builders.
In the case OF ''Kismet" he PERSONAL,
gathered material. in, the form of print
and photographs, which were of immens
value to the designers of the scenes. Dur
ing his stay of six months in Tunis MI
knolauch was constantly busy with hi
-amera, and when the time came for tn
designing of the scenery Of the Ameri
can production he was prepared to fur
uish a pictorial suggestion for ever
dome. minaret, wall, door, window. AM
balcony. These hundreds of pictures wer
arranged and numbered according to tn
scene in which they might he used an
we're duly turned over to Harrison Gre
Fiske who staged the production.
And so it is that the Arabian Night