Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

Iaboration. One author Is wen
known in Washington as
dranratist Acquaintance with the othei
is based chiefly on his fame as hterar!
man MIR Knoblauch has genius loi
the gorseously superficial on the stage as
well as for fanciful elaboration or plot
Mr. Arnold Bennett is a satirist, direct
i'm his criticism of men and conoltions'
vet sufficiently humorous withal to escape
the charge of bald cynicism. The popu-
Iarity of "Milestones" is the more re-
uarkabIe when II is remembered that the
play is a technical study in dramatic form
instead of being a consistent appear 10
taste as managers ordinarily estimate II
Sentiment a play must have. me seht-
ment of "AIilestones is taken on the
most conventional terms. Lovers must ne
allowed to marry, in spite OF parei''"
objections 1t is the keynote OF romance
since romance first existed. Having sup
piled this ingredient. the question OF
humor arises. and in order to surprise
the mind the method OF abrupt contra
diction of accepted notions Is a1opteu
Instead of children, obey your parents
the motto becomes children, learn to
disobey.' Experience teaches is sup
planted by the proposition that 1neNper-
once should hold the lamp for the path
way OIL nuIfldn ploSltSS-r Inn
the current drama. it voices the present
admiration, of youth in all it's magnif
cence and ardor that seems on the way
TO become as fanatical as, its opposite
extreme the ancestor worship of China
The theater was never very influential
as an expression of conservative thought.
Its closeness to the mass of the people
and its first and essential obligation TO
win sympathetic attention renders II
vehicle for theories which often antag-
onize solid apd moderate methods OF
thought When it comes to regulating
social customs which limit individual
emotionalities, the theater is the INDUS
trious and vociferous mOuthpiece of the
initiative, the referendum, the recall ana
any other thing that demands change.
The theater is the demagosue OF art
4 dash of pathos also was required for
"Milestones." and this is provided by the /
delineation of the successive stages OF
youth. maturity and decrepit age. The
play pauses just this side of the funerals.
which would entitle it to change its name
to "Tombstones Its pathos is as ready
made as it's sentiment, consisting in a
carefully wrought out and elaborated eX-
preston of the idea that man is OF few
DAYS and full of trouble. Heed Is given
TO the accepted doctrine that time nles
and in noting the progress or modern
mechanics we are called upon once more
10 remark that the telephone is wonoer-
full invention.
The play appears To be an attack on
conservatism but is only ostenslpiV so.
1t bases its one claim to popular applause
stnS-lx- xIr0X ON
together into a series of scenes. If 1T !
had been written on a wager dependent
on a successful departure from accepted
dramatic models it could not nave peeh
a more interesting and clever violation
of the usual and familiar. IT is agree
,hIe i'm dispensing with labored climaxes
aud hackneved situations and in pre-
senting a few simple ideas clearly, and
without attempt at apology for moments
of dullness or depression. 1t is Itself
the embodiment of conventonaIty pre-
senting three HAPPY BINDINGS or lts
love story. one for each act ana gain
erins trite "reminiscences with SUCH pro-
f,,sion that the mind weary of dollhouse
sxos,cs turns to il with relief as bou-
auet from Your grandmother's garden.
The DI;tv that has been long before the
public is always in danger of becoming
more or less deficient in the mechanical
details of its representation. The inse-
curity of a first night presentation is not
nearly as dangerous as the oVerconn- |
dence which comes from long acceptance |
The make-ups in ''Nilestones are eX-
ceedineIv ingenious and complete. The !
transition from one epoch in the aver |
age span of life to the next is illustrated
with studious and intelligent complete
ness There are however, some slight
details i'm matters of makeup which in
dictate that .Milestones has suffered its
shar.. of that loss of alertnesS liable TO
come with prolonged success.
''Eyerywpman' was stupendous
production when seen i'm Washington at
the beginning of is career that it seemed
impossible for il to drift into subordinate
interest And il has not yet done so.
Very often a new and brilliant idea is
soon overshsdowed by the limitations OF
IT, but the numerous presentations TO
which "Everyrxoman'' gave ris" have not
reduced it 40 the level of the ordinary,
established success" In some respects
the company is improved and the simple
poetry of the work found keen apprecia- ,
ton
who proved himself one of the few stage
contributors whose names are entitled TO
Dc linked with the word genius. III wal
ter Browne. by his death just before the
first production. missed the rewards or
hin extraordinary gifts, he also missed
tho bitterness Of interpretation, for the
storm of critical contempt that broke over
..Hvsrywoman" could have been with
stood only by an egotism such as he
did not possess. Patient philosophy
could not have survived it. The whirli-
gig OF time with its strange revenges
leaves the theatrical world cropping for
another work like that which found so
shabby a welcome. Browne might nave
produced another "Everywoman. but no
amount of studied Imitation will produce
another Browne.
Fortunate is the actress who has sue
ceeded in specializing to an extent that
makes her own personality more I'M
portant than the role she has to assume
IL isn't Rose Stahl in THE Chorus Lady"
or Maggie Pepper that attracts, so much
as Rose Stahl as the Individual repre-
= ,rtfr txrna Cha 10