The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-11-02

comedy, he said. the music should grow
out of the story and each compos ton
should logically follow what went before,
just the chapters of a we'll construct
ed story. He determined to set to work
on such composition and Are You
There?" is the result.
At the present moment it is almost
impossible to get London manager to
look at anything but comedy As one of
them expressed II to me a few days ago:
I'VE must have a laugh behind every
line" These same managers are as
tickle as the winds off the Mosquito
coast. From problem play to tragedy,
from tragedy to out-and-out melodrama,
from melodrama to comedy they jump
with diseoncerung rapidity. but there is
no doubt In the world that In comedy
they have picked a sure winner IL they
will disregard the temporary vagaries of
public taste.
Days Lease Expires Next Month
A piece of news that comes to me re-
calls a theatrical figure of q generation
ago. famous not only In this country.
but to an even greater extent In the
United States Next December the lease
which the late Augustin DAILY held on
Days theatre, London, now subject to
George Edwardes, comes to an end and
the IoHtIOl WHICH Ddly executors nav 8
exercised over the house ceases. Days
is probably the best known house in
London and, of course, In England. 1t
was there that Edwardes has made most
of his successes of late years, as his
other well known house, the Gaiety, has
steadily declined In popularity since it's
rebuilding, largely because of it's posi-
ton outside the heart of the newer the
atrical district. 1t Is on the boards of
M MAJ NJ he t11. a
OF the musicl comedy queens of the
English stage have seen their greatest
trfumphs. and II Is through Its little
dimly-lit stag door, opposite that of
the Hippodrome. that many of its beau
ties have emerged from stage life to en-
ter the peerage as consorts to scions of
some OF the proudest families of the
British aristooracy.
AS soon as he comes into complete pos
session Edwardes will put the house In
the hands of the builders and the audi
torium will be entirely remodelled De-
spite his poor health Edwardes is as
full of plans for the future as he was
In his prime. He has no less than three
new plays in the process of manufacture.
This would not seem large number
for an American manager, but for an
English impresario it Is quite a feat,
especially when you remember that he
has three other PLAYS running In London
and half a dozen companies on the road.
Gallery Gods Worry Managers
The gallery gods of the London thea
tres ale getting to be a serious menace
to the success OF a play. They have al
ways possessed more or less univei SAL
Iy acknowledged right to boo play
that did not measure up to their exact
ing standards, but many managers and
actors-especially those who have sesei e.
ly suffered at their hands-are' coming
to the conclusion that these unnamed
dvinit.es have. of late, abused their
privileges A certain measure of boo ng
has become almost the rule at first
nights in London nowadays, and IT sc Ems
absolutely impossbe to please every
| one The hostile re. g ton of the latest
Barrie play. THE Adored One. is. of
course, the most famous case In point,
! but II is only one In many THE Girl
on the Film" the Gaiety piece which Is
now running to good houses. was round
ly booed on the first night. while THE
Pearl Girl at the Shaftesbury, which
was praised by all the critics, went
through similar experience And on
Thursday night Ethel Warwck's first
offering of her new season at the Globe
theatre was roughly received by the gal
lery gods. Everyone. or almost every
one, seems to agree. however, that this
served booins, and If 1t were an iso.
lated case there could be no complaint
speaking to me last night of this, one
OF the best know London managers said
THE obvious thing to do is for man-
ager to pack his gallery for the first
night the same wav he fills his orches
ira seats. with trends who can be de,
pended upon to give the show the bereit
of the doubt. Every production in which
manager has invested thousands oil
dollars and on which actors and actresses
| have gambed three or four weeks of re
(, hearsal is entitled to a CHARGE of an
| pealing without prejudice for the SUD
| port and approval of the general public
! II there is any doubt at all as to It's
| merits. In other words. no first nigh,
audience is infalihle and II Is unfair
In view of the undue prominence giver
| to the opinion of first night audiences
that there should be any booing no,
| founded upon the most intelligent anc
| discriminating judgment"
Americans Augment Revue Cast
The Alhambra revue, which Is a sad
and duh affair. will be bucked up a bit In
the near future DhAn Maurice and Flor.
ence Walton, those clever American
tango dancers. join the cast. The Ameri.
cans were the brightest spot In the las,
Alhambra revue creating something OF
sehsali py tneit act, and their sta J
was all too short Many of the titled
folk who saw them on the stage of this
theatre clamored for their services al
instructors and Their private pupils In.
cluded among others. Lady Diana Man.
ners and her sister, the Marchioness .,
Ansiesey, the Duke and Duchess Of Man.
chester. the Grand Duke of Mecklep.
bur9-Strelitz and ord and Lady Por,
darlington, the latter two Of the iiveliesi
OF the Irish members Of the British arts
tocracy.