The Washington herald., 1914-03-15
b JAMES 5. MErcALFE.

~ JAMES .. MEtSAhFhsz ne
Z The virtual creator of tbs. Iovsble Peg
In sPeg o. My Heart has grown tired OF
her continued success IN that particular
role. For about 500 times she has gone
to the same theater. dressed in the same
sressing-room donned practically the
i,syne costume. gone on the same staee'
laid the same lines. and gone through the
same task of business and acting. WIN
out change of artistic work she has seen
winter soften into spring. spring become
the torrid heat of a New York summer.
this turn TO autumn. and this again 70 tne
rigor of winter. In rain. shine, anu sno.,
in the heat of summer and iree.nns :
storms of winter Lanrette Taylor mas - nsa
10 repair to the Cort Theater. and III OF
well. at matinees and evening perform
arees, essay the task of giving to ner
always big audiences the Joys CT knowing
Peg her trials and her triumpns.
There have been many cases OF an equal
nur,her of impersonations Of the same
character by a stage artist, but II u 70
be doubted that a woman ever appeareo a
so many times in the same role without
Interruption and with SO little cnanse OF
surroundings. Naturally. the experience
has been nerve-racking. and IN way
stupefying to artistic sensibinty. 10
break or discontinue the unbroken run
meant a heavy loss of profits to every
one concerned. To put another actress
in the leading part, as was done IN tne
case Of .swithin the Law, meant tne
same thing.
Changing the Interest.
To use more work as cure Tor over
work seems an absurdity, and might IN
any case, except that of artistic nature
But both Laurette Taylor and her hus.
band, Mr.. Hartley Manners. the author o.
Peg o. My Heart" live by ana pracu'
caIly on the stage. To create ana play
other, parts was, In fact, diversion 70
these two talented persons. Therefore
70 relieve the monotony Of the success OF
nPeg'' and to give Its star change OF
artistic air, Mr.. Manners has just pro
duced a bill of three playlets from hi'
own pen. in each of which his wife sus-
tanned the leading role. Not to interfere
with the run OF peg" the new bill Il
given at Friday matinees, which In
creases the total of the actress weekly
performances to nine.
The first piece on the bill Is called Jus
as Well" and pictures the troubles OF
Young couple just about to be married
who discover that each Of them has an
other affinity. They are so close TO th'
fatal day that the wedding presents hav'
already accumulated. Their troubles and
the enjoyment of the audience are. In
creased by the facts that he stammer'
and she Iisps. In the course of converse
tion she learns who the other woman is
and he, the other man. Each knows th'
rival person, and a process OF diffusion
ment follows The final climax come
with the mutual admission that thing
should be allowed to remain as they were
which carries with 1t the advantage o
not having to return the wedding pres
ents. This piece gave Miss Taylor ant
Mr.. Hassard Short excellent opportunit,
to display their abilities in very ligh
comedy.
Happiness was the title of the mex
offering, and here Miss Taylor gave he
admirers a sight Of her in new role
which took her measure exactly. Tn
character is that of a little girl employees
in a millinery shop. Bringing home new
nat and gown brings her into contac
with a rich young woman and her ricl
admirer both of whom have becom
tired and blase human molluscs. who ar
bored with life because they have satet
themselves with an ITS pleasures tina
money can buy. The happy nature o
the young girl, her contentment Wit
small means. and her naive philosoph.
pique their interest. And the final curtain
SHOWS ali COhCGTnco tfloCndg chtciAA
into happier conditions of existence
The third piece was called an allegory
and presents Miss Taylor in the role of I
courtesan, who has assembled her me
admirers to return to each Of them wha
he has given her before. Having bee
enriched and set free from the bonds o
her trade by an inheritance. she take
the path of virtue and repentance wher
she must walk alone. The men are re
spectively a politician, a f1nancier,
writer, and an artist. She has brough
them all together at her home for tn
ceremony OF renouncing them and thei
gifts to her.
The niece is saturated with an atmos
phere of unreaIity. and this in additio
to the fact that the actress admirers ar
parently resent seeing her in any bJ
wholesome impersonations told agains
the success of the play. There's no de
nying. in spite of its overburden of tall
that this effort of Mr.. Manners was in
teresting and original: also, that 1t CAV
Miss Taylor opportunity to display pow
ers different from any she was suspect
ed to possess. THE Day of Dupes" wa
the title of the playlet, and its moral wa
that men may be the dupes of the coui
tesan. but that, after all, 1t is the woma
herself who is the dupe of her victim
and of the life she leads
In addition to giving Miss Taylor varie
occupation as a relaxation from her res
ular task. this bill demonstrates her vel
satility as an artist and that of Mr. Mar
ners as a dramatist
Extending Its Sphere.
The Authors League has just move
into what is known as the Washingto
Irving House at the corner of Eighteent
street and Irving Place. This is a mar
of the prosperity OF the comparativel
young organization which augurs well Il
the possibility of its one day realizin
a very important ambition connecte
with the American theater.
The league is more a business than
social organization. In its membershi
are the majority of American writer
of books who have attained any fam,
Its work up to the present has been cor
fined largely to clarifying the relation
between writers and publishers, the col
rection Of abuses, and the straightenin
out of copyright tangles. 1t has, in som