The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-12
AL H. WOODS FORMS
Big LONDON COMPANY
Prepares for Invasion Of Eng
lish Capital With Popular
American Plays.
BRITONS LIKE OUR HUMOR
Weber and Fields to Appear for
First Time in a Play
without Music.

Al r. Woods. the theatrical producer,
who returned from Europe on Saturday,
made public yesterday his plans for next
season. Mr. Woods was abroad about a
month. In discussing the results OF his
brief stay he said:
~ have formed an English company,
capitalized at 100000. which will be
called 'Alwoods. Ltd While I had this
scheme in mind some time ago. I was
impellcd to put II through at once be-
cause Of my firm belief that the time Is
ripe for American productions In Lon
don. The formation Of this company will
necessitate my going to London In or
der to produce plays there in the months
of April. May. Juno and July. ! have
opened a London Office. and shall here
after arrange to divide my time between
that city and New York. The vogue OF
Potash & Permutter. and of George NJ
Cohan's broadway Jones' with seymour
Hicks and Ellalne ferris in the principal
parts, Is assuredly indicative OF wha'
the English public wants Both OF thos,
plays are American comedies full Of that
American humor which VIC insist our
British cousins do not understand. but
which I believe Is exactly what they want
Business In London at the present time
ia worse Electrically than Il has been II
several seasons have given four plays
to London: The Girl in the Taxi which
was produced at the Lyric. Potash a
Perlmutter,' now at the Queens: Within
the Law at the Haymarket and Mam'zellt
Ira -la-la' now at the Lyric, and so ] all
emboldened to think ] know enough
about what English theatregoers want &c
get into the field as a London producer.
II did not go to London for the pur
pose of buying play, for think We are
turning out better dramatic material "
America at present. With the exception
OF Shaw's 'Pygmalion.' no native play Il
making a record there.
''Ny first London production Will o'
made In october. when ] shall presen
Ethel Levey in The Girl from ciro's. -.
81 did buy one play, piece by u. {. NJ
Hardinge called Children OF Earth.
has never been produced before ana
will nut II on here IN the fall. MY IA!
nlans include the tour OF Julian Eting.
who will continue In The Crnoline Girl
open,ng in Boston for run early in Sep
tember. There will he eight Potash com
panies touring the United states and fou
yellow Ticket companies. My new pro
duction. will include The Grass Widow
a musical play by Charming Pollock an
( Rennold Wolf, authors of The Beaut
( Shop; The Red Widow and The ilig
! Cost of Loving farce adapted troT
! the German by Frank Mandel. with Webe
and Fields in the principal roles II negota
lions now pending go through. This "!
/ he the first time the German comedian
: have ever appeared in play withou
/ music
"One Of the most important Of my pro
/ ductions il play entitled innocent TIL
, is drama adapted from the Hungaria
/ by George Rroadhurst. John Mason. AZ
bearing In The yellow Ticket, VII STA
under my management IN 'brugged,
/ new drama BY owen Davis. with SUI
porting cast incluiiEg william sampson
/ John Emerson, Robert McQuade an
Amelia Gardiner Charlotte Ives, kati
crime La sale and Vivian Martin |
the Weber and Fields supporting conpan
will be Alice Hegeran. Desmond keIe'
Jeanette Bageard. Gieo-g. Hassell. Erne:
Lambart and Harry Baresford
MAN zelle Tra-la-la." now running
! London. will have It's New York premier
/ in December. ! shall also produce
dramatization of He Cones Up smiling
! by Byron Ongley, besides which l IA,
purchased the rights for Billet de Log
ment for later production. ! shall hay
an interest with klaw x Erlanger
'Montmartre,' which has been adapted frol
the French OF Pierre Frondaie, and sha
also be Interested with Arch Selw!n
Under Cover. which will be produced ,
the Cort Theatre here in september"