Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-01


actresses who claim a place not merely
In the admiration. but in the affection
Of the public. The play Daddy Long
Legs is a light and gentle creation
with smiles and tears arising neither
from boisterous mirth nor tragic emo
ton 1t is the story of little girl
whose heart and imagination were too
big for her surroundings, and whose
dreams at last came true. There are
delightful moments in the story, but
Its best appeal is in the role of the
child whose fancy created world OF
beauty and tenderness, and built it so
well that it displaced the harsh
realities.
Like so many of Henry Milier's pro-
auctions, Daddy Long-Legs" is de-
veloped through process of crystal
iization which often endures consider
ably beyond the opening performance.
The play as it leaves Washington shows
qualities of semlike brilliancy.
s !. i;
The appearance of Miss Chatterton
and Mrs. Fiske as contemporary figures
in the current Washington season was
interesting. The young woman, who is
at the threshold of a career such as
T
proceeds under conditions more favor
able than those prevalent when Minnie
Maddern found in Fogg's Ferry" a
vehicle of blended comedy and melo-
drama. The struggle for recognition
was more an individual struggle then.
There were not so many watchful eyes
eager to discover and exploit talent
The public was the one reliable pro-
noter, and its awards, though generous,
were often slow. There is a certain
resemblance between the methods of
Mira Ffske and those Of Miss Chatter
ton; the tendency to rapid enunciation
so often present in an actress of ex-
csptiona1 mentality. 1t is perhaps the
manner of speech natural to a person
who deals tnstinctively with ideas
rather than with the words required
10 express them. Miss Chatterton sue
ceeds in being distinct Her danger
lies in the contempt for mere mechan-
Isal detail which exceptionally gifted
people are liable to feei-a contempt
likely to become more manifest as ap-
piause invites self-confidence
* = =
first presentation of unusual interest
was that of THE Governors Boss" at
Poifs Theater.
To quote the expression of an unbiased
observer, 1t Is Some play
Gov. Sulzer is the hero Of a plot which
uses q Maxim siiencer. dictograph and
q moving picture camera with enthusi-
astic energy. As political argument
or a. biography 1t is open to question:
but 1t had the audience taking sides, and
when the curtain descended on one of
the busiest trial scenes on record there
was no doubt about the sentiments that
prevailed. The vindication was com.
plete.
In spite of the direct copy of a public
character introduced on the stage, the
play has a strong measure of impersonal
interest; its plot clicks along at a rapid
pace, and while it lacks polish ii gets
the laughter IN the right places, and the
applause is frequent and spontaneous.
As bold and effective a play as THE
Governors Boss would be worth a good
slice from any political managers cam
paisn fund during a close struggle
x ::
G. Bernard Shaw told us all about a
little of every thing. Some of the men,
bers of the audience frankly confessed
that they didn't know what it was all
about, even though the program was be-
fore them to give explicit information
that it was all about G. Bernard Shaw.
The world is Mr.. Shaws oyster-or does
= vegetarian permit himself oysters? Let
US say the world is his grape fruit. His
humor consists in saying anything that
comes into his mind. with a perfectly
straight face The idea of presenting so
clever and concise a work as anybody's
first play is itself a grotesque incon-
sistency. His colloquies with critics is
an evidence Of how slight turn may
,uffice to give an old idea humorous nov
city 1t suggests the April first prank
ster, who, weary of ancient forms, takes
me kick me- sign and pins it on to his
)wn coat tails. after being assured that
he best thing that can happen to a
,oung man and woman is to 80 out and
.et arrested for street fighting and make
strange acquaintance. the mind be-
comes slightly dazed. You feel as if you
might have been experimenting un-
yuardedly with the style of vegetarian
SIN which Is commended by one OF the
converted characters, but only to the
discreet extent of a pint a week. 1t would
BE- q wonderful thing If food experts
rould decide whether Mr.. Shaw is clever
because he Is a vegetarian or in spite Of
the fact II his genius is herbivorous
RAFT a large number Of authors should
% required by contract to initiate Nebu-
.hadnexzar. He compels admiration even
when he seeks to offend. His name
writes itself luminously on the magma
don like a scenario OF his play, with a
prologue and epilogue Of interjection:
Gee, Bernard. Pshaw.'
PHILANDER JOHNSON.
THREE FAMOUS ACTRESSES AND
yoRBES-RoBERTSO Modjeska
made her first appearance at the
court Theater in 1885 in Romeo
md Juliet" Forbes-Robertson was heI
aomeo. 1t is interesting to read whal
she thought of his work at thai
line In her volume of "Reminiscences.
,hs says: "Forbes-Robertson was an ad
nirable Romeo. full Of passion. poetr,
and restrained pathos in the last scenes
There was no actor at that time In Lon
Ion who could even approach Forbes
robertson in the part OF the typica
over. for which he was so admirabl!
suited" In a later comment on thu
famous actor, she unconsciously prophe
sled his success as the Passerby II
Tsrome's successful modern morality play
She writes: I'VE put on 'Juana,' Will
Forbes. Robertson In the part Of FRA
John. He PLAYED beautifully. and looket
he saint to perfection"
Ellen Terry has always been a Grea