The Washington times., 1914-12-07


aywrights. the Shakespeare of Amer
a, and one of the greatest OF the pure
.crsry dramatists of modern times,
rst into sweet song on the witness
ma in Equity Court No. l this morn
< during the course Of his efforts to
, pound the technical differences and
'-amatic distinctions existing, as he
.ews it, between The Beauty Shop
I'd Or aFkewell, the two musical
nedies.
The author of the last named play is
. ng the author of the first named for
LEGGED adaptation of the plaintiffs
MUS.
The return of Mr.. Thomas is OK
aimed, possibly, in his own translation
the French method of constructing
Iree-act comdies: You get a many up
tree first. then you throw stones at
m. and then you bring him down.
Mr.. Thomas was perChed on the wit
ess tree by the defense as an expert
ie was the target for the stony stares
II the plaintiffs counsel during cross
Namination-the attorney stating, by
way, that Mr.. Thomas was not such
~ expert as he looked because he was
writer of series plays and not musical
-neoies-and he returned TO his perch
morning to confess, with bowed head
? at he had written musical comedies
And the sentimental song to which the
uf the first paragraph, had q very i'm
} -tant bearing on the case. An oriEi-
d composition, dashed off on the spur
, he moment without other aid than his
uiliarity with most of the classic verse
literature and the needs of the OC-
sion that had suddenly developed, the
rdS were not sung in the literal sense,
10 were recited.
The recall OF Mr.. Thomas to the
nd was in the nature of a surprise.
IL =
less coagulation of the many tech
D al statements that have been made
7 m time to time by witnesses for
N sides. particularly the testimony OF
D ~ Wilbur, Of George Washington
ivcrsity. who participated i'm the case
week and was again on the stand
few minutes this morning.
rof- NLburs testimony for the de-
Dse related TO his examination of the
as an authority on dramatic litera-
p "H- Mr.. Thomas came after him as
authority on the drama, not only in
nature. but on the stage and in the
matist's workshop.
NJ he was confined in most Of his
lmoDy- to musical comedy which
p ny persons distinguish from drama
O. ost as markedly as Attorney Lam
g did when he objected to Mr.
. mas original testimony.
me- playw right admitted that he had
, ten several musical comedies,
- A.nA
. for the late Pete Daley. and The
3'7tinee Idol for DeWolf Hopper. He
f AIRED that he did not believe that
manuscripts of the two musical
edies before the court indicated in
any way that one was dependent on the
other.
Obligation of Librettist.
lie dismissed what similarities Of
scene there might be in the two with
The statement that a scene was simply
81 .ackEround. and that the dramatist
D seeking a place OF Tedevous for the
~ cgs characters Of his production
ally selected a public place
IS to sim larItes in the number Of
Z lracters. he stated that the librettisI
|, musical play vas under ohliga-
. 10 supply sufficient number of
ara"iers 20 admit certain singing.
. et'He. there are four main char
I Rs, sometimes SIX. u
e stated as a simple fact. but failed
name the culprit who originated the
5loIn, that the hero is u tenor, the
ONE soprano, etc, almost invarl-
Hhe characterized the similarly
.haraeters in DR.. FakeweIP' and
Eeauty shop" by inference, as
ne no more identity OF character
The four y heels of two separate
sons. He accounted for the mention
Lillian Fusssn iH both plays-de-
~ Il was OF no more importance
!
o. Colonel Roosevelt wOul dbe. II
~ this point that he was asked a
ION as TO The USE Of he line tell
d III InRrincs' in both plays. And
IT was that Mr. Thoma. knitted
bT"vs. thought for a minute-but
Tor DTie- minute be il under
1-aud emitted the immortal lines
pa stlrt this story,
Common Slang Phrase.
1Hgr-~Er rr--a-~...-r
mortal and may De revised like a
oi plays that ale produced from
20 tune But this is the first time
have ever 5ecH printed Mr..
mas declared his exquisite use OF
words, cure talking through your
was IN the same sense The ma
Limos Were used And ne dis
} med any originality in the upse OF
m declaring they constituted q com
lang phrase.
% siwiarities in dialogue were not
material To the witness point of
The drama is in its essence Wis
H' declared. Things that are not
90 be seen are not drama, but
.r-rr tie thought, therefore, the
.N - the two plays entirely diff
NJ Their themes, he said, we're es-
ally different. The one dealt with
sI0rLs o. man to obtain posses
Of legacy through trying TO
Try the woman TO whom the legacy
-T- belonged. ana the other with
.ToTfs Of a mother 70 mary her
Eltg- 20 p rich old man. and the
Ehrer's determination 10 destroy her
.fr rsthrr than enter upon such
.riag.. because she thought her
sfE was the only attraction.
.a u-s u the beauty shop idea in
FAX. well" Mr.. Thomas thought.
.al The use OF the beauty shop
J.. in he eBauty Shop" he did not
necessary. as the same theme
d have been worked out with a
Gesmsu or any other person.
The conclusion Of Mr.. Thomas
.uonv. Nr. Pollock was called to
stand 10 Identify copy Of the
.--cript of The Beauty Shop,
.i was then offered in vedicen, a
piers copy Of the play exactly as
IS produced rather than the copy
he play az h was written. Both
- announced that Their case would
on the evidence pen before the
-f and agrecmerI was made TO give
H sid. one hour and half for argu-
.. argument started at the resump- I
~ court after the noon recess and /
case il likely TO be finished this
moon.
/ - Iotarcadac fn q cCiCt