The Washington herald., 1914-12-20
ReDieV of the Past Week
In NeW York TheaterS

I her and assures her that thereafter he
is going to devote himself to her amuse-
ment, in token Of which resolve he brings
| in a Pekingese puppy which hef has
bought for her. This Is the climax and
the curtain goes down on the happy end
ing OF the husband and wife embracing
while the puppy in the foreground Is
| tapping milk from a saucer,
Rather thin material. this, out Of which
to make what Is practically a five-act
play. Its production on the theory that
the public could or might possibly like
II should be described in terms not quite
SO polite as the Brady theory Of gambling
on the public taste. For its introduction
to New York, Mr.. Frohman, perhaps ap-
propriately chose about the worst week
in the theatrical year, the one before
Christmas. 1t is the only novelty of the
week and perhaps he counted on that
fact to gain friends for 1t.
The English Actors
Apparently in jest, but hiding a some
what bitter general feeling. is the sug-
gestion made in one OF the theatrical
clubs that all the American actors now
out of employment should organize
benefit, the proceeds to be applied to
buying steamer passages so that the
large number OF English actors now ap-
Pearing in this country might be en-
abled TO return home and enlist to fight
The plea is made that their King and
their country need their services more
than the American stage does. There is
no doubt that the number OF Enblish &C
tors in America is at present unusually
large and their departure for their ma
tive shores certainly would make room
for a good many American actors who
are looking in vain for engagements
So far as England goes IL presents no
very tempting field for actors and ac-
tresses. The theaters have been hard
hit by the war. and the only ones that
are doing a profitable or near-profitable
business are the burlesque houses with
their reviews" which deal largely with
the light side of the war question. This
consists mostly in batting and ridiculng
the enemy, the censor finding this prac-
tise difficult to keep within bounds 1t
IS rather grim entertainment, but even
Punch tries to jest with the situation
its latest suggestion being that all of
London's thousands and thousands of
chimneys be loaded with powder and prJ-
jectiles ready to be fired in one tremen-
of Zeppelins
Conditions are so bad that the sugRes-
tion is seriously made that application for
relief of actors and their families should
be made to the Prince of Wales relief
fund, which has reached the enormous
sum OF S-u,VJuUyO.
Again the PuImotor
Mr.. a. II. Woods has the EItinge ami
public theaters on his hands. the former
being empty and the latter let out to
kick In" An empty theater at this
season of the year is no Joke. for this
is the harvest time for that kind OF real
estate II there is 10 be any harvest
MIR. Woods saw in Philadelphia one Of
the few performances of Mr.. Edward
Sheldon's dramatization Of THE Song of
Songs before the play was taken on.
Mr.. Charles Frohman owned the produc-
tlon' which was an elaborate one. ou.
on account OF the reception PhiIadelphis
gave to the piece hesitated to bring IL 10
New York. We have not learned whether
Philadelphia rejected The Song Of
Songs" as A bad play or because the
story told in Sudermanns book when
turned into stage form was too vivid and
detailed depletion OF the career of
European courtesan. At all events Mr..
Woods had no advance royalties to paJ.
and secured the production for practical
lY nothing, so We are to see The Song
OF Songs" at the Eltinge in Christmas
week. He has strengthened the cast.
and mad William Furst write some new
Incidental music. II The Song of Songs"
should, after all, turn out to be a sue
cess, Mr.. Woods will have the laugh on
Mr.. Frohman. and New York will have
still more things to say about the sleepi-
ness of Philadelphia