The Washington herald., 1914-05-03
DE- JAMEs 5. MErcALFE.

New York, May aspiring fever or
something of the sort has certainly at
tackled the theatrical interests In this
village. Usually at this time Of year
there are prospects Of things to be put
on for a summer run or, at least, for q
spring try-out. Just now there is
hardening Of the managerial arteries. or
war scare, or some other hoodoo that
has apparently put a strong brake on
some sort of thing called ''Vix" COM
ing on at wallack's. as an experiment IN
production and next week there Will be,
besides the combination of John Drew
and Ethel Barrymore in a revival OF a
Scrap of Paper" nothing but another
attempt by the perennial and never to be
subdued Sydney Rosenfeid, with drama
called "The Charm Of Isabel Plays
may come and plays may go. but In the
past score of years there never was
time when Mr. Sydney Rosenfeld was not
ready to leap into the breach with a new
original drama by himself a hbretto TO
q comic opera by himself, or even an
organization Of high-brows ready 70 eie-
vate the drama headed by Mr.. Rosen-
field himself as president or chlet pro-
moter. and organized to discuss learneoiy
plays that he produced at their collective
expense.
Perhaps the reason that Mr.. Rosenfeld
and things of his sort are enabled to get
a hearing in New York Is that we have
no resourcefuI managers. As things go
today very few of our managers dare to
trust their own Judgment, except In the
way of giri-and.music shows, or in such
familiar precedents as Mr.. Rosenfeld, In
spite of the fact that there are some
dark and dismal failures TO his credit
Maude Adams and "Peter."
In default of newer productions 1t was
a pleasure to drop in after almost ten
years and see how Maude Adams has in
fact realized the wish OF Peter Pan
never to grow UP, but to remain always
4 boy" Here is a play from seeing
which no one, young or old. could help
taking wholesome delight. 1t makes US
oIdsters regret that we could not have
seen II first with the fresh eyes of child
hood. And the tremendous popularity Of
The play with Maude Adams In the title
part suggests that, IL her ambitions to
achieve new laurels are satisfied, she can
20 on playing this one piece as long as
Joseph Jefferson did his much inferior
play, rip Van Wrinkle" Those close to
Magde Adams tell me that Peter Pan is
her favorite role and that even after its
many, many repetitions she would rath-
n play It than anything else. This can
Be readily understood by any one who
Iees her take a curtain call and see the
pleased look that comes into her eyes
Fhen they sweep around a house filled
With the faces of children whom she has
made happy and who have not achieved
ghe grown-up habit of hiding their feel
ngs.
Maude's Departure.
Mr.. Cryil Maude had rather an unusual
experience for a popular English actor
N what was practically his first engage
nent in this country. At first he en-
,ountered almost a disheartening failure.
His first two productions. The Second
n Command" and THE Beauty and the
Barge" were attended by appreciatfve
Iut such small audiences that they hard
took the chill of the big interior of
WalIark's Theater. One reason put for.
ward for this was that the house where
Ie was appearing had lost its vogue on
pccount Of being too far down town be-