Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-11-01

with theatrical producers and man
ayers for the kind of plays an in
dulgent public is expected to pay to
see. the discriminating observer
will be tempted to wonder why Marie
Tempest, the charming English actress,
and her splendid English company fail
ed to find more favor during the past
week among local theater-goers. One of
her plays was venerable. it is true. but
1t was the play in which she made her
great hit as a coincidence, as distin-
guished from a musical comedy star. The
other was new. True it dealt with things
more familiar to English life; but the
humor of. 1t all was so appealing, the
play so well mounted and the perform
ance of such exquisite finish that it
seemed to deserve much larger audi
ences than those that went to see it.
X X
And right here isn't it permissible to
observe that cardinal rules of construc-
ton count but little in the makeup of
a popular play, which of course means
successful play, from the box Office
standpoint So, too, the wisdom of the
dramatic wiseacres seems to count for
less in the face of the Cohanesque
genius for getting there Seven
Keys to Baldpate" was one of the real
treats of the season and the reason
why is the easiest thing in the world
to discover to those who may know.
\ x
Many guesses have been hazarded
upon the subject, but the one that
seems to ring with the truest appeal
is Mr.. Cohan's clever idea of calling
the play a mystery farce" In vision,
vim and vitals it is pure and unadul-
terated blood and thunder melodrama,
"sneaked in" upon an unsuspecting
audience that knew it all the time. but
waited, watched and writhed through
virtually four acts to find that the
farce of it was simply that it wasn't
true-'it was all in the play" People
fiocked to see it. They laughed at it,
enjoyed it and talked about it, but
how many that did will acknowledge
deep down in their hearts that all the
world loves aImelodrama?
1t is rather tribute to the art of
Julian EItinge that his great hosts of
admirers are chiefly women when all
the time he is poking in their faces
the fact that a man can beat a woman
at her own game, if he only has the !
nerve, etc.
Amusement loving well as intel !
lectual Washington should find INTEREST,"
in the splendid course of lectures run
ming at the Belasco Theater. 1t began
with that by Jerome K Jerome and his
Confessions of a Playwright" and is
continued tonight by an illustrated
lecture on The Marvels of India" by
Prince Sarath Ghosh. Those who over
look them may lose a real treat
THE REPERTORY THEATER.-l
Rosalind Ivan, the English actress who |
will be seen in "Polygamy." has been !
member of the famous Manchester rep |
ertory company, Miss Horniman's play
ers, in England She believes the rep
ertory theater is bound to come in this |
land of great theatrical developments.
Regarding the repertory theater in !
America" said Miss Ivan, Il do not
think there should be the difficulties
with which We have had to contend in
Europe. With the amazing advantages
of America such struggles should be
out of the question. Miss Horniman,
whose company now heads the list of
such artistic enterprises in England.
persisted unswervingly toward her
dramatic ideals, looking neither to the
right nor to the left, refusing to pam
der to the wrong kind of popularity,
for three years at heavy financial loss.
She at length found her public and the
success she desired.
1.-The now famous Abbey Theater in
Dublin struggled even longer, and there
was time-not SO long ago-when
William Butler Yeats rejoiced exceed
ingly at the sight of eight persons
watching the Irish players, when the
customary audience numbered six or
seven.
Such conditions are practically i'm
possible here. Americans are quick to
interest themselves in new ideas. They
are keen and enthusiastic theater-go-
ers- They are of wide SympathieS and
with their vivid intelligence and. last.
but not least, their money, the support
or a repertory theater is bound to come.
Now that men like Shaw, Masefeid.
Bennett. Barker, Brieux and others
write for the stage, it is not likely the
public will be satisfied with only read
ing them at the f1reside. They will nat
urally want to them acted, and the
repertory theater should be their home.
Such playhouse means vital thea
ter for those who are interested in life,
in tragedy, comedy, laughter, tears. 1t
would stand for sincerity in plays. in
acting, in purpose. Perhaps this may
mean the seeking of new kind OF
public. whose sensibilities are fresh:
but this public exists. and 1t will
quickly grow
"In such plays the stereotyped meth
DDS of acting are of no avail. The
actor or actress whose head is full of
new ideas and new suggestions is the
one wanted America has done much
for music and there is no doubt it will
do even more for the stage-the most
universal of all the arts"
YIELDS CLEVER PEN-R. Hen
derson Bland of the Kitty MacKay"
company, who will be remembered
doubtless by many for his portrayal
of the Christ in the film drama, From
the Manger to the Cross" is not only
an actor of attainments, but poet-a
real one, not the near variety. Two
volumes of his works have been placed
in the New York Public Library.
His activities with the pen have not,
however. been confined to verse. In
conjunction with Manning Austin he
wrote and had produced by the
Dramatic Society of London n play en-
titled Catherine the Great" In col
Elaboration with Mrs. T. p. O'Connor ne
wrote and produced another ,.iny some
four years ago, and he he now
in the hands of 4 proa , 40. York
manager.
At present Mr.. Bland, besides his the
atrical work. is under engagement by
the intelligence bureau of London,
press syndicate, to write his impress