The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-04

DTtuuCtlpu Oh iIltbN III as
soc!ation with the Messr's.
Shubert,'' remark d Joseph
Brooks rcfectively 81 am reminded
that it was directly due To my sug-
gestion that Du Maurier's novel WAS
oramatized.
Twenty years ago last January
William Ii. Crane was filling an en-
Eagement under my management a!
the Star Theatre. We were in con-
sultation with Paul NJ. Potter about
a new play. and he was Il frequent
caller at my residence. on New
Years morning he brought to Mrs.
Brooks copy of 'Trilby' and said
"'lf you haven't read this it will
interest you. Everybody is reading II.
Women are really quite mad about Il.
Everywhere one goes it is Trilby this
and Trilby that. Quite clever DO x.
You ought to read it.
Mrs. Brooks was busy just then
with practical affairs. but Fntters re-
mark appealed To- the shuwman's In
stinct, and that night I read the book
through from cover to cover. OF course
Il was not the sort of material |
wanted for Mr.. Crane. hut when Paul
Potter came again ] told him he could
make fame and fortune by drdmatlZ-
ing 'Trilby.' He did not think much
OF the idea. The story was faScinat-
Ing and all the rage, he agreed but
too fragmentary and disconnected for
stage purposes. But he changed his
mind He secured Du Maurier's per-
mission, completed the pl and sod
IN 4 N Palmer, ushA nrnltIgaH N 1
the Park Theatre. Boston early In
March. 1895. and at the Garden
Theatre New York. five weeks 'atcr.
Incidentally 'Trilby' was the first play
to enjoy an all summer run in any
American city. II was still drawing
capacity houses when taken III 70 . ,
on tour. II earned enormous profits
for Palmer and for it's subsequent
producer william A. Brady, with
whom we have arranged for the
present production.
"Probably there has never been
enother such sensationally popular
dramatization Of novel as Potter
Contrived from Du Maurier's appeal
ing story, with it's unique scenes and
types. which everybody had grown
W IoN . pl AlIl, ~ 10 JASN 40 ~ w.
vital. timely and human as If written
yesterday. Legions of matinee girls
still weep over the trials IF Trubp,
just as their mothers did, Srcn0dHs
weird, hypnotic malice, the wistful
charm of TrilJrS personality. the
fresh, wholesome manliness of Td0U
the Laird and Little Bilicc, and all the
breezy touches Of careless bohemian
life in the Quarter Latin are revived
anew for the enjoyment of those wine
saw the play ten or twenty years ago
and for that younger generation Tor
whom a sound exposition of real
acting Is needed occasionally to SHOW
them there is something on the stage
besides motion pictures and 10 cent
vaudeville.
There is double claim upon general
interest in the present production Il
marks the advent II youth as typlhrd
10y younger players like Phyllis Neil
son-Terry as 7rilbU. Taylor II lines -
the faithful Gcck0 and Brandon lyman
as the impulsive Littlc BHlco. Then
there is the assembling of three famous
actors in their original roles, Wilton
LaCkaye as the malignant hypnp'
tier, Leo DltriChSt"in as the mercurid
little Corporal OF XouaVes and Bur-
NcIntosh as the stalwart Td0H
REALLY fine plays win something
more than the mere vogue of the hour
80 when managers and players dwell
fondly now and then on the recOllec'
ton of some famous success and pro
coed 10 revive It the reaction Is moi
necessarily sign of theatrical poverty
Frankly however, cannot think Of Z
play of the present period that vii
stand rcNiva, twenty years hence
certainly none that blends the drill
romance ana poetry Of 'Trilby,
HypnutiSm * better understood nov
than II WAS twonty years ago. Thel
there WAS n disposition 10 rlliculo II
Pew u Is an established scientific fact