The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-04-04

Small Talk.
New York. March 31-HoIy Week
and very little doing. Of the impor-
tant theaters. the Empire, Lyceum.
Republic. Maxine Elliott and Shubert
are closed, but, with the exception of
the Lyceum, they will all be bidding
for favor with new attractions in
Easter week. In the theatrical busi-
ness. as in everything else around New
York Four Corners, there is a new
feeling of hopefulness. and there is a
strong rebound to optimism from the
pessimsm that has prevailed SO long.
The temperament of the theater is
mercurial not alone among it's artists,
but equally with those VINO run tho
business end. The croakers have BEEN
in the ascendant for a long time, but
just now with the rosy prospects in
every other quarter. the gloomy ones
are beginning to hunt their holes or
change their dispositions. Every one
in the theatrical business is looking
forward to the most prosperous spring
season that New York has known
for several years.
Mr.. Shaw Again.
If Mr.. George Bernard Shaw had
done nothing newer rnan the Book of
tached would attract audiences in New
York. We go to all sorts of extremes
here, and the extreme neglect of Shaw
in his early years is now Offset by the
extreme vogue of anything that bears
his name.
The Doctors Dilemma" was list
played in London in 1906, although it
had been written some time before.
Since then it has reposed in Mr.. Gran
Vile Bankers repertory, which may
be one reason why America, with its
present avidity for Shaw. has never
seen it before. At all events, it is the
most recent production we have had
of any Importance, and it's first pre-
sentation called out an audience which
packed Wallack's and which was
bound to show it's culture by indis-
criminate appreciation of every line
Of the piece.
Even to such audience. largely
composed of those who affect under
standing whether they have it or not,
the first act of The Doctors Dilem-
ma" was a strong test of their pa
thence. 1t is thing to be enjoyed in
the library and not in the theater.
1t is witty talk at the expense of the
fashionable charlatans in the medi-
cal profession, but it is only talk
and not drama. This is true of the
whole play, but in what follows there
is some action to relieve the constant
flow of language.
Mr.. Shaw is by no means the first
writer or dramatist to vent wit and
gullibility and dependence of sick
folks. The fashionab BILE quack has long
been an easy target whether his stock
in trade was the bolus and bleeding
OF other days or the serums, twilight
slumbers and delightful sick-room
manners and sympathy of today. So
Mr.. Shaw's material is not new. al
though he recreates the old medical
frauds and attacks them with the de-
lightful originality of paradox. humor
and ruthless fancy that make him one
of the most entertaining and stimulat-
ing writers of our time. The trouble
with The Doctors Dilemma" as with
most of Mr.. Shaw's satires. is that
he never heightens his efforts by Civ
ing US any contrasts. All his doctors
shown in the play are either fools or
knaves. This is where Thackeray as
satirist was more human and more
likely to be immortal than Shaw can
ever hope to be-he saw the bad but
also admitted the good. Mr.. Shaw's
play might not be so specifically bril-
liant, but it would be vastly more true
and more lastingly appealing if he
had admitted that there could be. and
had introduced among his doctors one
of the kind we all know who is honest
and self -sacrificing in the practice of
his profession.
Barker Production Lesitimxte.
Many persons who read Shaw re-
ligiously never care to see his plays
performed Others joy in the stage pre-
sentation of his text These last will
have no fault 10 find with Mr. Gran
willie Bankers presentation of The
Doctors Dilemma" Wallack's Theater
where the piece is played was made
over to suit the Barker ideas in the
playing of "Androcles" and "A Mid
summer Nights Dream" Ii has not
been practical to remove the enlarged
stage apron for the performance Of
this modern play. nor to change the
lighting system, but in other respects
the performance is a conventional one.
The cast is excellent and the acting
individually and as team work de-
serves nothing but commentator. The
doctors of different types are artistic
ally specialized. Lillah Mccarthy, as
the wife, who inspires one of them to
sacrifice instead of saving her hus-
band. is charming in looks and speech,
and Mr.. Hammer. who has the unpleas-
ant task of dying of tuberculosis in
sight of the audience, gives a highly
graphic impersonation OF the irrespon-
Sfbfo artist
The Doctors Dilemma will be
found enjoyable and not tiresome II
the intending spectator will read the
talky first act of the piece at home
and arrive at the performance in time
for the beginning of the second act.
when the slight action of the play
really commences.
IsadOra Dancea.
The pretentious undertaking of Is
adora Duncan in taking the big Gen.
fury Theater for a four weeks season
is not an unqualified success She has
changed the whole appearance of the
place. A flooring has been laid over
the orchestra chairs; not for dancing
purposes, but to keep the spectators
remote from the stage so that they
will get the effect of a long perspec-
tive. At one side OF this vacant space
is placed the orchestra of fifty or sixty
pieces. The proscenium boxes and the
sides and back of the stage are COW
cred with long. hanging. plain draper
les Of a neutral tint. Most Of the light
for the stage is projected from the top
gallery, the footlights, az in the Bar
ker productions, being dispensed with
The whole series OF her productions
is called the "Dionysion," suggesting
something Greek and Bacchic This
title is misleading. as most Of the mu-
sic TO which she and her pupils dance