Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-26


return of +. Fl. Sothern 10
modern comedy. in the premiere VI
"The Two Virtues" at the Belasco. the
only place outside New York IN which
he will appear during the present sea-
son. The other is the reopening, Tor
IT'S regular season. of the New National
Theater-always pleasant item u
record, and interesting especially inns
time because it will introduce Lame
Carrera, the daughter of Anna Heiu'
who made her own debut at the same
theater twenty years ago in hoyt
comedy.
Nav Irwin's heeting visit last week
10 present a delightful farce, in which
she is making one of the best hits of
her career. did something more than
please a large audience not usually
given to hysteria in the matter of stage
productions That she literally broke
IN the meeting with one of her best
character portrayals simply shows what
the clever comedienne can do when she
has the material. Leroy Scott, too,
achieved something notable by pro-
ducinc wholesome. amusing farce,
without once taxing the proprieties, in
.33 Washington Square" which by any
other name would be quite as laugha-
BILE.
The other attractions In the theater
this week, according to the judgment
of the present-day managers. take va
riations Of title to exploit 1.-The army
man." in the hope of appealing to the
crizzled veterans of the republic. who
doubtless long since have had their fill
of "the army" Still the echoes of the
campfire are alluring, and perhaps the
fiddlers. buglers, song singers and
story tellers who helped kill many an
anxious hour fifty years or more ago
will not be averse to having the expe-
rience repeated for them by old COM
rades on the stage and with all the ter
rors and uncertainties of real war "a
long ways Off.
The past week recorded the with
drawal of the Columbia. Theater from
the ranks of houses devoted to the
drama At present there seems to be
some doubt as to whether the new les
see. Marcus Loew, well known in the
vaudeville world. will enter the theater
in the list of vaudeville houses or con-
tinue it for the exploitation of the Fa-
tions. Whatever may be the alterna-
tive. Washington playgoers will regret
the; changes for since it's erection the
Columbia has been popular play
house. and it's famous stock companies
will always be remembered among the
brightest of the theatrical annals of
Washington
With the decline in number of the
so-called legitimate theaters is noted
the rise of the photoplay houses, new
ones coming into prominence daily
Their number guarantees wholesome
competition that will keep their attrac-
lions within reach of those who can
afford to pay but little for their en-
tertainment. as well as insure improve
ment in the moving picture production.
New York news the past week re-
ported reduction in the price of Or
chestra seats in several theaters which
heretofore exacted the two-dollar rate
prominent metropolitan daily is au-
thority for the statement that there
are indications that others will Join
in the movement, and that it is pre-
dicted that $50 will soon become the
regular price in New York theaters
playing first-class attractions a con-
dition that has not existed there in
the past twenty years. There are no
present signs that the movement has
reached Washington.
Disciple of RacheI.-"My faith
err, says E. III. Sothern, was ahead
of his time. His death occurred the
same year which witnessed my pro-
foS vol .fahv
him, of course, many times When l
was boy in London l heard him dis
cuss acting and the drama with Dick
ems and Thackeray and other literary
and artistic lights. So l know what his
theories about acting were
There was one charact eristic which
predominated in his playing, and
which, in his theory OF acting, was his
ma jor contention. / mean his natural
ism. IN that he was ahead of his time.
de had no pleasure in the work of the
strenuous and noisy actors whose
shouting covered vacuum where
imagination and suggestion should be.
when he was in New York, so
charmed was he with the realism and
naturaiism of the great French actress
Rachel that he gave up AN engage
meRt, much needed at the time, in order
10 follow her and listen again and
again to her wonderful art. That, by
the way, was in 1855, and it was her
idSt american tour, when she was
marked for death"
h. a. Sothern. in an important sense
then. became a pupil of Rachel. He
followed her to school, and the school
was the stage. and the elder Sothern
paid for his tuition by forfeiting an
engagement which, in those days of his
early struggling, he badly needed.
From her of whom the French critic
wrote, We possess the most marvellous
actress that this generation has seen,
Mile. Rachel" the elder Sothern learned
something of the art of suggesting and
repose; what, in his portraits, he should
leave out and what put in.
Rachel was the great Samson's pupil,
and Samson had from Talma's own lips
The great tragedians ideas on the conf
pick art OF acting. These Rachel learned
Rachel.
hat Anna Held Says few months
ago, when Lame Carrera. Anna Held 5
daughter. made her debut in vaude-
VILE In New York. her mother made
some interesting remarks on the SUBJ
1ect. Here are few:
Should young girls go on the stage?
oh, no. no, no. Never. never. should
girl go OH the Stage * SHE takes my
advice. I did not want my own child
IL so ON the stage. So tell others
not TO. But why? I will tell that, too
Il would not see them lose the sweet
pess and sunshine of girl life. I would
see them always the joyous sonSDirds
OF their parents homes until they have