New-York tribune., 1916-02-27

arrived on Broadway at last. She (
Of Skies" To-day she is again in ST.
the mind.
Prank Campeau-Trampas IN Ihe
Virginian.- The play that made star
Of Dustin Fsruum sent Frank Campeau
into oblivion, although 1t was sener-
ally agreed that Csmpesu did the bet
ter work It so happened. however
that be was east ss the villain and
Fsrnum rs the hero. Since "Ths Vir-
ginian" the public has heard but little
Of Campeau. he has been appearing
recently in motion pictures. and is at
present rehearsing in Augustus Thom-
ass play "on the Rio Grande."
Helen Lowell, whose work In "The
Lottery Man" was the talk Of the
town. Since then she has jumped from
show 70 show, never rising above the
histrionic horizon. To-day one rarely
hears her name.
FRANKLIN Ardell. whose best work
was done as the piano player In The
Family Cupboard" Several shows have
since known him, including "Katinks.'
a few weeks ago he tried sketch in
vaudeville. More recently he was en-
Gagged for "The Blue Envelope but is
no longer in the cast. None OF MS
work since The Family Cupboard has
been sufficiently out Of the ordinary
TO cause comment. .,
Gilda Varesi, who was practically
unknown TO New York until she played
the Portuguese woman IN Children OF
Earth Her speedy rise TO position
of prominence was then expected ne
Gently she has been travelling around
the vaudeville circuit in the second
edition of Nine. Nazimova's sketch,
"War Brides"
Hale Hamilton, who created the
title role in one Of the greatest OF
American farces -"Get- Rich Quick
Wallincford." He has differed from
many OF the others in that he has had
numerous Broadway opportunities
since that time, but he has consistently
failed 70 approach his work as Wall
ingford. lie is now in Australia
Allan Pollock, who won much favor
able comment by his work as ths king
in "Hawthornc Of the U. S. A" He
has apparently dropped out Of the
world.
Ask the sctor-any sctor-snd ne
will clear up these cases in an instant.
'It's the part" he will tell you. Tho
playwright woke up and gave 'em a
part-allowed the stuff that was really
In 'em 10 come out. How do you eX-
pect people 20 make hit in the kind
Of parts they're writing nowadays! IL
can't be done!"
But il can. A part may be ever
so bad. but an actor who IS an actor
will nevertheless shine through 1t. The
drawing power of John Drew, to seize
upon an easy example, rs not based
on the fact that John Drew once did
eyceIent work in an excellent parI
people 90 10 see Mr. Drew because he
ia = real actor Certainly no player OF
modern times has been burdened with
poorer plays and poorer parts than MT
Drew-poor ones season after season
with never a break-yet Mr.. Drew
vogue has not diminished an iota.
The same is true, TO varying ex-
tents. of numerous other players. Con-
trary TO the infexibe rule OF the the
atre, q player is not star because his
or her name appears in larger print
than that Of the play. A star is one
who can triumph In the face of the
most discouraging conditions; a play
or who can create and hold a public
despite all the bad playwrights that
ever lived. There are a number OF
actors and actresses who can do this
but that number cannot be arbitrarily
increased by the mandate Of man
Gger.
The player who scores an unusual
success in role Is almost immediate
ly spoken Of as a candidate for star
dom" Sometimes they are stars" for
night, only 10 fall and 10 fall far
Those in the foregoing list Of players
have failed-fsiled TO achieve the
heights that is-because they have not
been built Of the material Of which
real stars are constructed. The John
Drews and the Maude Adamses AZ
greater than any single part.
The announcement Of a spring tour
by the Washington Square Players Is
OF considerable interest II is the first
step toward that branching out tha;
has been predicted for this ambitious
gathering. This initial step, at the
same time, has been looked forward to
by some with not little trepidat!on
VIII the enlargement OF their enter
prise destroy that community spirit
that has been largely responsible fol-
the Players success? Will q tour, un-
dertaken largely for commercial rea-
sons, work for or against the ultimate
good Of the Washington Square Play.
ers? We, for one, confess our inability
70 grapple with the problem.
Al all events, busy days are ahead OF
the Players. The tour will begin on
April "a, and In the interim everything
must be made ready. In addition, two
new programmes are yet TO be pre-
sented at the little theatre In Fifty
seventh Street. There might be some
doubt about their presentation, but
they have been paid for by subscribers
and are IN the nature Of debt
Whatever one says about "The Melo-
dy OF Youth"-and opinion Is pretty
well divided-it must be admitted that
the author thereof has given himself
a rafting good entrance. Everybody
else has arrived before the footsteps
OF young Brandon lyman are heard Of.
and there is a furry among the fe-
males TO see which shall welcome him.
Enter George Giddens, who explains
the accident that had befallen himself
and the young hero. Further Glarums
without-a breathless moment-enter
Mr.. lyman. There Is nothing like
being ones own playwright