The sun., 1918-08-25

W 1ILLIAM GILLETTE will be
M presented this season by
Charles Frohman, Inc, in
Dear Brutus." the comedy by Sir
James Barrie which has been running
for the last year in London. Mr.. Gil
lette will play the leading role in this
piece at the personal request of Sir
James himself.
The production Of = new play by
Barrie is always q notable event, and
this announcement Of the promised
presentation Of Dear Brutus' with a
star of the prominence and popularity
of Mr.. Gillette is the most interesting
that has been made by any of the
managers for the coming theatrical
season in New York. 1t may be re-
called that Mr.. Gillette appeared in a
Barrie play once before. That was
The Admirable Crichton." the Scotch
playwright's brilliant satire. in which
Charles Frohman presented Mr.. Gil
lette at the Lyceum Theatre In 1908.
Dear Brutus" was originally pro-
duced last September at Wyndham's
Theatre in London by Gerald Du Maui
rier, who appeared himself in the role
in which Mr.. Gillette il to be seen here.
The play made an immediate and most
emphatic success and has been rum
ming ever since. Mr.. Du Maurier. hav-
ing applied for and received a commits
sion in the British army. has now re-
tired from the cast to take up his
military duties. and for the second
year Of the London run Of the play H.
V. Esmond is playing the leading part.
The title Of the play is taken from
the lines in Shakespeare's Julius
Cesar:
The fault. dear Brutus, is not n our
stars,
But in ourselves that we are under
lings"
and in 1t Barrie IN his characteristic
way shows what would happen II
human beings were granted the often
wished for opportunity to live their
lives over a second time.
Until three years ago Jane Oaker
never knew she liked to hear people
laugh. Before that she had spent her
life In Shakespeare and the classics
trying to make audiences spend signs
and tears. Now she defies any mana
ger to drag her back to serious roles.
Miss Oaker. who will play the
dlvorcee in "Lightnin'," the new pro-
duction by Winchell Smith and John
L. Golden, which opens at the Gaiety
Theatre tomorrow evening. began her
stage career with James K Hackett.
AZ that time she adored playing
shakespeare and her Shakespearian
season with that star was one long
delight. But that was before she pre-
terred chuckling audience to one that
was sobbing out Its aggregate heart
over Juliefs death or Ophelid's sorry
end
After a long engagement with
Racket Miss Oaker found her love
Tor blank verse and sorrow had not
unfinished. She at once signed a con-
tract with William Farnum and went
on grieving another season In Shake
speare and the classics.
Next came two plays with Wilton
Lackaye-"The Pit" and "Trilby,"
neither Of which was what might be
ea'led gay or hilarious. THE Devil
ana The Silver Girl" failure that
Ioau"ay has long since forgotten,
were the actresses next adventures.
men Miss Oaker first met winchsli
sfn1h' coauthor of Turn to the
NHht' and "Lightnin'." He was
producing Love Among the Lions
shd he picked Miss Oaker for one of
her favorite teary roles.
EVerywoman" followed-naturally
"hat player whose feet has touched
ne Rlaito but has at one time acted
w season In that perenislly popular
rorahty play? A production OF 1.-THE
,npoF'anee Of Being Earnest" gave
mss Oaker her chance to pause
ar ducts and diaphragm had their
.',, ' rest in years. A comedy role In
Inc Dummy and another In Cousin
lucy won her away completely from
ner former life. And she only hopes