The Washington herald., 1918-04-08
81
.OCleEy
IN WAsAlNcT

After an unusually strenuous day
In Baltimore Sunday was indeed a day
OF rest at the White House. The Presi-
dent and Mrs Wilson attended morn
ing service at st. Johns, and in the
afternoon went for their usual Sun
DAY motor ride into the suburbs. They
are entertaining no house guests at
present.
Yesterday was signalized socially
by a big reception and a brilliant din
ner. both in honor OF Jacques Copeau,
Of the Theater du Vieux Colombier,
whose French players will give two
performances at Polls today. In the
afternoon NJ. Copeau was the honor
guest at an informal reception which
Cen and Mrs. George Barnett gave
In his honor at the Marine Barracks.
Mrs. Barnett's two young daughters,
Misses Leila and Anne Gordon, as
sisted her in receiving, and the Mar
quies de Polignac presided at the tea
table. Last evening Mrs. George Van
derbilt invited a distinguished COM
pany to meet NJ. Copeau at dinner. at
her residence in K street.
NJ. Copeau comes here under the
personal and active patronage OF Capt.
Andre Tardieu, Of the French High
Commission. The French Ambassa-
dor and Mime. Jusserand, who have
been spending the weekend in New
York, are expected to return to Wash
ington today. and it Is announced that
they will entertain q box party at the
evening performance OF his French
players, when the play will be Les
FrereS Kamarazov," a dramatization
by NJ. Copeau himself. of a famous
Russian novel by Dostolevsky. Among
the other box holders for that per-
formance are Capt. Tardieu. the Mar
quis and Marquise de Polignac, NJ. and
Nine. Simon, Mr.. and Mrs Edward
HeaIe Mclean, Lady Lister-Kaye,
Gen. and Mrs. Barnett. Mrs. Slater,
Mrs. Henry D. Flood and Mrs. George
W. Widener.
The evening performance promises
to be a gala event, for which the
orchestra and boxes have been taken
by people prominent socially and Of
fciaIIy The afternoon performance
will be of Moliere's comedy, L'avace-
(the Miser), and will be aimed par
ticularly at students.
NJ. Copeau and his company arrived
yesterday morning. and during the
night the stage at Polls was COM
pletely transformed in preparation
for today's performances. L'Avare
is to be presented as in the days Of
Moliere. valet du Chambre du Roi.
greatest wit, and greatest man in
the annals OF the French theater,
The story of each play Is printed
in English. act by act, in the program
so that II is not necessary to under
stand French to enjoy the perform
anCes.
The Theater du vieux Colombier
takes its name from the street in
the Latin Quarter in Paris in which
il originated. 1t is one OF the many
personal theaters which have sprung
Up in France during the last few
years-and in America too for that
matter under the general name OF
Little Theaters." 1t does not under
take to revolutioniZe either society
or drama, but to renovate the modern
thedter through the absence of COM
merciaIism. the suppression Of elab-
crate productions" and the so-called
"star system"
And NJ. COpeau is regarded at home
as having come pretty near to
realizing his ideals, and to have
founded a theater Of the traditions,
seeking to give new interpretations to
the great classical repertoire.
TranspIanted from Paris to New
York for at least the period of the
war. and subsidized by a board of
directors of which Otto H. Kahn is
the active spirit. Jacques Copeau's
players have been appealing to the
intellect, not the senses. this past
twenty weeks, with success far be-
yond expectations at the commence
ment of So radical a departure from
the management Of the theater in
America at present.
Those who have travelled most, who
know their Paris best, are the first
TO support the undertaking-the fore
most to realize what an artistic treat
is in store for them at these per-
formances.
Mrs. Newton D. Baker will go to
Cleveland OH Wednesday for the re-
mainder Of the week. This afternoon
she will sing at the Congressional
Club.
The British Ambassador and Lady
Reading go to Chicago this evening
for a week. This afternoon Lord
Reading will address the Conference
of American Lecturers at Continental
Memorial Hall.
Miss Mary T. Eastman announces
the engagement of her ward, Miss
Virginia A. Mullins. daughter of the
late DR.. John Bailey Mullins, to Mr..