Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-15
War Themes Play
Important Part
Ne,U Dramatic Production
Val Present All Phases
Of Great Conflict.
ny ZAYDA GLOVER.

:, TEW Y G1nSs. Tyne L. ltarhs md:
lie also is able 70 express them Nth
the same quality he manages TO inject
he has 20 say about The much discussed
war pia::
"Wha; par, VIII he war theme have
N ne new PLAYS? 4 very vital part.
,h!nlS the public has seen all ii wants
raid, hospiial ward and locale OF No
sve we Viii be shown ne neG the p' results or
effects OF war on human beings
1t is always the right time for a
good play. and the wrong lime for a
bad one somehow. neither time place
one really remembers the plot OF
Friendly Enemies any more than that
OF Lightnin. They are good plays.
The good play usually has its in
ception in something deeper Than r
II * developed working through the
,Yn!nas and hearts OF human beings.
posS! o!iitics 20 a dranatist than the
results OF the war just past? The
prospect is prodigious.
scope Is Stuncndous.
such play would not be limited
mink VIVA, a drama there is in Paris
or London today, While here, thou.
lands ,Ss Of miles from all the struggle.
ten. with scenes laid in New YORK
"ho had experienced the war. The
scope OF this theme is stupendous For
inc va! seems TO have affected ali men
IN \ Inherent manner.
Iis,epinE 70 q soldiers ,ale-and
same way. Every one OF the men back
from the front, can talH SO sincerely
and conyincingiy tina, there seems to
ne futl-sized drama in every ono of
Snirii OF the war. They arc Ike men
Wsnp; have found grea, truth, and
rejected result in the peoplc with whom
they come in contact.
Aiready The piaywr.ie hts have seized
UPON M situation have read more
within month. Some were good.
some bad scarcely any were mediocre
to strike neau "i proSab,y to ,he eH rrsn,
est plays Of tho war viii he written
nN me nest generation. which will
situation in p"rsnec,ivs eH Sill ine w WnHia
ne nfN' nv TO The neAi twenty years
p!aHS on This subject.
Nnr Plays 10 Prcdomipatc
VIII war plays predominatc for the
ncNt few seasons: shouIin', saw so
The 'hsme offers great possibilities,
u
about matters little If il is cooI
Play. The ideal play to my mind is
me play that entcrtains. and if an
,erta inment ont OF any subject. some
times nc may only entertain himself
but nov | am farsiious. What want
70 repeat IS the one truth hay.
learned after lifetime in the theater:
pSonl" like good play, no matter
One OF the oldest. as we'll as one Of
the most iauShablc characters On the
metropolitan stage this season is that
Of Fanny, the janitress. as impersonai-
Lucille" which is now running TO large
houses here. Miss Daniels is the big
individual hit of the piece. \ slavcy
par. that might easily descend TO buff.
while character sketch. She reminds
you OF the talented May Vokes. She
mas the rare talent of the real artist.
Although a woman. she is willing 10
Of characterization. She makes up
SO that che might do for a re-crow.
She certainly is scream.
If she had grown few inches tail:
er. Miss Daniels might now be play
ing Lady Macbeth to empty benches
instead OF !mpersonating a janitress.
Wanted to Play Tragedy.
Maybe it's just as we'll" says the
actress herself. II did swami to play
tragedy when l began. But when !
asked me how tall ] was. and when
l admitted | measured only five feet
up and down, they seemed to think
there wasn't anything more to say on
the subject. imagine there wasn't.
Tragedy queens ought 10 have height
anyway"
MSS Daniels is one OF the few
Welsh actresses on the stage. She
can pronounce the name OF the town
where she was born. but no one else
except Il Welshman can. so there is
no use printing il here. The Welsh
as every one knows. are great pco-
pie for elocuting There's Lloyd
George. for instance. IL Is national
.sGassss.s az SsaSSsah