davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun., 1919-01-05
PLAYS THAT LAST.

Aston, East Is West: Be-
lasco, "Tiger! Tiger"; Belmont,
THE Little Brother; Bijou,
Sleeping Partners; Booth. BE
Calm, Camilla; Bramhall Play
house. Difference in Gods;
Broadhurst. The Melting Of
Molly; Casnio, Some Time;
Central, Somebody's Sweet
heart; Conan, "A Prince There
Was; Cohan & Harris, "Three
Faces East; Comedy, "A Place
in the Sum; Cort, THE Better
Ole; Criterion, Three Wise
Fools; Eltinge, sUnder
Orders; Empire, Dear
Brutus"; Forty-eighth Street.
THE Big Chance; Forty-fourth
Street, Little Simplicity; Full
ton, "The Riddle; Woman;
Gaiety, "Lightnin' -; Globe, "The
Canary; Harris, THE Invisible
Foe; Henry Miller's, Back
to Earth; Hudson, Friendly
Enemies; Knickerbocker.
Listen Lester; Lexington,
| nthoboy AibSiNJI 1'Ol idllud
Little Theatre. "A Little Jour
ney"; Longacre, Nothing But
Lies; Lyceum, "Daddies";
Lyric, "The Unknown Purple;
Manhattan Opera House, THE
Voice of Mcconnell; Maxine
Elliott's, "Tea for Three; Mo-
rosco, Remnant; New Amster-
dam, The Girl Behind the Gun;
New Amsterdam Roof, Comb
nation Frolic"; Nora Bayes,
Ladies First; Playhouse, "For-
ever After; Plymouth, RE
demption"; Princess, "Oh, My
Dear; Republic, Roads of
Destiny; Selwyn, The Crowded
Hour; Shubert, 1.-THE Be-
trothal"; Thirty-ninth Street,
Keep 1t to YOURSELF; Wander
bilt, THE Gentle Wife,; Win
ter Garden. "Sinbad"
The sun., 1919-01-05

man with the gift Of observation to
arrange these elements into an enter
tanning and consistent story.
OF course what have to say con-
Germs comedy. leave the serious
drama and the play OF unpleasant
problems to those whose nature doesn't
ycarn for q laugh.
II you would write for the theatre
of that great multitude which seeks
relax, ton from overwork or from the
boredom of idleness, go out into the
highways and the byways and observe.
Study subway and elevated guards,
street car conductors or conductor
cites, chaufYeurs. bricklayers, elevator
operators. telephone girls, clubmen.
tramps and ticket spectators.
And don't forget that every play
must have the love element, the eter-
nal feminine. The average person who
rises at Z, goes to work at 8, lunches
AZ ~, goes home at 6 and to bed at 10
isn't "a stage personage-unless he
has mannerisms, eccentricities Of
speech. gesture or attire. Even these
peculiar!ties must be exaggerated. for
the stage cannot wait too long for
the unfolding OF a character.
A dozen individuals must be created
and fixed for the audience and their
careers worked out In the space OF
two hours. The playwright must
touch only the high lights, giving
spectators the self satisfaction of fill
! ing in the details.
Extreme types, however. must be
| avoided. All OF us have met in real
- ..
| eCCentricities that II they were pOr-
trayed TO life on the stage an au-
| dicnco would swear they never cN-
! stcd. The element Of SURPRISE is es.
sen;ial. when u man is most serious
turn the mood into comedy by deft
retcrt The SENSE Of humor, above all.
is necessary because what might APP
pear to be tragic to the participant in
scene in real life may be made lu-
| dicrous on the stage by u touch Of
humor.
! For n stage character clothes are I
great essential. On one occasion |
was in search OF certain ovcrcoat
for new comedy part for weeks. Ono
day a man came in to measure me for
! a wig. ] could have fallen on his
neck. for he wore the very old coat
that in n hay way I had begun 10
picture on myself. I bought il as he
wore it for 81. the price h" asked tell
ing him 10 bring il around the next
day. all the time contemplating n
complete rumiSatiOn the moment the
overcoat camc into my possession.
True TO his promise, the man
brought his coat around the next day
all carefully cleaned and pressed and
with every vestige OF character re-
moved from It. The garment was
worthless to me, OF course. in that
form.
Now, there Is little incident, in it.
self worthy Of the stage. 1t was 4
touch Of character. some comedy and
the element of surprise in It.
The sun., 1919-01-05
FAY BANTER and
IA 6 SARD SHORT in
EAST Is WEST

Gillette presented his third play, Held
by the Enemy" in which he appeared
as Thomas Henry Bean. This play
was subsequently produced at the
Madison Square Theatre IN August
1856. and was acted at the Princess
Theatre, London. on April .. 1881
All the Comforts of Home" which
was taken from the German, was
presented in 1890. Wilkinson's Wild
ows' In 1891, Settled Out of Court"
from the French, in 1892, and Ninety
Days" In 1898.
One Of the authors popular plays in
which he appeared was TOO Much
Johnson" which was given for a long
time at the Standard Theatre. This
piece he presented in London in 1898.
At the Garrick Theatre on october S,
1896, the actor-author made his first
appearance as Lclrts Dumont in "Se-
cret Service" This play he presented
in London in 1897. NJ the GaIrick
Theatre. November 8. 1893. he pro-
duced Sherlock Holmes" with great
success. which success he repeated
when re appeared in tho play at the
Lyceum, London, on September ., 1901
II was in 1908 that he assumed n
role not written by himself, that of
the hero OF Barries satirical comedy
THE Admirable Crichton." Mr.. Gil.
lette wrote a one act play, THE Pain
full Predicament of Sherlock Holmes,
which was presented at a benefit al
the Metropolitan Opera House in 1905
and this was followed by "Clarice,'
which he presented in LONDON. Mr.
Gillette made the adaptation from the
French of Samson" in which he was
seen, and also wrote The Eobber.
Among Thieves" Electricity anc
rearranged Diplomacy in which ht
toured with Blanche Bates and Marie
Doro.
One of the great Madison Square
Theatre successes was "Esmeralda,
which Mr.. Gillette wrote in collabora'
! ton with Mrs. f. II. Burnett. He alst
made an adaptation OF Mrs. Wards
Robert Elsmere."
Mr.. Gillette Is Il delightful man once
You know him, but It is hard TO ge
close enough to him to ever know
him. He is not a man Of very robus
The sun., 1919-01-05

where she spent fifteen years on the
English stage.
In London Mrs. Whytal was &C
corded the unusual honor of being Sc
lected to succeed Ellen Terry at His
Maiesty's Theatre, and there played
virtually all the Shakespearean hero
ines opposite Sir Herbert Tree
THAT was not only an honor but
also rather unique experience shs
said the other night at the Playhouse
land it was the second time | had
succeeded Miss Terry. The first time
| succeeded her in Alice Sit by tho
Fire. playing in the Duke of Yorks
Theatre in London, and later went OIL
tour. Miss Terry was appearing with
Sir Herbert at the time playing Her
moline in A Winters Tale Contracts
had been made some time before call
ing for her appearance in America
and she had TO end her engagement at
His Majesty's.
''Sr Herbert Immediately began
looking about for a leading woman,
and Barrie very kindly recommended
me. l was touring the provinces. and
Sir Herbert sent various ernissaries 70
watch ny performance. Finally, e.
Folkstone. came an offer, or rather
an invitation. to 60 to London and
meet Sir Herbert and others.
/ Il had little idea Of ne procedure IN
! such cases, but did know It was very
hard for an American to secure an
engagement at His Majesty's, I went
up TO London and there met Sir Her
! bert and some ten or moro other gen
tomcn interested in the financial and
7rtistiC operation Of the theatre. They
were gathered as a sort Of supreme
council to pass on my fitness, and I
h Il an idea they expected me to recitn
Shn kospe1re for them. principally to
discover # l possessed Yankee
twang. l told them I'd no intention 81
"ecitinG. and that II they wanted to
| Judge they must do SO from hearing
me talk in ordinary fashion.
They agreed, and shortly I was
given contract. But 1t was a con
| tract that, while placing me under a
yearly salary, called only for my ap-
| pearance in Shakespearean roles
When I inquired the reason I found
the supreme council had decided
, had no accent. but that I did have
never do in modern English plays done
AT His Maiesty's. 1t would pass un-
noticed when reading blank verse but
III" modern drama Yves another thins
| opened as Hermo!ne in a Winters
Tale, and thereafter played soma
twelve weeks of Shakespeare a year
That was all I could do, for while my
compensation went on week by week
l appeared only in the Shakespearean
REVEALS, and had tho rest OF the time
to myself.
I've had great deal Of experiences
playing Shakespeare" Mrs. Whytai
continued, when first went on the
stage I was with Modjeska ard Julia
Marlowe, playing small parts. Their
! went to Philadelphia and played a.,
the Shakespearean roles. II was Won
derful training, and it was partly To-
cause OF that training Sir Herbert On
gagged me to follow Miss Terry. Ii yu
don't know the traditions If Shake
, speare and haven't been brought up IN
Z you can't ever hope to play H. and
there's little use trying"
Mrs. Whytll returned TO this coun-
try some three years ago. and prior n
) her appearance in Forever After "
/ appeared prominently in another
: Brady production. The Man Who
: Came Back.
The sun., 1919-01-05

Practical value Of this sort Of profess
serial criticism is shown in recent
work which speaks enthusiastically of
Edith wynne Matthison's playing of
Death in "Everyman." Now II is a
matter of the commonest information
that Miss Matthison's memorable per-
fcrmance was Of Epervntdn. the hero,
while Stanley Drewitt played Death,
which was a purely incidental figure
in the old morality, while Miss Mat
thison acted the long and dominating
title role. This Is but one instance
OF PROFESSIONAL observation at long
range. It Is moreover a Characteristic
of this kind of comment that the plays
discussed are almost Invariably read
and not seen. This process may ex-
plain the generally futile event OF this
kind OF criticism OF the theatre. 1t
may DO learned but it is rarely founded
on the right approach to the subject.
1t Is nevertheless true that the in
gradients Of popular musical farce that
are accounted least tolerable are to
be found to-day in plays without the
g1lded pill OF music. East Is West"
has. for Instance. a heroine who is
proud Of the fact that she is called "a
chicken" and is able to find plenty
Of men to respond to her significant
winks. sh- longs for no other bless
ing VI Western civilization so much
as for the acquisition Of the steps OF q
dance which is named In honor OF a
we'll known but more or less intimate
article of feminine lingerie,
But this is not the only singular
The sun., 1919-01-05

health, but says he never felt better
In his life than he does just now, and
his appearance gives assurance OF
this.
The sun., 1919-01-05

lack of manners In the play. When
this heroine is transported ,p the house
of family Of wealth she DULLES the
butler to such an extent that this
anomalous parsonage in the household
is led to ask II she is servant or a
guest. He Is told that she is both; so
the Oriental heroine-pseudo-Or Oriental,
as she must inevitably be in a play
that involves marriage with an Amer
ican-continues to serve the cocktails
tn the family and eat the cherries out
of the half finished glasses Thought
full playgoers might be led to fear the
hygienic as well as the social peril of
such a habit. There are some other
traits of this heroine, such as juggling
a crucifix in her prayers on the ground
that the Chinese god had not made
good in previous cases, that might
be found unsuited to all tastes. But
these examples are enough to show
that the drama may in point OF bad
manners hold its own with the best
of musical plays.
But bad manners are by no means
I confined to the play at the Aston. In
Rita Wellman's interesting play THE
Gentle Wife" the heroine. who wanted
TO be an opera singer, objects to the
family of her husband. So she patron
{ ICES the women unhesitatingly. scarcely
! notices them In their social gather
ings and otherwise by her own actions
! helps to give the audience a respect
/ for them Just as its liberation for the
superior wife grows less and less. In
"A Place in the Sun" the bad man
rcrs OF the journalist. played BY Cyril
Harcourt. are frankly explained by
the character as the result Of his taste
for drink and 4 general contempt for
insinCerity. But 1t Is doubtful If he is
in fact any less polite than the talka-
tive visitor OF the second act who hurls
her opinions and epigrams at every
body without giving them the least
opportunity to answer back or to In
dictate whether or not they are anxious
to sit under these applications of her
Wit. But epigrammatic ladies' on the
stage are always rude. They will talk
and allow nobody else to interrupt.
The bad manners which are re-
The sun., 1919-01-05
Where the Plays Change.

The French Theatre du Vieuv
Colcmbier will present this week
the fourth play of Moliere's thai
it las given this season. 1t Is
"L'Avare' which enjoyed great
favor in last seasons repertorY
Charles Du'lir is entrusted with
the role of the suspicious miser
The SHAKESPEARE Playhouse an
nounces Walter Hanpdeu ir
Hamlet" for two special mat
inees at the Plymouth Theatre
this week, on Friday afternoon
at $50, ard on Saturday morning
1T 1920 O'Clock.
Chauncey Clcott still holds tie
boards at the Manhattan O"er
House in George M han
breezy coredv, The Voice o.
Mcconnell" TIC Fri fav0rre
las increased the circle OF ar
7dmirers With this rev vehicle
David Wsrfeld will appeaE a;
the Sta-derd in The Aus
tioneer," David Be'asco's rro3u,-
ton Of TIE comedy by Lee
Arthur and Carries Klei0 ~
which Mr., Warheld first made a
dcen impression seventeen years
AGO.
Owing 20 the LARGE business
done b. business Before Pie
sure" at the ShuNert- River a.
Woods ard t'c Shuhetts will cor.
'irIe the engagement of this play
hero for another week.
The attraction At LoeW
Seventh Avenue Theatre will be
Seven Days Leave" the spec
tacular English mclodrama that
was first presented here al the
| Park Theatre.
The sun., 1919-01-05
A SUCCESSOR TO ELLEN TERRY

IRIS. RUSS WHYTAL. who is
MI Alice Brady's mother in
4 v l. Forever After" at the
Play house. like many other players,
received her early training in the
stock companies Seasons back Mrs.
Whytal, then Marie Knowles was
leading woman OF one of the best
known stock organizations in the
country. that which fiourishcd under
the direction of George Holland AT the
old Grard Avenue Theatre in Phila-
delphia. Following a long engagement
there, Mrs, Whytal starred with her
husband for three years in a variety
of plays, and then went to England
The sun., 1919-01-05

ubOu W inns Soultiy' iOT hao
several engagements in London.
1t would seem in rtN4. wang MIR.
Gillette'S career as II he must be an
exceptionally modest man. 1t Is to 10
granted that mUdesty In any one COM
nected with the theatre is "A most
unusual trait and one to be COM
mended. y man connected with one
OF his companies said of MIN onco
that he apparently disliked seeing HIS
name in type. At any rate he has
never heen interviewed for publica-
ton, not that he dislikes the inter-
viewer but because he never rould see
the necessity of airing his views and
opinions or the Importance OF doing
50 from any point of view.
Mr. Gillette was born IN Hartford.
Conn. and while stil a student at
Yale made a trip to New Orleans In
1875 and appeared in Across the CON.
!tnent." He loved the theatre. Return
ing North he made what he considers
his first professional appearance at the
Globe Theatre in Boston in Faint
Heart Ne'er Won Fair Lady"
His father, Il former United States
The sun., 1919-01-05
MARJORIE GATE SON and
WALTER CATlETT in "SiMPL iCy7r'

vealed in Forever After" are maybe
less culpable since they are shown in
a simpler civilization, although II they
ing manners ought to be as good in
a bgosh drama as in a comedy OF high
life in London. The youthful hero does
seem, however. condemned to stand a
most disasreeahle lot OF Raging from
various persons In the play because
his father is not rich and he IL not
entitled to move in the highest circles
Of the village when they congregate
early every evening before the. popu-
lar ice cream soda fountain.
Of Remnant" who sleeps on the steps
Of the Madeleine. soon learns after
her translation to a higher grade OF
social life to speak her mind without
considering the feelings OF others. AS
a visitor to a fashionable home Of the
'40s in Paris she is, 1t Is true, received
~ the host with a warmth that
arouses her suslcionA But IL IS not
png before she is laying down the law
10 her new friends with as pontiflcal
manner as II she had known them
all their lives and were Of an age and
position to speak to them just as she
wanted to. She has a remedy for all
their emotional worries. But she is
only few months this side OF the
boulevard cutters and might be more
easily pardohed than some OF her asso-
ciates in the violation OF the most or
binary rules of de mortimer which So
often amuse the sophisticated specta-
| tors OF the current drama Indeed.
one 10 no more led to wonder in her
case than in that Of some OF the other
offenders why authors should have at
. tempted to write about anything that
took place in such terra incognita as
! a drawing room. and. having accom-
plish"d this feat, should expect the
socially Informed TO be other than
rather amused at the result.
The sun., 1919-01-05

cesses. and he Is seen as an Inn
pOrtant figure in "A play But had Mr.
Gillette, who IL now acting in Barrie's
latest contribution to the theatre,
Dear Rrutus," never appeared on The
stage, he would have won fame as az
author. There have been actors who
have written plays, but none who has
written so many as has Mr.. Gillette.
In fact, there are few dramatists of
note in this country who have written
so many successful plays as has this
actor And his fame as an author
and as an actor Is by no means con-
The sun., 1919-01-05
By LAWRENCE REAMER.

ROFESSORIA the metropolitan theatre
r. opportunity of the kind that ofends
deeply the depoed musical play No
theatrical entertainments mentioned deeply
the with Its responsibility
life and in the broader
lies heavily their alruc shoulders plain
that don't like with music The supply that could please them
ended with Gilbert and Sullivan Plays with
hated And playgoes
precaution Of seeing them first
a distance
that determines the nature of all such criticism
other fellow should like it
lowbrow he is" So musical
anathema all misguided citizens who crowd the play
them This the characteristics of
especially theoretical which the dear
other the enjoyment
regarded mark of ignorance what
But the who confse finding
occasional of innocent memen
his with the play You must like what the
like z they will treat rough
The sun., 1919-01-05
THE FIRST ESSENTIAL.
By WILLIAM COLLIER.

TF any one would write for the
stage | would advise him first OF
= all to learn how to observe, There
is no limit To the career OF an author
gifted with n sense OF humor who
knows how To observe persons and
things The stage wants types, char
actcrg surprises II is eager for the
The sun., 1919-01-05

MONDAY-Henry Mller's THEATRE Utilize" comedy of
life in Pennsylvania Dutch settlement adapted by Helen R.
Martin and Frank Howe Jr from Mrs Martins novel, Title
Mennonite maid Patricia Conge who created the title role in
Polyanna elevated stadom Te and the includes
John Ransome Rober. Hudson Maude Granger, Mildred
Booth Adoph Link Alfred Kappeler Charles Harry
A. Fisher Edward Forbes, j. c.
Valentine and Abbott Roland
The sun., 1919-01-05
WILLIAM GILLETTE, THE
AUTHOR,

w THEN the average theatre
M goer's attention Is called to
William Gillette 1t Is usually
as an actor. The mind recalls
some OF his most important sue
Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-04-04
Urges Radical Change in
Taxing System

Jersey City, March 26.-Former Sem
ator Charles O'Connor Hennessey
urged the Jersey City Chamber of
Commerce, at its dinner in the Down
Town club here last night, to develop
strong public sentiment favorable to a
change in the fundamental taxing sys.
tenn In this State so as to eliminate tax
alton OF personal property and build
ings and ~copcentrate assessments on
land values. He declared the problem
of reconstruction, in its final analysis,
is a problem Of how to provide fair
wages for every man seeking employ
ment and fair earnings for every dollar
seeking investment.
One Of the most important bills in
the Legislature, from Mr.. Hennessey's
point Of view. is the Gill bill, which
would make original land values the
basis of the State taxing system. The
bill, he said, has but a slight chance Of
becoming a law, adding hat if it be-
Came q law it would do more toward
the solution of reconstruction problems
than any other MEASURE that has been
introduced at Trenton in a century.
Present taxation conditions place
New Jersey manufacturers, Mr.. Heu-
Messy said, under a distinct disadvan-
tsge as com pared with those of Penn
sylvania. In Pennsylvania there was
no taxation upon machinery or equip
ment of factories, or upon goods In pro-
cess of manufacture. In New jersey,
if the assessors lived up to their legal
obligations, they were obliged to assess
for taxation all machinery, equipment
and material in process of manufacture,
as well as personal property of every
kind wherever found in the State.
Where this policy did not promote
neglect of duty on the part of the asses
sor, 1t tended to promote perjury on the
part OF the tax payer.
"During my five years spent at Tren-
ton, +" said Mr.. Hennessey, 81 discover
ed hat II there was one object that the
average lawmaker knew less about
than another 1t was the subject of tax
alton. And the lawmakers OF today,
as well as those of the future, can hard
ly be expected to take any great inter-
est In the question until We can arouse
a public opinion that will demand not
merely improvement in the admins
trstive process of tax assessment and
collection, but a complete reconsidera-
ton of the basis OF tax burdens
Newark NeDs.
Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-04-04
ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION FORMED

High School Principal Myers attend
ed a meeting Of coaches and physical
training instructors called at the city
hall, Newark, last Saturday for the
purpose of organizing a State athletic
association, 10 be known as the New
jersey State Interscholastic associa-
ton. This organization was completed
with the idea of assuming charge of
athletics in the State without interfer-
ing with any organizations now in ex-
istence.
In all probability the winners of
events In the annual field day, held in
various sections of South Jersey, will
meet in an eliminate contest at We
nonah or Camden, May 31st. Then
the winners of events here will COM
pete with winners from the northern
and central sections of the State to de-
terminc State championships. A clas-
siication of schools in such a way as
to make competition fair was attemp-
ted, and the following plan was adop-
ted:
Glass A-Schools having ar enroll
ment of over 800 boys.
Glass B-Schools having an enroll
meht of from 100 to 300 boys.
Glass C-Schools having less than
100 boys.
All of Cape May County high schools
will come in Glass 9.
Spencer Bennett, physical director of
the Atlantic City schools and Princi-
pal Myers were the only representa-
tives from South Jersey in attendance
at the meeting.
Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-04-04

Zenos E. Scott, of Trenton, one OF the
assistant commissioners of education OF
the state of New Jersey, visited the
Wildwood schools on Wednesday, ac-
companied by County School Super
intendent Hand. They praised the To-
cal schools.
DIR. Vim. L. Kelchner, Of the Nation
al Sauatorium. 2 Iowa Circle, N. W.,
Washington, D. c., and Wildwood-by-
the Sea, will come on from the seat Of
government this week, and be at his
Wildwood hospital April 9Th, 9th, 18th
and 8th.