The New York herald., 1921-09-11
r. HERE have been various threats
that David Belasco would sooner
! or later break into the field as

= or later break into the field as
producer Of Shakespeare. There
have been vague rumors that he would
begin with "rhe Merchant of Venice"
with David Warfield In the leading
role. Then there was talk of play
made from combining the two parts
OF the chronicle Henry W." But It
seems that neither of the expected eff
forts will mark the debut of Mr..
Belasco as q producer Of Shakespeare
in New York.
Romeo and Juliet" win be his first
production from the theatre Of the
EIizabethan poet. And what is quite
as important, Miss Lenore Uric VIII
play Juliet. 1t is possible that the
performances will be given later TINS
season, although the revival may De
postponed until next year in order that
Miss Uric may play Juliet all season.
making a more or less whirlwind tour
OF the country stopping even In sucn
large cities as Boston and Chicago Tor
no more than week or two.
Miss Uric Is the star of Xxi XII
which is expected to be one OF the noted
comedy successes Of the season. MISS
Uric never before under the manage
ment Of Mr.. Belasco played an out and
ont farcicai role. She has been dra-
matte and In s.The Son-Daughter she
was In at least one scene tragic. So
she was rather by way of talking about
her artistic dignity when she saw the
prospect of playing in Xxi kf' during
an entire season. So as q solace 10 her
artistic pride Mr.. Belasco assured Miss
Uric that her next part should be
the greatest tragic role in the whole
repertoire. SO she viii next play
Juliet.
Bernard shaw and Cycle.
There has always existed In the mind
Of Bernard Shaw an undeniable SYM
pathy with Richard Wagner. He has
written about his music. expounded his
philosophy rather to Justify Shavian the.
cries to be sure. and he has been one
OF the most enthusiastic Wagnerites In
England. Now he is to bo honored In
New York with the kind of a perform
ance which has hitherto been associated
only with the works OF Richard Wag-
ner
In other words, there Is to be Shaw
cycle here just as there have been Wag-
merriam cycles. When the Theatre Guild
gives Back to Methuselah" the play
will be divided into three parts, to be
acted on three successive evenings. The
FIRST two plays win be acted at per-
formance that begins at s and allows
the audience time to SO out for dinner
and return for the rest of the pro-
gramme. The other divisions Of the play
will be acted on the two following eve
nings Only three weeks will be devoted
to the play. No other dramatic per-
formance was ever before divided In this
fu oh, ONLY IA of fhA Niaha.
lungenlied have been SO performed.
The Theatre Guild will in all prob
ability not be alone In the enterprise.
which Is of a most ambitious character.
The sponsors OF the Neighborhood Thea
tire have, expressed desire to share In
the responsibilities IS well as the glo-
ries of the scheme and 1t may be that
other dramatic and artistic organiza-
tions will be allowed to take part. Tick
cts will only be sold for the entire series
of representations. The date OF the
performances has not yet boon definitely
settled.
Never Mind the Season.
Evidently the time OF the year makes
no important difference In the fate OF
the play. 1t is after all. in the words Of
certain famous writer for the stage,
the play that Is the thing.
"One often hears" a manager said
the other day, that this or that play
was brought in at the wrong time for
it's public and that its fate would have
been very different had II been acted
earlier or later, or at all events at some
other time than the date on which II
actually was given. The author. the
manager and the actors are often will
ing to let themselves be kidded by this
sort of talk.
Now as matter OF fact every sea.
SON in the year is the right one for the
good play, while there Is no time in the
world for the bad one. Brock Pembcr-
ton. for instance. produced Enter
Madame at the middle OF August when
he was told by no end Of wIseacres tina,
there was nobody in town then for that
kind of a play.
1T was success from the first night
and 1t was just as much liked in August
as in November. That just happens to
be striking example OF what l mean.
always smile. therefore, when ! hear
that this or that play which was shelved
came at an inopportune season. l have
not the least doubt that there are plenty
of people to tell you that The Mask OF
Hamlet The Teaser' and The. Scarlet
Man would have had ~ very different
fate. but FOR the unfortunate time of
tne year at Wnicn tney were perlorincu.
Made In New York.
When Sem Benefits La Cena delle
Beffe'' is acted In London the play that
Edward Sheldon called THE Jest will
be known as The Love Jest" which
sounds too much like musical comedy
called in from the road for brief sea-
son at the Lyric Theatre to describe q
tragedy for New York Miss Cathleen
Nesbtt will have the role OF the cour-
tesan. Miss Nesbitt, who Is just now
one OF the foremost actresses In London.
made her reputation here. since she was
oil but unknown abroad when she was
advanced to leading roles In New York.
She was more or less inconspicuously
attached to the Irish Players and other
imported organizations before she acted
in "Quinneys" She was aftcrward the
leading actress with John Barrymore In
"Justice" and played other equally I'm
portant parts before returning to Lon
don. Ever since her arrival there she
has been steadily advancing on the
strength OF her American reputation
Now che has about arrived at the top.
1t Is not SO bad after all to be appre-
clated even here.
why Hiring Them Overy
Four Of the members .of the cast en-
gagged by Henry w. Savage speak with
such strong foreign accents that there
were some humorist~ at tho frat repre