The New York herald., 1921-05-23

or r0e flrSt TO prove tnal the puDllc
really would accept man In two
capacities so long as he was equally
capable In both. He was famous as
playwright and actor. Probably 1t
would be no more than parliamentary
ut this stage of the discussion to give
William Hodge the floor. He rises to
say that he not only writes his plays
but acts the leading roles as well.
There Is no vote 10 the contrary.
Anna Cora Mowatt. Actress.
Anna Cora Mowatt was an actress
of some experience when she played
the leading role in her historic comedy
Fashion" although she was as inno-
cent OF all stage training as Mr..
Thomas when she began her career on
the stage. Sarah Bernhard has one
or two plays to her credit but 1T is
rather In her rearrangement Of old
pieces-notably "Adrienne Lecouvreur'
that she has been successful. Eleo-
nora Duse receives the thanks OF Alex
andre Dumas in one of his famous
prefaces for her alteration of a
certain scene in "Princesse Ginger"
Indeed from the earliest days OF the
drama authors have been willing II
not anxious to realize their heroes be-
fore the eyes of the world. II is said
that Clyde Fitch used to act all his
characters wonderfully at rehearsals.
But the thing ought not to go too
far. Could Avery Hopwood. for In
stance, adequately supplant Bruce Nc
Rae in "The Gold Diggers"7 Certainly
not without some training from Mr..
Belasco. Could Mary Roberts Rine-
hart play the maid in "The Bat" as
well as May vokes? Would Zelda
Sears fully All Mitzi's boots at the
Liberty Theatrc7 Would Mrs. Young
satisfy the audiences OF Little Old
New York" as well as Genevieve
Tobin7 He could certainly fit the tight
trousers ~ HoIbrook Blnn In "The
Pad Man" but would Porter Emerson
Browne qualify in every other demand
The role mnltes7
on course. there is no danger of any
such contingency at either the Gaiety
or the Little Theatre. John Golden IL
shrewd In more ways than one. He
only engages actors who are also sue
cessful playwrfFhts. SO "Lightnin'
and THE First Year" seem safe. One
should keep a watchful eye. however.
on the Klsw Theatre. Rachel Croth-
srs dearly loves 70 act. She did some
thing of the kind once IN a very ex-
pensive cloth ~ gold dress in "He and
She But she would not for long try
f0 substitute for Miss Larrluoro.
yE.msm a. Tu-x~.s.r Ta-a.~~
Students ~ the subject tell us that
waste ~ tho cause of the principal loss
IN tho commercial theatre. Thcn what
" fortune must 20 every year N rho
attempt 90 and successful musical
rlay-i few wrecks ago an elaborate
Effort In this direction was heard ~ a
popular theatre. After the first act
the word went around Tho Hobbies that
the production. including various
changes In costumes and scenery Ind
cost siTf 600 The piece scarcely
tasted 'he usual two weeks Then n
was sold 10 some brave SPECTATOR IN
public foolishne~r who Rnt n for n
song. no, one ~ the songs IN the score.
~ none of them would have bought n
sandwich. - course. tho unfortunates
vino assembled the original .i7i 900
could only face total loss.
Then there was the other musical
play which seemed 20 he 4 roaring
success. ns n ran alone for three
months. only 20 ciose with a deficit
~ sss.ooo 70 tie credit This was NJ
course 20 he made up ION the road. /"
so was the 800 900 that ono of n ~
Summer's musical extravaranzas had
cost when its run ~ broadway