The Washington times., 1922-10-01

aHllIR RA0i1IyxV successes. Tb.
play has not been presented in New
York in nearly fifty years. Its last
performance there being in course
of an engagement. begun by e. l..
Davenport, at Augustin Daly's
new Fifth Avenue Theater on De-
cember 21. 1874.
Mr.. Hampden's revival Of "A
New Way" will be in addition to
his production of A. E. Thomas
new fantastic comedy, The,
Black Flag" and, like the latter,
is expected to take It's place in
his repertoire alongside his Shakes
pearean plays. AS previously an
nounced, "Othello" will be added
to the latter this year and will be
the opening bill of Mr.. Hampden's
metropolitan season.
While e. L. Davenport was gen.
orally considered the greatest Sir
Giles Overreach Of his day, Edwin
Booth also won renown in tho
character, although he seldom
played it during the latter part OF
his career. His first portrayal Of
the role in America was in Boston
in 1867, although he played 1t in
London in 1851. Booths father
was a famous Sir Giles in England.
but the actor who made the deep
est impression in the role over
there in the nineteenth century
was the incompatible Edmund
Kean.
Kean's biographer, writing OF
that actors memorable revival at
Drury Lane in 1915, and speaking
of his acting in the overwhelming
final act, says:
1T threw ladies in the side
boxes into Mysteries, and Lord
Byron himself into a convulsion
fit. One veteran actress was so
overpowered by the last speech
of Sir Giles that she absolutely
tainted on lne SldBe.
Speaking of this last act, a critic
IN Kean's day said:
''It is without a doubt the most
terrific exhibition of human pas
sion that has been witnessed on
the modern stage. When Sir
Giles plans are frustrated, ind
plots, laid open, all the restraints
Of society are thrown aside at
once, and a torrent OF hatred and
revenge bursts from his break
ing heart like water from a cleft
rock, or like a raging and de-
vouring fire that, while 1t con-
sumes the body and soul on
which 1t feeds, darts forth its
tongues of flame in all directions,
threatening destruction to every
thing within it's reach. The whole
last act exhibits a vehemence and
rapidity both of conception and
execution that perhaps cannot be
surpassed"
II this critic received such an
impression of the scens from
Kean's acting, then 1t is no Won
der that ladies became hysterical
or tainted and that Lord Byron
fell in a tit!
Walter Hampden placed "a
New Way to Pay Old Debts" in
rehearsal during his Western tour
last spring. but circumstances
arose to prevent public presenta.
tion Of the play. Production OF
this comedy is in line with his
avowed policy Of building up a
permanent repertoire of worthy
old and new plays.
Actors who have been with him
for three years form the body of
the company which will support
Walter Hampden this season.
Prominent among them are Ernest
Rowan. William Sauter. Allen
Thomas, p. J. Kelly, Reynolds
Evans. LeRol Oporti, and Edward
Cushman. His leading actresses.
Mabel Moore, Mary Hall and
Elsie Herndon Kearns, also have
been with him since his advent
as a Shakespearean star. This
Is in line with Mr.. Hampdens
purpose of building up a perma-
nent organization thoroughly
schooled in classic comedy and
tragedy. That his effort in this
direction is meeting with success
is proved by the uniformly high
praise bestowed upon the com.
pany during Mr.. Hampden's first
transcontinental tour last season.