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AS SEEN IN
FAMOUS ROlBSj
i AS KING HEROPj
L . 4:.
[From Our New York Dramatic Corre
spondent.]
T HE imitative, fashion follow
ing theatrical managers, all
of whom were born with an
ear clued to the cround, have
concluded that since "The Man of the
Hour" proved a sensational money
maker the public wants nothlnc but
politics as its dramatic pabulum.
Possibly, too, the presidential cam-
pairn may influence the operations of
the produclnc manacers. At any rate,
a cycle of plays with politicians and
political affairs prominently displayed
Is now cycllnc.
"The Man of the Hour," even now
played by four road companies, is a
combination of society and sordidness
(some folks are unable to discover
any difference between them). The
grasping, honorlcss, pic eyed boss
is shown in full working order,
bending his creatures to s.uit his mood
and occasionally meeting with resist
ance. In "A Gentleman From Missis
sippi," at tho Bijou theater, and In
"Mater," at the Savoy, aro Seen plays
that exhibit phases of the "political
game" In a different light in many
respects from those of "The Man of
the Hour."
“A Gentleman From Mississippi"
reveals Tom A. Wise and Douglus
Fairbanks as co-stars. Mr. Wise Is
one of the authors of the play, which
is enjoyable and laugh producing from
start to end.
A Senatorial Cabal.
The drama is pretty piuch a story
of a coterie of United States sena
tors who are in a conspiracy to de
fraud tho government. They are
promoting a land deal in Mk-.si*dppl.
where the government Is to establish a
naval base. Tom Wise as Senator
Langdon, the Junior senator from his
•late, knows nothing about tho
scheme, but complications arc caused
by his son and daughter, who have
been led into investing money in it.
When tho senator learns of the sit
uation he finds himself in an uncom
fortably tight place, but he and his
secretary. Bud Haines (Mr. Fair
banks), determine to give the gang a
rustle, and in the end the junior sena
tor wins.
The humor of the play is Irresistible.
Tm from New York," said tho
Washington star reporter, who had
Just come to Interview the junior sen
ator on his arrival at the International
hotel.
"Oh, the Vicksburg of the North,"
said the gentleman from Mississippi,
and that established easy relations.
By and by they had a drink together,
and after that it would have taken a
cleverer plot than their enemies devised
to keep them apart for any length of
time.
“Mater* a Charming Comedy.
"Mater,” described by a leading
critic as "Pegasus In pastures new,”
Is a charmingly written comedy by
Percy Mackayc. It la full of spar
kling fun and is of unusual literary
quality.
The poetic quality of Mr. Mackaye'e
prose has won him comparison with
James M. Barrie.
"Mater" Is a political play that has
a deftly concealed purpose as its un
derlying stratum. Mater (mother)
says she was once "a little yellow
goose up in New England, with a sky
blue puddle for a hand glass, but along
came an ink black swan and married
her. The swan was Senator Dean
(now dead), but he had made her a
mother goose.
Mater looks at her two block swans,
a hot headed Idealist of a son and a
very serious minded daughter.
"Behold the future presidents of the
United States and of Vassar college!”
she exclaimed. "Where did I ever get
them?"
Mater wants her son to be elected to
the legislature. lie refuses to come to
terms with the bullying boss, Cullen,
and the manner In which Mater out
wits Cullen is well worth witnessing.
Women can have plenty of political
power without the right of voting 'if
they are all us clever as Mater.
May Isabel Irving scores as Mater
Frederick Lewis and Charles Steven
son are seen in the chief supporting
roles. Henry Miller produced "Mater,'
and his artistically effective touches
are everywhere evident.
Ludwig Wullner's, American Tour.
Unless thq unanimous verdict of the
European press and of Americans who
have heard him in Germany is in error | violin. At the time he suffered from a
a most remarkable artist will pay his
first visit to the United States In No
vember In the person of Dr. Ludwig
Wullncr. Abroad Dr. Wullner l»
famed ns the greatest living inter
preter ofi the lied or German hnliad, a
term which has a wide range, em
bracing the simplest of folk songs and
such wonderfully dramatic lyrics as
Schubert's "Erl King" and Schu
mann’s "Two Grenadiers."
Dr. Wullner’s genius, however, is
many sided. Inheriting a love of the
art from his father, who was known
the world over as Germany’s greatest
teacher of choral singing, he early
took up the study of the piano and
serious Impediment Iff his sproch—in
fact, was a seemingly confirmed ntam :
merer. This falling ho determined to
conquer, and to do so he spent a year
at a school for the vocally defective.
Then he worked with all the diligence
of a Demosthenes, even to attempting
the experiment of, declaiming with
pebbles in hli mouth. Within a year
ho achieved control of his speech.
Meanwhile he discovered to himself
and others a rare dramatic power
which aroused his ambition to become
an actor. So the erstwhile stammerer
found himself before long the obscure
member of a provincial theatrical com
pany in Germany. Here, however, his
gcnlous could not be hidden. He v*a*
recognised ns the leading mem
ber, und It was not long before the
Duke of Huxe-Meinlngcn learned of
him and invited him to Join tho organ
ization of uctorn which mado his
Court theater the most famous in Eu
rope. While at Meiningen Dr. Wullner
appeared from tlmo to tlmo In such
roles us King Leur, Shylock, Hamlet
and Nathan the Wise.
It was during IiIm gtny here, too, that
he mot tho composer Brahms, for
whoso songs ho lmd u great udrnlra-
tlon. He even went so fur ns to sing
some of the less known to Brahms,
who was so delighted with his inter-
prctntlops that he exclaimed:
"Why, Wullncr, you aro a greater
song* singer than actor. Give up tho
stage and devote yourself to concert
work and lleder singing.”
Took Brahms' Advice.
Yielding to Brahms' urging, Wullncr
made the departure. Ills appearance
on the concort stage raised a storm of
discussion, but it was his voice that
was the subject of debate. Every one
acknowledged his marvelous temperu-
ment. his emotional power, his deep
insight Into the significance of the
songs he sang and his extraordinary
drunmtlc intensity In their Interprets
lion. But his voice? How character
Iso It? Here Is what one of. the most
eminent musical ^rltlcs In Europe
wrote after hearing him for ths first
time: . /
The first Impression: "What an Inslf-
nlfieant voice! How ciarw this man give
song recitals? Hut listen! What diction!
What expression! What is It that grips
our hearts? Why does this voice all of a
sudden brighten up? Why does It sound
groater and more beautiful? The concort
singer disappears. A soul speaks to ua in
tones warm und true and sincere. Tho
words burn und glow with holy fire and
paaslou-oh, how beautiful! A man-stands
before us who must give vent to his feel
ings or passion und iiatu and Joy. And
then this song. 'Tho Two Grenadiers,' a
storm of heroic feeling was raging. I
have never heard anything like this he
roic ecstasy of the laat burs.
"Aye, Ludwig Wullner is an exception
ally great artist. one blessed by God. a
favorite son of the muses. To ho able to
thus carry multitudes uway by singing
with a not nvel-glorloua voice, that Is the
unfathomed depth of art. And the artist
who penetrates Into these depths aud
gives us a slight insight is blessed."
A Five Months' Tour.
Dr. Wullner comes to America re
luctantly. but those who have heard
him in Germany and London predict a
warm welcome for this great artist.
His American tour will last about
months. IIu will be under tho man
agement of his personal friend Mr.
M. A. Hanson. It Is hoped that he can
be persuaded to appear in oomo of the
dramatic roles with which his careor
is associated. It is an Interesting fact
that ho has appeared three successive
evenings, first as Tannhauser In the
opera; next as King Lear and
thud evening an a concert singer,
"created" the role of Herod In
first performance as a drama of Oscar
Wildo'M "Salome" in Berlin.
MI83 RUSSELL IN “WILDFIRE.”
Lillian Russell has mude a lasting
hit In her racing play, "Wildfire," at
tho Liberty theater, New York. Critics
und audiences are unanimous In praise
of the cleverness of tho lines and the
development of Miss Bussell as an
actress. Joseph Brooks, under whose
direction Miss Russell la appearing,
recognized three yours ago that Miss
Russell possessed histrionic ability in
no mnail degree, hut that It would be
uphill work to mako tha public accept
her In any other role save that of
prims donna. Manager Mnd prlma don
na worked together, ahd the success
means more than box office receipts to
them. Messrs. Broadhurst and Hobart
have written a play that holds one's
Interest and makes ons laugh.
"Wildfire" ijiet with approval on tho
road lust season, and for once hyper
critical New York agrees. For two
long seasons Miss Russell played the
one night stands and the smaller towns
all In preparation. Rome declare
"Wildfire" the best racing comedy ever
produced In New York, better than
"Checkers" or "In Old Kentucky." So
much for the play, but what struck
homo is the handsome tribute paid by
all to Miss Russell for her elocution
and clever acting of the wldew's role.
SIR GILBERT PARKER.
Sir Gilbert Parker, the author of
"Tho Right of Way,” bus returned to
London after a conference with Klnw
A Krlanger, under whoso management
tho dramatic version of his famous
novel will be toured next season. Sir
Gilbert spent only two weeks In Now
York. Speaking of the Atnericun poo-
pie, he says: ‘The American thinks
quickly and' acts quickly, hut moro rc-
imirkablo than anything else In his su
premo patience with unnoynneo of all
kinds. He endures meekly, good na-
turedly, to the breaking point and
then settles accounts with uatounding
Justice and swift penalty." Theodore
Roberto and Guy Standing reman as
co-aturs In "Tho Right of Way.”
POLITICAL PLAYS HOLD THE STAGE
TOUR. OF LUDWIG WULLNER
A Gentleman From Mississippi" and "Mater,” Both Hits, Expose Bossism and Corruption.
Famous German Lied Singer and Character Actor to Visit America
Football Reformed In Name Only===1908 Game Deadly as Ever
W HEN a bunchi of reformers
start to reform anything
from a political party ti
an old maids' sowing cir
cle or a national game, llko football,
It’s time for decent people to run to
ths tall woods. Reform Is, the little
Joker In the pack of cards that repro-
aenta the American nation. Reform Is
llko a bee—It's sweet with honey, but
It has an awful sting.
Convenient Loopholes.
Tho football reformers ore a repre
sentative reform coterie. By the pre
liminary operations of various college
gridiron teams this year It has been
conclusively shown to my mind thut
the game is drifting back to the bone
breaking possibilities of the past. This,
has been made possible by the ability
of captains and coachs to find flaw*
and loopholes in the “sterilized" rules
of tho game. Whether these loopholes
Were intentionally left by the Crafty
Intercollegiate committee that draws
up the* rules is am open question. At
any rate, In promulgating reform that
does not reform the gridiron rule
bosses have won. enviable success.
They havo argued courageously before
the public that something that is isn't
and that something that isn't entirely
Is. Go to reformers, thou slugger;
consider their ways and -be wise!
Forward Pass Dangerous.
In the first place, the openness ofj
the game procured by tho forward pat s
Is practically os dangerous to the In
dividual os a mass play. The use c.
the forward pats multiplies the oppor-1
tunnies for the use of the terrorizing
flying tackle, and the flying, headlong
•mashing tackle has probably, broken
as many bones and faces as any old J
time moss plays on center and guard,
aver Invented.
Tho game is much rougher this year
then lost, though the rules have beenl
changed but little nines 1907. Having j
thrown a sop to outraged public opin
ion, the dictators of tho game now,
figure that it Is about time to put thei
game back where It formerly was after |
the time honored fashion of reformers. |
As to Scrimmage Formation.
Take, for Instance, ths formation of
ths line during scrimmages. The pro
visions that ths number of men behind
point until the ball is put into play
can readily be nullified of their sup
posed effect. As nn example, when the
ball is put in ptuy for, we will as
sume, a try between right guard and
tackle do not the. line players of tho
left wing leave their positions instan
taneously und dush around to pile o>\
behind the backs who are ahoving the
carrier of tho ball through the open
ing? If that isn't a mass play, what
is it? The name cun be said of plays
between center and guard. ,
The difference between the mass
plays of the present and those of the
past is practically this: Today the
maaa play Is delayed In forming until
the boil Is put Into play. Previously
the nines pluy could be formed ready
for operation before the ball was put
into play.
Oh, sweet are the uses of reform!
\Michlgan Jealous of Chicsgo.
Coach "Hurry Up" Yost of the Uni
versity of Michigan Is deeply wrought
up over the claims of various experts
that the Chicago university football
team looks like a sure winner of the
western championship this year. Yost
himself has championship aspirations
for his own Wolverenes.
Yost bases his claims to superiority
on the fact that he has a compara
tively largo number of members of last
year’s teum bnck at work. These vet
erans, ' he argues, should provide a
foundation on which a winning team
can be budded. The first five mem
bers of the 1907 team to report were
Casey, Schulz, Allerdlce, Wasmund
and Green.
However, it would appear that Ypst'i
enthusiasm is not so well founded In
fact as that of Coach Stag* of Chi
cago, for Stagg has seven members of
his 1907 aggregation on hand.
Tho last year’s varsity men who re
ported aro Steffen, quarterback; Id-
dings, halfback; Schott, fullback;
Kelley and Muddlgan, tackles; Worth-
enoa, guard, and Anderson, center.
Dougherty and Crowley of last year's
freshinan team are expected to maks
the eleven.
The Cornell game, to occur Nov. 14,
fa now holding a vast amount of
SUM'S attention. Next to cupturinK
the western championship he most de
sires to wallop the Ithacans, who.are
predicting for' themselves a decisive
victory over Chicago.
Situation at Yale.
Tale has already begun to send out
her annual stories of "hard luck." An
drus, her star tackle, Injured an ankle
In a wrestling bout and was pro
nounced seriously hurt by physicians.
It la strango that ths cupabie Yale
trainers allowed a needed man like An
drus to indulge In any violent and
dnngerous exercise aside from gridiron
prnctlce.
Tho lineup for the Yalo varsity team
ai» favored at this early Btage is as
follows:
Logan, left end; Hobbs, left tackle;
Brown, left guard; Biddle, center;
Goebel, right guard; Cooney, right
tackle; Burch, right end; Bingham,
quarterback; Phllbln, left halfback;
Murphy, right halfback, and Coy, full
back.
Harvard Features Kicking.
Ilarvnrd Is paying more attention to
developing kickers than any other big
football taam. It thus becomes evi
dent that tho Cambridgeltes will use
this branch of ptay moro than most
other colleges, Kennard shows consid
erable ability as a field goal kicker. In
a recent day’s practlco ho scored nine
field goals from the thlrty-flvo yard
line on splendidly executod drop kicks.
In dlstanoe punting Sprague shows up
well. He drives tho pigskin fifty-five
yards frequently and seemingly with
The Princeton Team,
Out of her sixty-five candidates
Princeton Is hopeful of evolving a
team that will wipe out tho atlng of
Yale's victory last year and that will
worst ths strong West Point eleven.
Princeton resumes football relations
with West Point after a year's break.
Prlnoeton plays West Point OcL 31 a»
West Point and masts Yale Nov. 14 al
Princeton.
Although he has lost seven able men
from the 1907 team, Head Coach Ropet
figures that he has an ubundance of
men for the vacant positions, and in
ail probability Princeton will again
have a sterling trio sf backs and a
good pair of ends. Welsh, Dowd,
Vaughan, Smith and O'Donoghue are
a quintet from which Roper will find
a pair of ends, while McCrohan, Coxe,
Sparks, Dawson, Bard, Road, Orr,
Bishop and Baliou should furnish am
ple material for the back field vacan
cies. Phillips' position at center will
be hardest to fill, as Cass Is the only
likely candidate.
The regulars who are again In
harness are Captain Eddie Dillon, Tib-
bolt, Waller, MucKadycn, Booth end
Blegllng. Candidates trying for the
regular positions uro Whaley, Woehr,
play shall be limited and that certain
players must remain outside a certain
MEMBERS OF YALE VARSITY FOOTBALL TEAM IN PRACTICE AT NEW HAVEN.
man, Wllkenson, RhelnatHn and
Clarke. HARRY GRANT.
PLAYS AND
Harrison Grey Flske is to produce a
drama of Ani'-rh.an life cal>d "The
Bridge.”
Joseph Weber has engaged Blanche
Ring and will feature her In a new
musical production.
John Ji. Park, who was the leading
PLAYERS. pixy. **Wbat Every Woman Knows."
W. H. Gilmore Is also a member of her
mu in *V»try*s Lamb,” has been en- j company.
*a**J fir The Boul KJss." * Lina Aborbaneli Is Mill playing In
I# —t & ilfwifl u now in this coun- 1 the title role of “The Merry Widow.”
try attapdfeg to the rehearsals of his 1 Clara Blandtok is playing in the
new piay Melting Pot.” J western "Paid In KuM” company.
Hi ' lto Bennett is to be Maude Fred Nibio, who made a lour of the
Ada. 1 l inf man hi Barrie's new|world with bis wife, Josephine Cohan,
has arranged a series of travel talks
which he will deliver this season.
L.W Held., In -Th. Girl B.hl»d th,
Counter," Is breaking records In Chi-
"At tho Old Crossroads" bos start
ed on Its eighth season.
Stanhope Wbeatcroft, one of tbs
younger afters in "A Gentleman From
Mississippi," Is a sen of‘Adelaide Stan
hope, a former tragedienne.
The "Little Nemo" preduetien open
ed In Philadelphia recently.
Alien* Carter Is to continue In JTbe
Red Mill" this season.
Mrs. Fisko has a new play by Brew
ster Sheldon, which os yet Is unnamed-
Corinno has added to her many stags
suocessee In the title role ef "Lola
From Berlin," under the management
ef Klaw tt Erlanger.
Eddie Foy ia appearing In a new mu
sical comedy, "Mr. Hamlet on Broad
way."
"Hugo’s Honeymoon,” with a notable
company of singers, will be preduoed
la this country by Uer^y W. Savage.
This popular opera hat a tremendous
European vogue.
Blanche Bates has made a deep im
pression in New York In her power
ful acting in "The Fighting Hope."
Carl Ahrendt la ploying Colonel Rapt,
his original role, In James K. Hack*
ett's revival of "lhe Prisoner of Zcn-
da.” #