The New York Times from New York, New York • Page 82

A MEW ROSE QIC 1 eer- ECO IMD UG TS 1ST FI RST IG PITS i The Return of Mrs. Ffe The Cindcrelu Man" A New Miriam' Vfi (jjae.issW)1r illliilll I 11 I ls II I TANUART IS. lOltJ. ia marked with Jra numerals wie viu many a playgoer, for on thai ventns. after an outrageous ab-won of three kn years.

Mr. Flak sme back to Broadway. In th somewhat acanty comedy of Hrstwhll un." thin presented to New York for the first Ume, she ha a tmudat role of a brave, comic slightly pathetic scrupulously elegant ladr from out Ce-j rfar Centra way who does battl with the boats of (loom In a dreary Dutch household. Ton can Imagine with what Infinite relish, with what a gleam of unquenchable humor la her roving, eye. this supremely skillful actress plays the part.

You can irueaa with what tremendous gusto aha f.nally discards the high-flown familiar quotation of Juliet' erstwhile 8u- -Miner and in fin fury apits out th good round oath, that brings down tha curtain on tha second act. On Tuesday night there wa thunderous applausa. then, a rousing, heartening welcome to a favorite who had not been aeen here sine th run of Edward Sheldon' The High. Road." hlch began at tha Hudson back in the Autumn of 1012. She had to bow again and again and again, making at last a seech not very Ions, but unusually long; for her.

This la very sweet and very warm- in jr. and I thank you," said Sirs. Flake. It ws a pretty response to th heartiest greeting of the season, a greeting that spoke well for the audience, which, you may have noticed, was a particularly agrceaDl It 1 on such occasions as this, or a Boa trice llerford matinee, or, aay. 4 Maude Adams performance at-, tha fontauk la Brooklyn, that yoa are reminded bow many nice folk ther are in New York after all." And It spoke volumes for th actress who In her performance gav evidence afresh that aha is the beat have.

Not bead and shoulders, per-hapabut a little higher, aha stands than any other worker in our theatre. l-e it player, producer, librettist; scenic artist, musician, or hat you wilt. Minnie Haddern Flake Is and for some time has Jbeen, the finest artist of th American stage. It la th intention Of thia particular i e' iewer of dramatic entertainment to ird again and again to witness her work In Erstwhile Susan." and full warning la hereby jrlven that a rhapsodic review of It la likely to be found hr op another Sunday. That humors of Fred Stone may have a wtlcr appeal, th enchantment of th Hlppodrom may conquer more people.

Mery Plckford and Geraldine Karrar may make more money In th movies; but ther are some of us who will always echo with, greatest approval the sentiment expressed by that discerning If only Intermittent dramatic critic. Franklin P. Adam. What salth th any time I'm glad to frisk bone to witness Mrs. Flska.

ft r. rarpeatett Caeaedy. AS simple and pretty and gay as a bowl of sweet- peas, fresh gathered from om fragrant, sunlit r-arden, Th Cinderella Man." th tender little play by Edward Child Tsrpen ter which Monday night brought la th Hudson Theatre. With many pretty turn of phrase and fancy, it tell th story of th brav young poet to whoa chill and disconsolate garret ther cornea, aoroaa th snow-carpeted roofs, a fairy godmother In th person of th wide-eyed, wistful Princess from th great nous next door. It was written to th end that th comedy of th sentimental, for the sentimental, and by th sentimental should not perish from th stage.

It waa nit. designed to tap that Inez- i i-A Mercedes haustible purse from which Daddy LPnff-Ler rew so prosperous, and It la. by the way, a better than th on that ran all last season at the Gaiety. The Cinderella M-in." In spirit, manner, and point of view, is curiously reminiscent of a Jon line of atories, raisins all the way from Uttle Lord Fauntieroy" to T. Tembaron." and including, of course, the story of Sarah Crewe whic.h.

with Millie James In tha title rCle. became "The Utile Prin cess," that other play wherein clandestine benevolence came, over th roofs and magically transformed a dismal garret Indeed, if the new comedy at th "Hudson had darkly anonymous, it I 10 to 1 that- many a first-ntbter would have shaken- a knowing head and said': "Ho! Hoi Mr. Morose, your air of mystery to all very One. but you can't fool me- You may leave the nam off the program as long as you like, but I know who wrote 'The tjlnaerena It was Frances Hodgson Bur nett Certainly you never "woutd hav guessed it was written by a man and a whllpm financial editor to boot un- i v. that lea fun I ia It la always financial Census waited till she was 15.

and her dra-Bureau statistician-, and Circuit Court tlc -chool wa. the high road through Judge, who In their lucid interval, the Middle 'West, repertory at ten-turn out such pretty sentiments tw.nt-thlrf. playing now at the Opry IT a'. House, now under canvas, now Uttle th. Ev now Camill.

More recently ther th. brav. young poet mlnor rtle. bigger corn-cold finger, and thtV If'p-n-. now.

at' an when all SheUey HuU play, witha I of hep charm, dash, and turned toward Broadway. It eem fortnanc that bring, him Into hi. own at Ust. Not that ha. not none, good work before, but throhgh many a play be had to walk an adumbrated stage while the' spotllpht drew' all eye.

to the pleasing person of Billla Burke. Tho mooning, oia Primrose a Mra. Burnett character if ever there was on Is played to per- fectlon by Frank Bacon. Lucille La I Verne makes the most 'of her few I moments, and a good bit I. don.

by Berton Churchill. There-are two weak point. the first act. -which' wabbles. -The second la Phoeb Foster, who la as pj.yhouse.

sweet a. th pinkest bonbon on the Th. institution Is trying to raise flO.OOQ top layer of the candy box, who I. before Summer, as this amount ia neces-always pleasing, to the eye. and who'jsary to Insure ownership of the Home.

plays entirely too much Ilk a pretty mechanical dolt More winaomenesa. mora Individuality, more variety-ln two words, more skill In th actress playing the fairy godmother would add measurably to the already considerable charm or Mr. Carpenter's so pleasantly beguiling comedy. JEANN-E BAG ELS I. the nam of th actress who haa found profit In the venturesome iasa ox iwhhui lovely Klsle Ferguson tn "Outcast." Mis.

Ferguson is getting ready to de scend on New York next week In a new piece by Hall Cain, and Mia. Eagels haa been taking her last season's play Jong the road. Last week she passed this way. stopping at th Standard, and then moving on across th river be ready for tomorrow night', perform ance at th Montauk tn Brooklyn. Those who Journeyed up to Ninetieth Street to witness her playing found her young, exceptionally pretty.

and more than clever. Ther was much good work In her performance and much promise of finer work In the seasons to come. "Where do they com from you ask. bewildered, when ther emerges from nowhere an actreaa no more than 23 or you are much deceived and yet obviously trained long and well. "In what dramatic school did study? To what teacher Is ah a And In the answer there are usually all the element, so dMcouraging to 5 CoioolaJ.

I those fine ladles who in their late twenties are suddenly smitten with the mai mm um ti go upon the stage. The real players have auch a start on them. Did not. Miss Adams make her debut when she waa nine months old? 8h did. And Mrs.

Flske went on when she waa 3. Mlsa Egels her again. FOR CRIPPLED CHILDE2N. Strand Will. Civ Special Prfor- mane, for s.a.io.

The Strand Theatre will give a special performance next Saturday morning for the benefit of the Seaside Home for Crtppled Children. "The Foundlin." a ry Pteord Picture, will I ami mvri wiu wm ittv ii children. The orcheatra will play and lth show will be up to the high standard ntertalnment always offered In Oils Un aooiuon to in giving -outinga to children, the society has established a shop at 2S2 Amsterdam Avenue, where six girls are employed a manicurists. A general benefit to which many mov ing picture theatres will contribute Is oeln eTny planned or the Home for. nexj THE REVOLUTIONARY MR.

DIAGHILEFF E' all revolutionists In those days, when we were fighting for the cause of Rus- slan and I myself It was only' by' a small chance that I eecaped becoming a revolutionist In other things than color and music 1 The heavy face of tha speaker, a face curiously suggestive, like the Immense frame, of unlimited animalism and latent energy. lit up, or rather smoldered, with a smile. The face of 'Serge de Diaghlleff. director of the Russian ballet. whlch has made a sensation in New York, Is typically Russian, in lis combination of heaviness and sensibility.

The man carries hlmaelf with the Ind-v lence which proceeds from great physical strength. The neck 'and the lips ere thick. The eyes are those of a druanwr and an artist. He waa speaking of the early days of his career, the remarkable career of a man who says, to be quite modest." that he 4s over thirty." He was born in Novgorod, and as a youth was attached for years to the Court of the Orand Duke Vladimir. The mora aston-lahlng his outspoken convictions.

Diaghlleff la Ideally fitted for hla present work. He is not only an artist, but one well acquainted with the practical problems of the stage. He la a eonnoiaaeur of art In many forms, a man whose temperament and sensibility had led htm what Is almost a new art. Yet he commenced hla career as a musician and graduated with honor. In music from i the Conservatory of Tetrograd.

He studied the stage. He edited an art paper fn which the most advanced Ideas of the band be gathered about him found expreaaion. and this paper exerted a significant Influence In the country until, owing to the financial conditions ia Russia consequent on the war with Japan; it was It was soon after this that ther occurred the ex traordinary union of artiatio force la the persons of Bakst. Fokine. and Diaghlleff.

resulting In the. Russian ballet which has set Europe, and now America, on fire with the power and the fantasy of a new art. Mr. Diaghlleff laughed remlnlacently. I think we began by questioning and overthrowing every precedent wo encountered." And In the main we were right.

In the art world was there more 'heed of Iconoclasm than ther was In Russia. Nothing less than the most radical' attitude and the most stubborn -convictions could have -biased a way for a real Russian art. Remember that for centuries bad labored under the superficial and unfruitful Influence of. European culture. All the traditions of th nobility and the edu cated -classes in general were against us.

We had to begin by uprooting this artificial growth. I assure you we warmed to the task Where did we go for suggestion and Inspiration? We went where you In America will have to go before you can produce art of your own to the people. "American art! Dear Sir, there ia plenty of American art good, virile, characteristic art. But how long- is It going to take America. I wonder, to realise thia? The Idea her la still imitation of Europe, and In America, that which, la.

palpably vulgar and parvenu Phoebe Foster In "The Cinderella Mrt. Rake in Is beautiful, and that which la. beautiful. Is, of vulgar! For instance? "For instance?" he flashed back. For instance I am shown an immense mansion which la an ugly and inartistic Imitation of the Gothic, and am asked to admire Ita architecture! Fr Instance, when I marvel and am thrllWid b- the life and the power of Broadway at nlKht.

people laugh at me! Thoy think I am Joking. "Well; I am not Joking! America will produce much great art when she has realised herself, but not before, Broadway is one of the genuine plac-ts In America. Broadway is certainly one of your sources of a strong and expressive art. But Americans, while thoy love It, will deny Its existence In their drawing rooms. It is unrefined! And they copy Europe.

Copy Europe, and continue their futile attempts to establish here the art which is a result of centuries of culture originating In the temperament and th experiences of races which are dally receding further and further from the temperament and the experiences of the? American people. No individual, no nation, can say a thing worth saying until It has confidence in Itself. I have seen this demonstrated, moat Impressively. in the course of researches which I made at first hand In studying Russian art of the sixteenth; seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries. During those years every tendency not Russian was received eagerly and imitated alavlshly In Russia.

French culture daxxled ua. Italian music was our passion. Later on German literature found a wide acceptance and an Influential following. None of these Influences. In themselves.

NOT GABBY DESLYS iKnockingi Gaby? Yes' Journaliit." Interview? Gladly Oh! What? Necklace! This? Ym? Diamonds." New? Oui." Oui." Who? M'sleur Pardon." Certalnement." "American? Ye-e." "Rich?" Ra ther." Tres? Millionaire." Who? Please Marry? Perhaps." Soon? No Ambitious? i Erstwhil. SusAn." would have been if they had only been balanced by self-reallxation. I found In the most unexpected places the real art of Russia, croppln out where it could, flourishing, vigorous and true, wherever It had been able to escape the attention of the educated Classes, and developed In a sincere and normal' way. Occasionally I would come across a picture done by a gifted serf whom his master had encouraged. Sometimes these efforts of unsophisticated Russians were misconceived, grotesque, misshapen.

sometimes only laughable In their naivete and their In-clfectuallty. and sometimes very beautiful. But do you think these precious tokens came from the courts, or from the artists imported with such ceremony and expense? They came from the people. They were found by myself and my colleagues In the shapes of domestic implements In the country districts. In the painting of sleds, in the designs and the colors of dresses.

In the carving about a window, and so forth. It waa on this foundation that we built. Think what we have accomplished? And in scarcely fifteen years! In that time we have originated a new art. which has flourished and put out branches and leaves until, thanks to the genius of Bakst and a number of other remarkably girted men less known at present In America, it has Influenced not merely scenic decoration, but decoration In every field, and has given new inspiration to those, wherever they are, who create beauty and express 11 '''And this change Is synchronous with the Bplritual change which is being felt by the whole nation. In the year lflS, Most." Howl Act." Revue? Comedy." Muslcsl? Straight." Then? Retire." Where? Chateau." Guests? Beaucoup." "Who? Savants." Meaning Astronomers Uh-uli Psinters Te Musicians." Where? Riviera." Ma'm'Kelle M'sle ur Gowns? See Comblen? Ninety." Oo-la-la Cue It Thanks." Delighted." Adieu," Adieu.1 Rose Stahl in Moonlight Mary." 7 rr 1 WifT' Rogers New Ziegfeld Frolic.

the yar of the Revolution. I had collected In my Investigations 2.W portraits of Russian nobility from the country-wide, and these portraits were displayed In the Palais tie la Tauride in Petrograd the palace built by Catherine the Great. But the tim-s were changing rapidly. It has always been wonderful to me that in the same year the portraits of the nobility went out. and the Duma, the limtrument of the rights of the Russian people, i-ame In.

By looking first within, and beins unflinchingly ourselves. I believe we have succeeded In producing a distinctively Russian art hitherto unknown to the world. We have done this, first of all, by KOlng stralKht to the nation's treasjres of music and folk-lort. and employing all the arts of the theatre save the art of to present their complete and harmonious symbols on the stage. The Fire Bird is far more like the creation of a single brain than the result of the collaboration of several It Is composed, painted, and danced by Russians, who have evolved fresh principles of dancinic.

far freer and more dramatic than the conventional movements of the French school of the ballet. I believe that in this field snd In this way there are Immense possibilities of development. Th ballet Is even yet In Its early utaKes In Ruswla. The experiments become every year bolder and more original. I do not believe that this ballet will ever replace the opera, but 1 do think it will occupy an ever greater province of its own.

that its limitations are In some respects leas binding than the limitations of the music drama, and that Its practices arc pure to influence materially future methods of muslco-dramatlc presentation. The mechanism of opera is yet." said Mr. Diaghlleff. as It always has been. Imperfect.

The normal musical development Is often at odds with the situation or the dialogue on the stage. The situation on the stage hampers the composer, who. when most Inspired, la bound by it as by Iron chains. But in the ballet wo have not these discordant and often Irreconcilable elements All of our factors may combine and each will offset the other mrt effectively. Not only is this the case, but we also have actors really capable of finished and effective representation on the stage, which, Indeed, so often presents childish obstacles to one's enjoyment of music drama, but an obstacle, nevertheless, which we are unable to Ignore.

I mean for such things as singers, unable to act, no longer In their first youth, without beauty or presence, and utterly outside of the conceptions of composer and dramatist. Most of us learn very soon to accept this convention, and we even forget It. lint It is there: it Is a false harmony, which can be eliminated. Do you know what did rj Paris when we mounted Hlmsky-Krakf f's satirical opera, 'The (Soldrn We seated the chorus In a decorative manner at the sides of the stajie. The voices, for the greater number, came from behind the scenes, and the acting was done by leading dancers.

Many connoisseurs pronounced this one of the most interesting and successful pro ductions they had seen." it'-- Else Alder and Robert THE FIRST-NIGHT CALENDAR. "MOONLIGHT MARY" A new comedy by Georg-e V. Hobart, with Rose Stahl; Thursday night at the Fulton. ZIEGFELD'8 "MIDNIGHT FROLIC" A new miniature musical revu. with music by Dave Stamper, lyrics by Gene Buck; tomorrowjnijht above the New Amsterdam.

LE POL'SSIN" A comedy by Edmond Guiraud in French; tomorrow night at the Theatre Francaia. MINNA VON BARNHOLM Lessinif's by the German, stock company at the Irving- Place Wednesday night- 'j ONE of the tasks that cuts Into the time of a number of playwrighta every year Is the writing of a play for Hose Stahl in the hope of providing a comedy for her In which she may repeat her great success in James Forbes's The Chorus Iidy." Georjre V. Hobart is the latest draniatlbt to attempt the feat, and the appearance of Miss Btahi tn his contribution will be the event of chief Interest In the theatres this week. Then there will be the presenting of a new Midnight KrollV for those who think dayllcht was made to sleep in. and the annual Lambt' Gambol as side shows Moonlight Mary Is the title Mr.

Hobart has slven his comedy, the first Manhattan performance of which will be given Thmsday nlhc in the Fulton. It Is said that Miss Stahl's role of Laura Vincent Is quite different from the chorus lady, the shop girl, or the burlesque actress that were her last creations. The play tells the story of a successful writer of magasine stories and her younger sister, who endeavors to emulate her success In another field. The scenes are laid In a small town and In New York. Miss Stahl's supporting cast tnrludi-s Hxrralne Frost.

Elisabeth Ariaans. David Herblln. Robert TbIht. D. Walsh.

Kcklln Gayer. Mlrian Doyle. Mabe) 'arrtitherw. Kate "Jepson. and Blllyj Meehan.

The second edition of the current season of Xlegfeld's Midnight Frolic will be offered tomorrow night above the New Amsterdam. Ned Wayburn has staged the new production. Gene Buck and Dave Stamper have written the lyrics and music, respectively, und Joseph Crban haa provided another of his gorgeous stare settings. The principal entertainers of the former miniature revue Will Rogers with his line of rope and talk. Odette Myrtle and her violin, and the dainty Dolly-Sisters are In the new entertainment Some of the additions to the cast are Oscar Shaw.

Marion Harris. Paul Frawley. Genevieve Warner, and llic Hawaiian Players. The annual benefit for the Actors' Fund of America will he held Friday afternoon in the Forty-fourth Sireet Theatre. Daniel Frohman.

President of the fund, has arrtntted a program that Includes some Interesting numlers. One of these will be a dramatic sketch entitled The Barber of Bertac." acted bv Klse Alier and Arnold Korff. IJotli M'ss Alder, who Is the prima donna of Around the Map." and Mr. Korff. the virlting star -at th- Irving Place, are Kreat favorites in Vienna.

Joseph 1'rban hm designed a special sctilnit for the piaylet. The Lambs will contribute it tnlninrure musical comedy in which modes of the rnoineni are treste.l MMtfrl'-ally For the sake of i-iiMrlty some husky masquerade in skirts appearing as manikins. Amone the number will hp Donald Brian. James J. "orbctt.

Frank lalor, Montagu lve. Vincent Serrano, Barney Bernard. W. L. Abingdon.

George Mack, Taylor Granville, and Claude Fleming. The women of the cast will include Louise Dresser, Marjorie Ram beau, Dorotby Donnelly, aisle V'! Pitkin in Around the (jay, Antoinette Virginia ro Brooks, and Olive Tell. Mary Plckford. "the Queen; of th Movies," and Jack Barryroore, who ha been devoting his talents to the, pictured form of drama for some time, will be -seen in a special number. Then ther -will be a Lambs' gambol sketch entitled "The River of by John "U- Golden, in which Lewis Stone, Vincent Serrano, and Madge Kennedy will ap- pear.

The program will also Inelud snatches of musical comedy and drama from current offerings. JT After the performance in th theatre there will be a dansant for the Fund at Caaties in the Air above th ply-': house. Le Poussln," a comedy by at Guiraud. will be presented her for the first time by the. French company at the Theatre! Francals tomorrow night.

Andree Mery will play the rOI she created when the play was acted la Paris and In other Important rales writ! be Mme. Disk and M. Renavent- play, entitled Susy, will b--given in conjunction with the longer comedy, and Mile. Mery will also play the principal part In thia. Friday's special matinee -will be devoted Brieux's The s'ock company at th Irving' Tlao Theatre will revive Leasing' comedy.

Minna von Barnholm," Wednesday night. The cast will Include Arnold -Korff, the viilting star from VI ton; Jenny Valliere. Helnrlch Maiiow. Oret -Meyer. A rank Eben.

Richard Feist. Krnest Holznagel. Willy Frey. and Ott Meyer. AT OTHER THEATRES; BRONX OPERA HOUSE Beverly's Balance," Paul Kester's comedy, with Margaret Angiih In th rAI In which she was seen last season at tn Lyceum, her supporting company Including Mr.

Charles O. Craig, Alfred Hunt, Donald Cameron. Sax-one Morland and Howard Undsey. STANDARD Th Eternal Hag-da- lene." the drama recently seen at th -Forty-eighth Street with Julia Arthur and th original com-pany in the parts they created. PROCTOR'S FIFTY-EIGHTH STREET Vaudeville with the features: The Betting Bettys," a musical comedietta, of the race track! Fel-ham and Thelma.

comedians and contortionists; Foley and O'NsiL singers and dancers. Watsonr and his Beef Trust organisation in bur- er tilled Krousemeyer Alley," snd a new one-act travesty, The Lucky Girl," with Frank Mambard. William Swan, and Msr-Karet Newell supporting Mr. Watson. OLYMPIC The French Models com- pany headed by Monte Edna Raymond, and Bltlle Bailua In a burlesque entitled Issy th YORKVILLE Topsy Turvy Honey- -moon," a two-act travesty-, "with Bert Bertrand, Bill West.

Al Warner, and Beulah Benton a tha tUw cipal unmakers..