FORTUNE-MAKING PLAYS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 59, 3 December 1919, Page 5

FORTUNE-MAKING PLAYS

* One of tho most remarkable features of the war in its rotation to tho theatre is the untrail}} number of pieces which have adhievai a solid success (says the "Daily Telegraph'"). To go back to the autnmn of 15)14 is to recall a period ot evil forebodings and general depression. Prophets arose in the land predicting imminent disaster and a succession' of lean and hungry years. Lord Kitchener made no eecrot of his belief that Ihreo all least must ellipse before peace could be looked for, and although that warning was pooli-pr,olied ill certain quarters, it inevitably created a widespread ieclingf of glootn in managerial circles. Y\ bother from a sense of pure patriotism or from the dread of an over-increasing drain upon his resources, it clearly behoved every theatre-goer to exercise for the future some measure of sclf-donial in tho matter of amusement.

And then, an William Black sjns wont to say, a shvingo thing happened. The i'idu thai had ebbed so swiftly began to flow with equal rapidity, and in place of a beggarly array of empty Ik-nches managers found themselves confronted by full houses. Never in the history _of the, stags 3ias sncli an era of prosperity been known; not, even the enhanced price?, due ro the imposition of the entertainment tax, could check the eagerness of pleasure-seekers. In davs not very far distant a run of a hundred nights was considered quite a respectable achievement: to-day we should look upon such a record as a. comparative failure. That n picco should retain its place in the evening bill for a twelve-month has indeed been a by no means uncommon occurrence, as "The Bov," "The Lilac Domino," "The Naughty Wife," "Going Up," "The Man from Toronto," and "Ves, Uncle," can. testify. Bni' even these pale Mum- far from ineffectual fire,? in presence of "Ohn Oliin Chow," with its long record, no\y fast approaching ii total of three years, "The Maid of the Mountains," which celebrated its lOflOth performance the olhe." day, or "Romance," withdrawn after 1(li-t representations. What these pieces ilmve brought to their lucky owner? financially it is impossible to .-'ay, although one might fairly hazard a guess. Ml 1 . Iloherl: Kvelt lias publicly lold Ihe story how (he second proved the means of ensuring Daly's Theatre, to the George h(tWirdes family, fi'om whom otthenviso it must inevitably have passed. In n similar crisis, il may be remembered, "The Merry Widow" served lo save tho situation, and lo place Ihe fori lines of that house on a substantial basis. It still remains, notwithstanding, for one of these productions to break the record made by "Charley's Aunt," with ift? MliG performances, or, if length of days be accepted as the lest, by "Our Hoys," which ran for four years and threa months at the Vaudeville, just, beating "(.'barley's Aunt" by tihe extra months.