The times., 1898-06-21
AT THE THEATERS.
CoIumbia-.The Mighty Dollar"

II a crowd that completely filled the two
lower floors and overfowed into the gal
lery. a continuous stream OF laughter and
applause and a double curtain call after
each act means anything, the Columbia
Stock Company has at last reached the
top wave of popularity, and its perma-
nency is only a question of degree. For
il was just such an ovation that greeted
the performance of The Mighty Dollar
last night and that broadened from
hearty welcome for each player Into a
demand for speech" from James o. Bar
rows after the famous after-dinner speech
in the second scene.
THE Mighty Dollar is an excellent
type of the old-fashioned comedy. 1t is
the foster father of such modern pieces rs
"A Texas Steer" and in its eccentric lead
ing role no less a parsonage than Billy
Florence once found suitable material for
his talents. OF late the old-timer has laid
moldering on the dramatic shelf and those
with whom it was once a favorite have
we'll nigh forgotten it. But last night the
comedy was brought out replete with new
witticisms and current political philoso-
ply. The dead comedian would probably
not have known his former vehicle had
he seen it, but the audience present iden-
titled every intepolated shaft of satire
and laughed itself fairly sick over late ad-
ditions pertaining to the present state
of affairs in Congress. q
In localizing and undermining the play,
there has been made but one error-there
is too much good material However
bright lines may be. people do not now at
tend the theater for the purpose of hear
ing contemporary conditions reviewed at
length, and some of the longer speeches
are hardly redeemed by their humor.
This Is the more notable through the
fact that the comedy already abounded
in lengthy soliloquies which Mr.. Barrows
and Mrs Findlay will insist on delivering
to the house. Then, too, either from
nervousness or a laudable intention that
everyone should understand, all the parts
that had been given an occasional char
acter line were forced TO stand continual
harping on the words composing 1t until
one grew weary of by large majority"
For a new country" and host of other
like phrases But these are minor points
easy of correction and hardly to be held
in the balance against the fine diction,
the pointed wit. the power and pathos OF
such a master work as THE Mighty Dol
lar" ss-. se~
Lack of time in rehearsal forced the
cast into a certain roughneSS last nignt
which greatly marred the production. but
which will be easily overcome by this
evenings performance. In spite of small
faults, however, the presentation is such
a one as few road companies have ever
given The parts are without exception
in capable hands and the reading given
them could hardly be improved upon. As
the Hon. Bardwell Siote. our old friend
Jimmy Barrows could hardly be i'm
proved upon. His acting is filled with
rich, appreciative humor. while his entire
impersonation is nothing less than a
clever character study. His makeup is by
no means the poorest feature of the per-
formance William. Ingersoll and Maud
Haslam are. as usual, easy and natural in
their work, even though the role por-
trayed by the latter is as doleful as the
funeral of a professional mourner. Agnes
Findlay Is laughable Mrs. General Gill
fioy, her impersonation of that modern
Mrs Malaprop being remarkably grace
full and humorous.
Distinct hits are made, too, by John
Lancaster, as Charley Brood. and Mar
all there is from the parts and SON.
times bit more. A trifie less vehemence
and force would improve the two how
ever quite as much as the knowledge
that anger and impatiencs are not al