The times., 1899-04-25
AT THE THEATRES.
lumbia-"Lo.t-24 Hours

Robert Hilliards old farce. Lost
Twenty-four Hours" which has been lost
n great deal over that time.a was revived
Daniel Frawley and his company, to the
infinite edifcation and delight of very
large audience. Since the original star
brought the piece to this city so long
period has elapsed that the most persist
ent of his admirers have had ample space
in which to forget ii, and as a7consequence
nearly everyone in the assembly yester-
evening was totally unfamiliar with the
material in hand-a condition that resulted
in almost constant laughter during the
performance. Few comedies can be made
TO amuse house which remembers them
and hence the ignorance of the Frawley
patrons was nothing short of a boon.
Lest that state be universal it might be
well before speaking of the work Of the
organization to treat of that with which
il had to labor. 'Lost-Twenty-fou
Hours deals with the adventures of Dick
Swift, young New Yorker used TO such
discreet indiscretions as may be portrayed
on the stage with the assistance of a towel
willing to be bound about ones head, Il
maid anxious to be kissed. and variety
of characters who can be forced to speak
of the French ball. The lad has settled
down and up after marriage. but takes
advantage of his wife's absence to become
so intoxicated that in sleeping the sleep
of the drunken he loses day and night.
This unhappy fact causes him to be caught
in the arms of another woman when his
spouse returns, and in introducing that
woman as his sister he not only mixes
himself up. but entangles everyone else In
the cast. including sanity brother OF
The Private Secretary" pattern. This is
the base OF the fruitful story used in Lost
-Twenty-four Hours
Inasmuch as the best of road combina-
tions require weeks of touring before be-
coming smooth and easy in farcical We
hicies, 1t would probably be too much to
expect perfect effort in the piece on the
opening night of resident organization,
and equally foolish to claim that the rem
dering given was perfect Mr.. Frawley and
his company spoke their lines rapidly last
evening, and, while there were neither
bitches nor glaring faults, they failed to
emphasize them in such a way as to bring
out their full humor. This was. however.
chiefly notable to one thoroughly familiar
with the presentation. and did not disturb
the enjoyment of the audience In the slight
est. Mr.. Frawley accomplished his debut
of the season in the role OF Dick Swift, and
played it with JUNCTION and Intelligence.
while Harry Corson Clark made what has
come to be his accustomed hit in the part
of the religious brother. His impersonat!on
was droll and dry in the extreme. For the
| first time in Washington that clever actor,
Godfrey Stein. appeared without charac-
| ter makeup and did fairly well as Adolf
plus Smi ey, man with heart big enough
| TO accommodate every woman in creation
| Myron Calice was excellent in the small
bit allowed him, while Frank Matthew, AL
fred Hickman. Harry Gwynette. and
| Thomas Phillips bowed to the inevitable oi
stock work and were seen as servants and
policemen.
! OF the women, perhaps the most notable
was Mrs. F. NJ. Bates, who assumed the
lines and business of the sanctimoniouS
Mrs. Churchill with sprightliness and
sharpness unexpected of her Selene John.
sons adventures bore traces OF the sweet
ness of Ann Crugcr. and the gentleness o
Mrs. Page, but was, nevertheless, virile ant
concientious, while Mary Van Buren's Mrs
Swift was best in its lighter portions
Georgia Welles was adequate as Mar.
Churchill, and Corinne Parker made an ex
cellent maid. In "Al the Comforts o
Home" which follows the present offering
the Columbia's patrons will be given al
opportunity of studying the anatomy a
well as the ability of some of the organiza
ton.