Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-17
AMUSEMENTS.

4
appearance OF Mile. PilarMorin in My
| Cousin" the occasion was not compH-
| ment to an American audience. There was
| no lack of well-wShing for this talented
| actress who has been endeavoring to make
| the transition from pantomime to the
| Speaking drama. But she has relied too far
| upon the proverb which asserts that morals
| are matters of geography. Ma Cousine
| does very well for Paris. where its clever
| ness has attracted abilities of a high order
to its interpretation. But Paris is not the
| United States, and My Cousin" is not
| Ma COusine." The play has been trans
| lated in a mechanical fashion. and with
| stolid Indifference to the contrasts of tenn
! permanent presented by Paris and the Eng
| disappearing public. What might pass for
| piquaEcy in Ma CouSine's' native air be-
| comes sheer brutality under the conditions
| surrounding the present enterprise. The
minor contributors to the occasion are per
| fufctory wagt-eaTnerS, and therefore I'M
| fortunate. rather than culpable. The guild
| ing spirit is actress whose training has
| led her to regard any means of attracting
| public interest fair. She has apparently
reSo.ved TO clear at a single step the dis
| lance between q Pierrot and drawing
room star.
To achieve this she relies neither upon
! industry nor cleyeraess nor power. She
| comes forward with an appeal to the low
est form of public taste, relying for her
! Justification upon box-otfice precedent,
which has shown cases Of prosperity as the
reward of similar sacrifices of deCenCy.
| The chief affront lies less in the situations
| of the comedy itself than in the morbid
/ enthusiasm with which its perVerSe phases
are emphasized and elaborated. My
Cousin resembles the last despairing at
tempt of some rustic raconteur, who, find
| ing that his more innocent wit and humor
| fail, seeks to no d attention by the yileness
| of his themes. The exhibition is not con-
| tent with suggestion. but turns to positive
desradation. 1t has but one redeeming
quality--its stupidity. gloss of wit hui
NOR or novelty might make the curiosity
aroused by complaints of its nastiness
source OF profit. But its viciousness is I'M
Sllded and without excuse. 1t Is possible
that an adaptation might have been so de-
NlSed as 10 prove entertaining, for the
story, though essentially risque shows mas
teriy resource in its complications But
the real run is swamped and stitied by
the methods of the people who have under
taken to interpret it, Mile. Pillar Morin's
pahtomlme scene was excellent in its Way
mere was only one other occasion 11pon
Whlch she merited Communications There
came a halt in the dia ,Ogre IT was Main
that the star had not forgotten her ifnes
lor she was murmuring industriously and
comDlacently.
Judging from what had gone before and
rom what followed, it may be taken for
granted that the unanimous thanks of tho
audience are due to Mile PiIar-Morin for
SPdflnS them that speech whatever if NAV
nave been. Washington is not prudish II
mas Tolerated a great deal in the way of
S'dft costume when graceful figures and
an dIIStic color scheme served as an apollo
~. II mas listened to daring dialogue when
was accompanied by wit and has Watch
ed without protest while characters unmen
uonab.e in self-respecting society were
ml.LnsIcaiIy exploited upon the stage But
IN MY cousin there is no compromise Of
ItFed 10 the attention of the auditor There
are no pretty stage groupings: no tolIv
Jngies of melody nor flippancies of rhVme:
Il. cIeEer qulps and quaint extravagances
OF makeup to quiet protest with the in
Slnuatlon that these are people of another
world, who are not to be measured bv the
standards which apply to ordinary life The
people in the Pilar-Morin version of ma
CouSIme are abJectly real. Science asserts
mat dirt is merely matter out of place
IhIs tolerant world raises small protest
against VICIOUS entertainments which keen
to recognized haunts where only the willing
seeker Will encounter them. There NAV ne
some phliosophic resignation to the exist
ence OF vulgar entertainment in the present
stage OF social development, on the theory
INA caat hn Whatever 5 is is right" But there
Is matter very much out of place in first
class theater. 1t may be safely assumed
mat II the performance had been a known
quantity instead Of an original Droducfinn
it would not have found the reputable snon-
sorship which 1t apparently enjoys Its
only chance for survival lies in securing an
opportunity to reek in some small theater
IN New York, whore the population is so
large as to represent every shade of taste
But 1t should be very careful not to select
the wrong theater
PRIVATE JOHN ALLEN."-"Private
John Allen" a play by Lee Arthur
the actorauthor of "We'uns Of Tennes-
see at present running at the American
Theater, New York city. will be the offer
ing Of the Frawley company at the Column
bia next week, with the distinguished
Washington actor, Charles B. Hanford, in
the title roe Mr.. Hanford is the owner
of the acting rights of the play. and Sc
lected his home city as the best place to
try 1t before cosmopolitan audiences In
case 1t comes up to his expectations he Will
present it on the road next season. AS this
is the first play, with the exception of The
Christian, for which Mr.. Hanford has
been willing to abandon his Shakespearean
roles, it follows that he has a very high
regard for Its prospects. The very title is
an attractive one to observation-disclosures for
Private John Allen of Mississippi has
long been the recognized wit and raconteur
or the House of Representatives and the net
OF local c.ubdom. Mr.. Allen is one con-
gresham who can always command an au-
dlence whenever he rises to speak in the
House, for his hearers are always certain
OF enjoying a good story or a bit of witty
repartee, which frequently contains as
much wisdom as humOr The Private John
OF the play is a Louisianian, devoted to his
party. Tor which he makes such sacrifices
as are usually attributable to the highest
PATRIOTISM: Like his Mississippi namesake,
wee IN the confederate army, but the
piece Is IN no sense war play, the action
taxing place long after the late unpleas-
antness. 1t is described as an atmosphere
play of life, love and politics in the BAYOU
state, and viii prove companion picture
TO Alabama. rather than a rival of
SHENANDOAH and other battle pieces.
The entire Frawley company will appear in
support of Mr.. Hanford, and a pictorial
production is promised, special scenery be-
ing painted by Frederick Schafer. Sweet
Lavender" is drawing large audiences to
the Columbia this week. Matinee tomor-
row.
WAY DOWN EAST.'-For peace Jubilee
week that highly successful play Way
Down East has been secured for the New
National Theater attraction. Since its last
appearance here it has played all the prin-
cipa! cities and is just closing an eight
weeks run in Philadelphia. In every city
1t has played to crowded houses, which
have attested to its popularity, and stand
ing room was often luxury to late corners.
This charming play of rural New England
life has in it every element that is likely to
charm the theater-goer. 1t is powerful in
its story, picturesque in its surroundings
| e tk,,.S