Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-06
ADJUSTMENTS.

the New National Theater last night was
line of carriages which reached around
the corner. all the way to F street. Inside
was John Drew with highly accomplished
company, in the best light comedy that
actor has had, in many seasons, THE
Tyranny of Tears is described as a COM
edy of temperament. The whimsical i'm
pulsive people introduced are. despite their
many absurdities of mood, delightfully."-
human. Mr.. Hadffons Chambers has not
contented himself with writing good Eng
lish; he has introduced some really bril-
liant dialogue in his play and thrown him
self wholly upon the mercy of his actors
by refraining from forcing any climax or
situation beyond the bounds of the prob
able. He has depended entirely fine
points and the company has not allowed one
of them to escape. Nothing is brusquely
obtruded on the auditors attention.
The exquisite humor is suggested rather
than expressed. The people in front have
the delicious egotistic satisfaction of feel
ing that their own powers of perception
are to some degree entitled to credit for
their amusement. This is probably all a
delusion. Not one of Mr.. Chambers well
calculated insinuations failed to make its
impression last night. Those who have
been chuckling over their acute discern
ment of sarcasm and repartee are no doubt
the victims of some very adroit flattery;
but it is fattery of the most agreeable sort
and would win over the veriest aeetic. John
Drew is self-contained, reposeful and
quietly humorous as the young author
whose lack of Information about human
nature makes the role a rather anus
ing, unconscious satire on the modern
novelist. Or is this astute inference an
other of Mr.. Chambers delicate batteries?
Miss Ida Conquest was the amanuensis
whose unconventional candor of thought
and action causes great disturbance in the
authors household and brings the wifes
tyranny, maintained by dint of weeping, to
a crisis
Miss Isabel irving was the wife. rather
thankless role in some respects, although
one which calls for a great deal of ability.
Miss Irving plays the part with spirit and
intelligence, but gives it a touch of abso-
lutte shrewishneSS which is not essential.
Arthur Byron is thoroughly agreeable and
amusing as the bachelor whose. cynicism is
at first so convincing. and who finally ca
pltulates SO ahjectly to the charms of the
amanuensis- Harry HARDWOOD gave a cap
ital picture Of the old fellow with some
leftover wild oats to claim his attention,
and Frank Lamb was good as the butler
There are only seven people in the cast,
and there are but two changes of scene,
yet it is one of the best entertainments of
the season, for those who are willing that
their Theatre enjoyment should contain
dash of the intellectual. Mr.. Chambers has
ventured to introduce moral in his play
but he saves most of it up for one or two
speeches in the last act and like a cold
plunge, 1t leaves the listener refreshed and
invieorated. 1t is a foolish trifie; yet artis-
tic in its folly, because its types are taken
straight from the ranks of these mortals
whom Puck so sweepingly apostrophized
1t is a great pleasure to find Mr.. Drew in
really good play. He has way of rising
superior to surroundings, of sending his
audience into genial throes of well-bred
amusement by merely mussing his hair or
drowning the last words of a sentence in
teacup, that he has held some very fimsy
material in shape to be appreciated But
in the present instance Mr. Drew and the
other members Of the company are ad-
equately and admirably fitted.
COLUMBIA THEATER.-The unctious
humor of Mr. Willie Golfers latest pro-
ductton, Mr. Smooth" delighted a large
audience at the Columbia Theater last
evening. Cool impudence, when it is not
malicious, Is always fascinating and Mr..
Collier in the title role was cool impotence
personified- Perhaps the character is not
a novel one. Many in the gathering doubt
less remarked that they had observed IT
once or twice before in their experience;
but there is quiet, self-assured directness
about Mr.. Golfers work that catches the
attention and holds 1t when more bois-
ferrous characterization would become tire
some Mr.. Collier does not resort to mere
tricious tricks to win a hand He has con-
ceived an interesting character in series
or interesting situations. and for the time
he is the character He INDUCES in no
horse play, though the piece itself ia NOT
devoid of it. Various conventional expe-
dents are utilized, but Mr.. Collier for the
most part depends upon pure comedy. He
employs the familiar device of mistaken
Identity to produce the complications and
he runs perilously close to such plays as
What Happened to Jones' and others of
that sort. but the laughs come thick and
fast, and, after all, that is the plays OBJ
ject A capable company assists Mr.. Col
lier in making the fun. The most striking
character in the play is that of Sam Hick-
ey, bookmaker, who in pursuit Of Mr..
Smooth becomes acquainted with circle
to which he has hitherto been an entire
stranger. His race track slang becomes
irresistibly funny when addressed to those
TO whom 1t Is about as ineligible as Choc-
taw. Mr.. Evans, who played the part, was
a close second, to borrow his pharseology,
to Mr.. Collier in the fun making Of the
evening. That sterling actress, Helen Rel
mer, as the traditional giddy. old girl with
an eye out for the coming man, fully real
lied the possibilities of the part. The other
roles were inteligently and acceptably
played by John F. Ward, Alfred Hickman,
George w. Parsons, Thomas Garrick, NJ
L. Heckert. Lawrence Sheehan, Helena
Collier, Myrtle May and Louise Allen Col
lier.
ACADEMY-An audience that in propor-
tons and personnel would be a flattering
tribute to any production greeted the heroic
..Gunners Mate at the Academy last
night; audience quick to recognize
bravery and devotion to duty and to froWn
upon and Mss coWard1ce and viiiainy as oc-
casiOn required 1.-The Gunner's Mate" Of
fers ample opportunity for cheers and jeers.
The principal action takes place aboard the
u. S. s. New York, from the main deck to
the fo'caSle and furnace ROOM A man.
of-war is picturesque and interesting in
stitution to the land lubber and its scenic
possibilities have been fully tested in the
present instance. The interior of the fire
room in the third act, a wonderfully real
istic piece of stagecraft, is the scene of
the dramatic climax of the play. The gun
brig to await trial for striking a superior
officer, is released and volunteers to enter
one of the furnaces to tighten a bolt head
which has worked loose and threatens the
destruction of the vessel. A SQUAD of
tackies is ordered below to bank the fire
The Iron door Is swung open and adiscloses
the fire within glowing through the hiss
Ing steam that rolls from the opening and
fills the room. When all Is ready the gun
ner's mate enters the glowing chamber
At this point the villain. in the person of
DR.. Qualey, the ships surgeon, appears on
an upper platform. He glanees below, ut
tiers low, cowardy hiss of satisfaction
which mingles with the rush of escaping
steam. and at a signal from him to some
one without an alarm of fire is sounded
Immediately there is an exodus of sailors
from the furnace room and the gunner :
mate is left to his fate behind the iron
door. He is rescued just in time by a
friendly sailor, who makes a hasty en-.
trance down the ash lift. The intensity OF
into 10 nj