The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-28

would bring bowls of delight from the rsl-
iery. The father would have no belief in
the efficacy of labor or in its sacredness.
Then would come the loss Of the fortune.
The son. by giving up a true and trusting
bride-to-be and by stintiug himself dread
fuiiy, would manage to keep the family
aiioat until the last scene when. having
made four or five million dollars with an
invention. he would give the top floor
another defamation and the stage manager
his cue for lowering the curtain. Thus
might Mr.. Morton's arguments please
pro as well as con.
Seriously enough however. "a Rich
Mans Son" proved no better vehicle for
the clever actor presenting 1t than were
The Head of the Family" and Worth a
Million" The story, If comparatively nev.
was full of incidents so ancient that one
could not help admiring the author who
had sufficient courage to claim credit for
their use The idea of the worm Of a hus-
band finally turning on his wife
was exploited years ago in "A
Contented Woman and was rem
iniscent then. Some of the da-
logue introduced was exceptionally witty,
though mere of it was not. Father, I'm
man. declares Arthur Dibdin. What am
|? A monkey" is the reply. Assemblages
laughed uproariOusly. but such line could
hardly be called clever. Many of the sit
uations were good. but the majority we're
composed either OF exaggerated hrmcr or
Of exaggerated sentiment. Al.ogethe-.
while the piece had excellent points. and,
with Mr.. Crane in the company made n
passable stop-gap. it was not, in any sense,
satisfactory comedy. IL is 10 be hoped
that the impression the star Of IA Fool of
Fortune creates in his adaptation of
David Harum" will supply the place OF
that which he failed to leave here THU year.
No sooner has Washington had one i'm
portant production han another Is slated.
The newest of the presentations that will
worry the local critics is that of Harriet
Ford and Mrs. Henry c. De Miles play.
THE Greatest Thing in the World" III
which the Liebler Company is to star Sarah
Cowell lie Moyne. The piece will have its
premiere on February at New Haven. and
three days later will be done here at the
Columbia Theatre. For the Interpretation
is announced the following cast:
Virginia Bryant. Sarah Cowel lie Moyne
Cecil Bryant Robert tdesln
Harold Bryant. Walter Thomas
David McFarllnd. ................C Charles Albeit
Helen Mcfarland. Katherine Grey
Sarah Mcfarland. Harriet Sterling
Doctor chsehurst. Werner Charges
Nadge ehiseihurst-. Hope koss
thcle Cuige-- EdWin James
Godfrey Townsend. Frederick De Belleville
AS may be seen. the supporting organiza-
| ton promises excellence. Robert Edeson.
last season. was leading man with Maude
Adams: Katherine Grey was leading wo-
man with Richard Mansfield: Werner
Charges was with Joseph Jefferson; Hope
Ross with William Gillette. and Frederick
de Belleville with Mrs Fiske. The play
will give Mrs. lie Moyne part not unlike
that which she had while acting under
Annie RusselI-a mother whose love for
her son furnishes the inspiration Of her
life. AS yet It remains TO be seen whether
or not the clover woman is sufficiently well
| known to the public to have rendered adj
visable n stellar venture. but there is
great interest in the forthcoming produc-
ton. nevertheless.
Private adyiees bring the news that.
despite journalistic notices and the repu-
tation for nastiness Naughty Anthony is
anything but a great success in New YORK
II is said that David Belasco still is max
ing changes in the farce, and that there is
a probability of its being removed from
the stage Of the Herald Square consider
ably before the end of the season. II all
this he true Washingtonians may con-
tinue to have a certain amount OF faith in
the opinions of Gothams theatregoers.
Apparently the day of the French farce
is about over. Two months ago 1.-The
Girl From Making opened in Chicago.
was called filthy by the newspapers of
that city. and literally patronlzed by the
population. Whereupon. the manager of
the production claimed that the roast
ing" received was the cause OF this enor-
nous business. The remark. which GER
tainly was not complimentary to the thea
| TRIGGERS of the city by the lake. since
has been refuted in the wretched returns
said TO be being scored there BY Make
Way for the Ladies' a comedy OF SINH
lar reputation. Despite the fact that the
piece was put on at HoOley's. an exceed
ingiy popular house. it is claimed that
the receipts of the first week were not
I, in excess OF $1,000 So there seems to
be a probability that ultimately the stage
will come back to deceney, after all.