Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-13
AMUsEMENTs.

| world? Is the interrogatory which haunts
| every person who has seen bill board.
! The extremely well-bred audience at the
| Columbia last night like the complaisant
| interlocutor at the minstrel show, gave 1t
up and sat in pleased expectancy until
! Mrs. LIE Moyne told the answer in the tag
! of the piece-"Love is the greatest thing
| in the world" The play differs greatly from
| the bustlng. chattering style of performance
| which seems most in vogue. 1t is restful
| and sincere. 1t makes a departure from
| the trite. erotic appeals. and gives quiet.
| wholesome picture of home. It is not a
| finished literary dramatic effort: 1t de-
| ponds more on the manner in which it is
performed than on its intrinsic worth as a
| play. But if the authors had done no more
| than to give Mrs lie Moyne some of the
opportunities she enjoys. they would be en-
| titled to much praise. The return of this
| lady to the stage has been most discretely
| effected She is a mature woman: there
| fore less adaptable and at the same time
/ stronger for work which she is naturally
| qualified to do. The love affairs of wo-
| man of advancing years have been made
| interesting and pathetic-Mrs. Kendall
| makes them so in the elder Miss Blossom.
| But 1t is, after all, only another variation
| OF the same old tune; the man and the wo-
| man. In this play it is the boy and the
| mother. 1t tells the struggle of a noble,
| cultured. high-minded woman to save her
| son from his inherited weakness for drink
| The allusfon to heredity provokes a fear
| that the play is TO become Ibsenish and OBJ
| tectfonable, but it maintains itself in a per-
] fectly normal and probable atmosphere
throughout.
| 1t is d story of the defiant maternal de-
| votion which evolutionsts would cody say
comes up to US from the same source
whence the tigress has the instinct to fight
| for her cubs The woman is fighting for
her offspring, fighting an actual physical
danger. and at the same time waging
| more doubtful and desperate moral battle
Mrs LIE Moyne's portrayal is admirable.
The character Is the sort of woman that
every man whose heart is anywhere near
| the right place believes his mother to be-
Virginia Bryant Mrs. LIE Moyne) and her
sons Cecil Robert Edesen) and Harold
(Walter Thomas) make home study whose
value Is not cheapened by any common
pace lectures generalities. The comedy
scenes in which this trio appear are per-
| haps a little Fauntleroyish, but Fauntle-
royism has many admirers.
| As the play now stands the first act is
only mildly. interesting. the second unim-
pressive until the closing scene is reached,
the third stronger, and in its final climax,
irresistible. All the previous work seems to
have gone to iay the foundation for this
one scene, and a magnificent scene 1t Is.
The fourth act is unsatisfying. The audi
ence has followed Mrs Bryant step by step
in her struggle 1t feels entitled to share in
| her triumphs more fully than it does. The
conclusion is not strong either dramatical-
ly or in sentiment.
The cast is notable for the amount Of un-
employed material 1t presents People Of
exceptional ability have little or nothing to
do. 1t tnsures a smooth and finished pro-
duction, but 1t is little surprising to find
players like Katherine Grey. Frederick de
Belleville and Henry Jewett serving simply
to develop the mechanism Of the story and
reciting commonplaces. Miss Hope Ross
was a dainty comedienne, and Walter
Thomas. a good juvenile. But outside Mrs.
LIE Moyne's and Mr. Blossoms parts. op-
portunities were rather limited. Mr.. Jew
EFT had a mild attack of Scotch dialect and
a set of whskers which looked as If they
had commanded all the skill of Eden
Musee artist. AS moral study his char
acter was one of the most interesting in
the play. But it was not developed. He
was one Of those whose opportunities were
largely confined to the privilege of stand
ing in the wings and, so to speak. acting
inwardly.
The surprise Of the evening was Mr.
Robert Edeson. There has been a fixed i'm
preston in many minds that Mr.. Edeson
is bad actor. This delusion was COM
pletely dispelled last night. 1t Is difficult
the character than that which he pre-
scented.
The play Is unique Offering 1t was
written by women and produced under the
prise at its lacking virility would be I'M
reasonable. The stage furnishings have
more suggestions for domestic ernbelfsh-
nents than column Of side-talks in
ladies' magazine But the universal note
OF motherly devotion sounds high above
everything else: and to whom should we
look for the Interpretation of so glorious
and vet so subtle a theme except to
women7
NEW NATIONAL THEATER.-There
was a continuous laugh of great volume for
three hours last evening at the New Ma
tonal. Nearly every word and every ac-
ton produced a spontaneous, mirthful ex-
preston from the standing room only" au-
dience. Primrose and Dockstader's Min
strels Were IN possession of the boards. and
they gave an entertainment that was thor
oughly enjoyable. The company presented
modern rinstrelsy, 'as the public demand"
all in black face Several sayings songs
and scenes, 1t must be admitted, were old,
but they were far outnumbered by the
many that were new and original. The first
rise OF the curtain showed an attractive
stage setting in old rose, with profusion
Of incandescent electric lights. There was
the customary first part, with James Ten
Brooke as tnterlOcutor and Lew Sully man.
ipulating the bones. and Larry Dooley the
tambourine Later George Primrose and
Lew Dockstader We're introduced as end
men. After gems from date operas" by
a sextet, ballads were sung by George Ire
wellyn. Charles Kent and Spencer Kelly
the budget including Tostrs Goodbye" by
the latter vocalist Laugh-provoking songs
were rendered by Primrose, Dockstader,
Dooley and Sully. The usual jokes were
Interpreted with the songs. The first part
closed with scene and electrical produc-
ton, entitled THE Choir Boys Dream"
Manuel Roman singing effectively the ac-
Gompanying solo, "Hosanna" Larry Dooley
and Jas. Ten Brooke inaugurated the second
part with a comedy sketch that was by no
means dull Primrose next introduced a
study IN graceful movement, which he
called My Louisiana Lie" He followed
with an up-to-date cake walk being assist
ed by a huge scenic watermelon and four
real colored urchins. Dockstader. after
unique entrance, initiating sign board.
then 'interfered" in the program He said
things. sang things and did things. and
managed to work in many local topics that
scored hits. Bogert and O'Brien in their
musical act, that has been seen and heard
before. occupied attention. The entertain
ment closed with the four juggling john
sons who gave g. really remarkable exhibit
ton Of club swinging and tossing.
THE LAFAYETTE.-One of those good
old melodramas'' IS being played at the
Lafayette this week. There are many who
have not outgrown their love for the people
Of stageland so aptly hit off by Jerome K
Jerome. The sorrows of the virtuous and
the schemes of the wicked are quite real
to them. They applaud when the sad-faced
heroine deies the crnging. skulking villain
who has dared to press upon her his I'M
welcome addresses. With what absorbed
interest they follow the misadventures of
the hero and heroine. until in the last
act the two are reunited sin has become re-
penta1t or is punished. and the funny man