Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-26

ends with a suicide, and for all that it is
funny. 1t is a most uncanny comedy. 1t
appeals to the very sophisticated; it gives
the blase consciousness series of shocks,
and makes the plain person thankful that
such things do not happen in his own town
ship. 1t is a study in the morbid branches
of sociology, and generous, wholesome
sympathy with the characters is impossi-
bic despite the cleverness of theatric trick
cry and the excellence of some of the act
ing At the Columbia Theater another
Clyde Fitch play of wholly different type
held the boards during the week. Lovers
Lane" is a gentle pastoral effusion, with
plenty of character sketches brought forth
in a story that is redolent of love and apple
blossoms. 1t is not especially novel or pre-
tentous, but it is wholesome; and it is
hard to believe that the same man wrote
the two pieces. The week which brought
The Climbers and Lovers Lane to
Washington must stand in the records as
convincing evidence of Mr.. Fitchs versa
tility. The Bellows Stock Company had a
series of large and delighted audiences
with THE Little Minister" Miss Lawrence
was very good as Lady Babbe." and
John T. Sullivan agreeabIy surprised those
who previously refused TO see him. in the
title role. Mr.. Sullivan has always insisted
that he is not essentially a villain actor,
and as Mr.. Dishart he demonstrates that
on occasion he can cease roaring and COO
as gently sucking dove.
Poor old 'Mazeppar' Grandfather has
told you many a time and oft what good
plays they used to have away back in the
days when he was young. And ''MaZeppa"
was one Of them. Grandmother did not
think that a woman who married as much
as Ada Isaacs Menkin did was altogether
what she ought TO be; but she waived any
personal objections and conceded her art.
Bring forth the fiery untamed steedr' The
younger theatergoers have for years chafed
because there was no opportunity to hear
those words hurled across the footlights
Here, at last, came the chance. ''Mazep-
pa came to town clear from New York,
by way of Norfolk. 1t started in New York
and passed through Norfolk swiftly and
silently, owing to objections on the part
of the op'ry house manager. But it anded
in Washington. and grandfather took US by
the hand and assured us that now we were
going to see a show that was show.
What happened to ''Mazeppa" was mel
ancholy superabundance- Miss Jarbeau is
an actress with many admirers, but one
player cannot make a production. Light
ming" the fiery, unframed steed, looked as
If he belonged to the days of horse cars
and was waiting for the bell to ring twice
before getting up full speed. And yet,
properly produced, '.Mazeppa" ought to
have had as good a chance as Uncle Toms
Cabin But the charm has been taken out
of it; the artistic enthusiasm is lacking.
And grandfather pride is humbled.
While the patrons of popular price attrac-
tons demand emphatic and often exagger-
ated effects. there is often some really good
acting to be found in the midst of the
melodramatic hurly-burly. Ola Humphreys
does some work the leading lady in
The Fatal Wedding which entities her
TO more than the notice which ordinarily
falls to the lot of the heroine in popular
price drama Her performance gives prom
Use Of achievement in more ambitious fields.
II happened at THE Climbers" Between
the acts handsome circulars were passed
IN the audience. announcing that next week
at the New National Daniel Frohman's
Stock Company, with Hilda Spong, would
be the attraction. 1t would seem that Miss
SpOng should be fairly well known In
Washington. for she has played here on
three different occasions, and each time
she has scored success. Behind the writer
sat theater party. composed of three
young ladies and as many young men,
fashion2bly dressed. Evidently their knowl-
edge of the prevailing mode in gowns and
opera hats was shade greater than THEM.
knowledge of the stage and those who
people it.
'Hilda Sponk-oh, she's lovely, George.
I saw her when we were in New York two
years ago. She was leading lady for E. II.
Sothern then. 1 fell quite in love with
her declared one young lady.
SOP replied George. I've often won
dered how 10 pronounce the name I have
always called her Sponge-thats what a
Chicago friend of mine called it."
How funny giggled another young
lady, leaning over her escort. Sponge
the idea! When she was in Pittsburg, five
years ago. everybody there said it was pro-
nounced as It was spelled, but with the soft
sound OF ''g'-Spawnge"
IT'S strange how people will get mixed
on those simple things" asseverated an
other young lady, also leaning on her es-
cort. "Of course, there is no authority for
proper names, but when she was singing
IN opera 1 remember everybody called her
Miss Spong. with every letter sounded.
Perhaps she has changed it since she be-
came famous. though. Actresses often do
was Just saying to friend of mine the
Other day who belongs to the same dra-
matte club l do that if | should go on
the stage 1 should certainly keep my real
name"
Then the young man who was being
leaned upon woke up. Il believe Won are
ali wrong in that pronunciation. l met A
sister of hers who out in Colorado
Springs for her health last winter-you
knew, the Spongs are from my part of the
country. New Hampshire-and they al
ways called it Spon, with the broad sound
OF %
% '@Wen. III find out pretty quick" said the
young man occupying the aisle seat, as he
darted toward the rear of the theater 1t
evidently took him some time. but when he
returned during the middle of the act he
appeared TO be highly pleased with himself.
"It is pronounced said he. slowly and
distinctly. and with the most earnest look
on his face imaginable "as though 1t were
spelled Spawn. / asked the advance man.
He ought to know. He said she was ma
tive OF England. had no relatives in New
Hampshire. had never been in Mr.. SOfhern' q