Evening star., 1901-02-12

they have been thrown
Considered technically as a play David
Harum is less than conventional The
dramatists have taken the novel, wrung all
the plot out Of 1t and hung it UP in front of
the footlights to dry. In some cases the
clumsiness of the narrative is very proha-
bly, attribute Bile to the novel itself. A clever
dramatist could have made a better play
from the offhand remarks of Josh Bill
tngs" than Messrs. Hitchcock have made
from this book. The attempts at pathos
are indeed pathetic. The scene in which
David Harum goes down into his vest
pocket after the 10 cents worth Of pathos
wrapped up in piece of newspaper might
have created a smile had not the auditor
been SO thoroughly schooled in the lesson
that Mr.. Crane would always start it him
self when it was time to laugh. Those
laughs by Mr.. Crane are what saved the
performance. The quaint self-approval of
David Harum cannot fail to linger cheeriiy
in the memory of every person who lis
tened to his bland, ingenious and always
appropriate tributes to his own good hu-
NOR and cleverness.
There was one note of real pathos in the
production-the portrayal of the Widow
Cullom by Lois Frances Clark. 1t was
almost weird in the fidelity with which 1T
depicted the woman who has had soul ana
spirit and hope ground out of her by want.
1t is a fine piece of character acting. A
number of the minor comedy characters
were well enacted, notably among them
being Charles Jackson (Chet TimSon) and
the round-faced youth who aids and abets
David in his sharp trades. 1t is alto
gether too much to expect an ideal stage
hero In character whose two ruling pas
sions are good horses and bad cigars. Yet
as a mere personal vehicle for Mr.. Crane,
the story makes an interesting three-act
sketch and insures many hearty laugh
Mr. Crane added to the gayety OF the
evening by a little joke of his own ut
must have been joke when he sent
gentleman before the audience to express
thanks for the applause and to say that
Mr.. Crane could not think of destroying
the illusion by stepping out or the part OF
David Harum. AS if anybody who had
ever heard him laugh before didn't know
II was Crane all the time! The assumption
that David Harum Is to be handled with
respect as a shelf doover Gh1s bonneville
dialect is very infectious) suggests possi-
biIity that Mr.. Crane is disposed to indulge
in satire.
COLUMBIA THEATER.-There is per-
haps no character in all English literature
so dearly loved as Oliver Goldsmith. There
Is perhaps no author whose personality
is so we'll known. There is certainly no
group Of men in all the history OF literature
of whom so much Is known as the group
Augustus Thomas has placed in his play Of
'.Oliver Goldsmith" which Stuart Robson
presents at the Columbia this week. 1t has
fallen to the lot of but one man to have
Boswell to write his biography. Boswell s
wonderful book, 1.-The life of Samuel john
der Of every student Of English literature
since his time. Essayists like Macaulay,
Irving and a host of others of lesser note,
have had their interest aroused In the
unique group of men portrayed in Boswell s
book, and all have contributed something
to make their remarkable personalities
stand out III bolder relief. To any one at
all acquainted with English literature the
pictures and personal characteristics Of DR..
Samuel Johnson, Oliver Goldsmith. Edmund
Burke, David Garrick, and the other mem
bers of that famous club, are as familiar
are those of the most prominent men in
public life today. 1t was an ambitious task
to construct drama out of such material.
There was a flood Of atmosphere to draw
frcm-delightful atmosphere to breathe
in the classics written by and of these men
but to dramatize this material and then
to get actors to present it acceptably to a
critical public was perhaps the most deli
cate literary and dramatic task ever under
taken by playwright and player. But Mr..
Augustus Thomas and Mr.. Stuart Robson
and company have accomplished this task,
and the stage has been enriched by one of
the most pleasing. wholesome, even in
structing. com edies ever presented.
Mr.. Thomas has drawn from many
sources for the incidents Of his dramatic
story. There are selections from Gold
smiths own inimitable comedy, "She
Stoops to Conquer" There are snatches
from the Traveller" an occasional quota
ton from some of the bon mots of Johnson
made to improvise conversations for poor
good-natured MOL just as he blundered
them out in real life.
The plot, If there can be said to be one,
turns about Goldsmth's infatuation for
Miss Horneck the "JesSamy Bride" and
turns out rather differently and more hap
PLY than the facts recounted in history.
But it really makes no difference as to the
plot, for the play would be a masterpiece
without plot at all.
OF course. Mr.. Robson stands out as the
unique stellar light of the cast, but he has
surrounded himself with a company which
in Individual brightness and excellence is
scarcely second in artistic merit to the
central gem. II. A. Weaver Is the DR..
Johnson. Mr. Stephen Grattan appears in
the character of Edmund Burke the role
which was assumed by Walter Hale when
the play was here last year
John E Henshaw has succeeded Henry
p. DfXey In the part of David Garrick.
Beaumont Smith is the Mr.. Boswell of
the play and o. f. Hallam the Mr.. Feather
stone. To speak of the individual work
of any of these leading characters would
seem to invite invidious-almost unjust
comparisons Ellen Mortimer takes into
the character of Catharine Horneck all the
beauty and vivacity that one naturally ex
poets of the Little Comedy" Miss JEFF
freys Lewis is most pleasing Mrs. Feath-
erstone; Maude White is charming Mary
Horneck. 1.-The Jessamy Bride" Of the poet
Oliver May Ten Brock makes a very ac-
ceptable Mrs. Higgins And "Mr. Drum
mond who leads the laugh at Drury
Lane is ably and vociferously represented
by B. Washburn. The audience last night
was large and thoroughly appreciative. 1t
was an audience which could show its
highest approval by that enrapt silence
which is more flattering than the most ef-
fusive applause, though applause was not
lacking in its proper places. 1t seems pos
sible that the play. "Oliver Goldsmith" will
be as lasting an attraction as the fame of
the immortal character after whom it is
named.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
"A prosperity house greeted the stock COM
pany last night. The play was that trusty
melodramatic classic. Jim the Penman."
and in it's production a new success was
written for the Lafayette. The piece was
quite cleverly done, the cast appearing to
it's best advantage with one possible excep-
ton. Mr.. Ormonde, as usual, is clinched to
the center Of the stage, playing the role OF
the deft forger in characteristic fashion.
This young man, who has had so many
honors thrust upon him In the productions
made by the stock company. has improved
a very great deal during his Washington
engagement. If young Mr. Ormonde would
only live down his tendency to bark his
lines every now and then and would reduce
the gamut of his infections his work would
indeed be pleasing. AS James Ralston last