The Washington times., 1901-11-10
The NationaI-Joseph Jefferson.

The Nntional-Joseph Jefferson.
II would have gladdened the heart OF
"tbe dean of the dramatic profession
could he have seen the line Of people in the
lobby of the National Theatre last Thurs
day morning forging their way to the
box office. where the seat sale for his en-
gagement opened with an unprecedently
brisk demand Mr.. Jefferson's visits to
this city are always agreeable ones. and
that of this season, for one week begin
ming tomorrow night, promises to be even
more of a qualification and a greater
success than ever.
Mr. Jefferson will not appear in any
new characters while he is here, and IL
is extremely improbable that ne will ev-
er undertake to create-that is a term
which actors like and audiences under
stand when new parts are mentioned
another role Indeed. there does not seem
TO be any desire on the part Of the pubic
for Mr.. jefferson to identify himself with
new work His Rip Van Wrinkle, Bob
Acres, Caleb Piummer, and Mr.. Go
lightly. have long been institutions of
the playhouse, and the theatres in which
he appears during his short tours are
seldom large enough to hold the throngs
who visit them on these occasions.
H
lect. while yet young man, the char
acters through which his powers were
destined 10 find their amplest expression.
The affection with which Mr.. Jefferson's =
memory Is cherished and the admiration
with which his name Is spoken throughout
this country is a broad and sufficient eyi-
dence that his conduct of the artists life
has been no less prudent and right than
kindly, modest, gentle. and sincere. IL is
not caprice which shapes such a career as
that Of Mr.. Jefferson's, nor is It accident
that has crowned 1t with laurels.
The repertoire for this weeks Jefferson
engagement Will be follows: Monday
Tuesday, and Thursday evenings, and Sat
urday matinee, RIP Van Wrinkle" We'd
nesday and Friday evenings, The Riv-
ais" Saturday evening, Cricket on the
Hearth and Lend Me Five Shillings"
The CoIumbia-s'Are You Masonf'
When Are You a Mason?" was pre-
scented in the German at the Irving Place
Theatre, New York, the audience laughed
so heartily that Leo Ditrichstein conclud-
ed free translation would be just as
amusing. The English version has proven
fully as laughable. If not more so, and ior
weeks it filed Walack's Theatre, New
York. Unfortunately its run had to be
cut short by previous contract made by
the managers Of the theatre with another
attraction, or the comedy would undoubt-
edly have stayed solid season in New
York. The production was taken to Pow
ers Theatre, Chicago, for a summer run,
where it duplicated its New York success,
and Notwithstanding the fact that the
heat in Chicago was terrific at times. the
theatre was always filled The play re-
turned to New York at the beginning of
the present season to open the GarricI1
Theatre, and again the comedy drew aud
fences that tested the capacity of that
theatre.
The unquestioned hit of the piece caused
Charles Frohman to secure the English
fights, and Are You Mason?' was pre-
sented at the beginning OF the present
eeason by him at the Salisbury Theatre,
London, where England received II with
foarS OF laughter and stamped its seal q
approval on the comedy. That the play
vss an unquesttoned success is evinced
by the fact that Mr.. Frohman has made
no arrangements for anything else at that
playhouse for the next year.
The story of the comedy. briefly told
is as follows: Amos Bloodgood has for
twenty years posed as a Mason In order
to explain the evenings be has spent
away from home. His wife has grown to
feel rr&de in what she believes are his