Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-22
ADJUSTMENTS.

NEW NATIONAL THEATER--AS a
compensation for the good stories that have
been spoiled by playwrights 1t Is only fair
that occasionally a really clever and APP
pealing dramatic fancy should be evolved
from a more or less unpromising novel.
when Knighthood Was in Flower is one
of the books which would be least expected
to turn out drama of sustained interest
and episode variety, and yet Mr.. Kester, by
taking the character of Mary Tudor and
developing it on much the same lines as
that of Nell Gwynne. has produced COM
edy which reveals the personality of Julia
Marlowe in highly attractive setting, and
this is an achievement which any play
wright might envy.
Your whimsical domineering Wheedling,
Gliding lass, with the flashing eye and the
persuasive voice, however much she is to
be feared in real life, is most lovable across
the footlights. And Miss Marlowe portrays
the type with a forceful grace which pre-
vents the sentiment from expressing itself
in signing platitudes and which mellows
all asperity into passing piquancies which
serve to brighten the charm of milder
moods. She is regal without being stilted,
and yet descends to sprightly girlishness
without becoming a hoyden. She makes no
obtrustve display of technique, but the
completeness with which the audience is
swayed in full sympathy with each scene
testifies to the precision of her art. Bruce
McRae, too, is a relief from the conven-
tional romantic lover, in that he gets away
from the bombaStic heroicS that have
grown so familiar.
He spares the audience the spectacle of
Indifferent workmanship, which has
grown so common Some years ago
knowledge of fencing was taken for grant
ed In an actor who eSSayed roles which
called for fight as well as defamation, but
so careless have players become in this re-
spect that good honest passage at arms,
such as occurs in the early part of the
play, is notable and gratifying.
There is a certain historic satisfaction in
being carried back to the time when Henry
was king, when Catherine was queen and
when Jane Seymour and Annie Buellen
We're waiting their turns. Mr. Harbury
makes the monarch a low comedian, and
his rough comedy, while far from being
regal In its quality, is quite in accord with
the traditions of grossness which surround
that pleaSure-lOving parsonage. The cos
tuning has an air of accuracy as well as
richness, and the scenery is as fresh and
appealing as if the play were not it's
second tour.
COLUMBIA THBATER.-William Morris
Of pleasant memory comes back to Wash
ington in a star role. There is something
fetching in the very title of the play
When We Were Twenty-one." With what
a little regretful sigh it conjures up scenes
and incidents, places and faces. Some
things, to be sure, of which one has no
reason to be proud, but which are excused
were but incidental to the age of twenty
one. The world is very lenient with twenty
one. So the man who has not seen this
play before probably settled down in his
seat expecting to witness a portrayal of
some of the follies. much of the conceit and
little of the retrbuton attending the ca
reer of the budding youngster in that golden
age. Richard Carewe, the guardian of this
imp just turned twenty-one, must depict
the solicitude of the fond parent for the
maynard boy-must feel and show the
grief with which his folly stabs him;
ready to forgive it all upon repentance and
take back the impulsive, warm hearted boy
to the place he held. This William Morris
does most acceptab bly,. In pathos, repres-
sion of self and sympathetic expression Mir.
Morris finds himself at his best. If there
is anything lacking it is certain quality
of mobility which might be expressed in a
flash of humor here and there A very
beautiful little love story runs through the
play. 1t is the prettier for it's simplicity,
breathing an atmosphere of charming ro-
nance yet homely. 1t is in this that Dora
Booth as Phyllis Ericsson figures success
fully. She has caught the spirit of the sim
pie, housekeeping English girl and con-
sistently portrays it throughout. The sup
port of Mr.. Morris is strong. The Trinity
whom 1t will be remembered comprise the
three friends of Richard Carewe who I'M
dertook to help raise the imp" including
"Waddles" The Soldier Man and The
Doctor" are represented respectively by
Mr.. Walter Walker. Dudley Hawley as
the imp is a typical example of the age
of twenty-one. Impulsive, chivalrous, fool
ish, magnificenuy egotistical-he furnishes
both the trouble and the recompense to the
other characters in the play.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE.
Into the realm of a fairy wood all filled
with fanciful figures, and into the laugh
bound sphere of Shakespeare's broadest
comedy, the stock company at the Lafay-
cite again takes it's patrons this week 1t
was found that six evening performances
and two matinees We're not sufficient to
meet the popular demand for "A Mdsum-
mer Nights Dream" and so the run he's
been extended. Coupled with the popular
demand was the indisputable fact that this
Shakespearean Offering is enc of the very
best things the stock company has ever
done: and so the justification of a second
week is complete. "A Midsummer Night
Dream has always been held to offer Won
dcrful opportunities, but there are obstacles
in the way of giving it a proper presentation
at which many managers have baked. The
Lafayette company, however, has the cour-
age of it's convictions and an abiding faith
in its ability. 1t has done many daring
things with the means at hand and, what
is best of all, has carried Zach of it's ex-
ploits bravely through the land of doubts
and misgiVings to the calcium-light field
of golden success. So it is with "A Mid
summer Nights Dream" The production
is complete in all it's details, from the gided
Athenan palace of Theseus down to the
alarming beasts, the awe-inspiring pixies
and COLLINS of the fairy glade. Mos. as
tonishng of all IS the very fierce owl which
sits on a limb and blinks alternately his
two incandescent fiery eyes. The produce
ton commands the attention and the admi-
ration of the audience throughout and this
week it Is especially delightful, for the
players have become perfect and easy in
their parts. 1t is a source of gratifica ton
to the patrons of the stock company to see
what the organization is capable of when
its members have the opportunity to play a
piece for more than one week. A great deal
of time and money was spent on the pre-
sentation of the current fairy comedy and
the result has been all that the most san
guine could have anticipated. No play
could more strikingly evince the versatility
of Mr.. Bellows corps of stage workers. 1t
was a happy chance that brought the COM
pany, the play and that experienced inter-
prefer of Shakespearean comedy, Edmund
Lyons, together. The setting given the
comedy is another feature which goes to
make the production decidedly remarka BILE
The idea of the fairy glade is admirably
conveyed. There are wonderful trees and
plants on every side. and fiowery swings
and moonbeams dancing in company with
a score of tiny fairies. Then there is that
merry Robin Goodfellow, Puck, in the per-
son of Antoinette Walker, a picture of
leaves and legs, a graceful, fascinating lit
tie parsonage, who is making her first ap-
trr6f too