The Washington times., 1902-01-28

jority of the audience at the National last
evening were of the opinion that. while
The Cardinal is strong in spots. poetic
throughout, effective in costuming. and
admirably handled as to The stage. il is
not an erthralling play, and may hardly
hope to take strong hold on the public.
In very few words. this is the argu-
ment: Cardinal Giovanni de Medici (Mr.
Willard comes, in his churchman
capacity. into the secret of the murder
OF one Chigi, father of the afiianced of
the cardinals brother. Later the brother
OF the cardinal is accused of the murder,
arrested. and sentenced TO execution. The
struggle between the man and the prelate
forms the chief thread of the story. The
duty 10 church triumphs, and the audi
ence is asked to fear for the head of the
young brother. The audience, however.
having witnessed one or two four-act
plays before, has pretty clear idea that
things will all come out right in the end.
and doesn't allow itself to be o'er-per-
turbed
And things do come out right The
cardinal wins by strategy where he re-
fuses to win by a breach of faith He
will not betray the condolences of the
confessional, but he will arrange to have
the real mudrerer of Chigi refers. in the
hearing of a hidden witness. to the COM
mission of the act. Very clever schem-
ing. that.
~. Willard-cast him as You will.
rake CT him a doddering old-fashioner
IL .eEttery, an absent-minded old-young
pTNessor, polished rogue of the GENTLE
manly sort. player of parts-is a genu-
ine delight to a very large proportion of
the theatregoers of two countries. He
has an ease that puts his audience in
sympathy with him from the start,
winning grace. a smile that lights the
whole stage, and a courtliness that no
eXigency Of stage situation can efface
Much as We dislike to fall into the hack
1eyed. there is no expression that sug-
gests itself at the present as more ap-
propriate in description of Mr.. Willard
than this-a finished actor
In this new play Mr.. Willard has ex-
cellent support. The young brother of
The cardinal. by A. S. Homewood. is most
capably presented. There is q very pretty
little love situation between this gentle
man and Miss Ellen O'Malley (the daugh-
ter OF ChigD. with the cardinal present
10 preserve the proprieties.
Another is the dramatic announcement
of purpose made by the cardinal when,
carried away by his mothers fond pre-
dlctions that he will be Pope, he outlines
the glories he will create. Nothing finer
occurs to us along this line since that
splendid utterance of Villon, 'If Villon
were the King of France" in If / Were
King" And in a minute it is gone and
the ruler-the prospective ruler-of all
Rome is merely a cardinal again. and re-
Txrf faA 1r,lsr1 1icta r-oI
buff which has defeated him in his am
bition. But it is a fine fight. And it
stays with you.
People viii go to see ''The Cardinal
because they will go to see Willard.
But they viii not go to see it again
and again. as they have gone to see THE
Middleman," for it does not take hold
of them to the extent OF the earlier pro-
duction.
Tomorrow afternoon Mr.. Willard will
present David Garrick' at the National
for the benefit of the Garfield Hospital.
\ Good Vaudeville Bill Mt Cha.e,s.
An evenly balanced bill OF vaudeville at
Chase's provided entertainment for two
large audiences yesterday. 1t is one of
the best-arranged programmes of the sea-
son and is sufficiently diversified to fur
nish amusement for all sorts of tastes
The comedy element predominates. At
least five of the seven acts are construct
ed obviously for laughing purposes. and
IN majority OF cases this object is ac-
complished. But IL the element is weak
in one or two instances it is compensated
Tor by the exceptional strength OF some
of the other turns.
The headliner on the programme and
also in the opinion of the auditors ap-
parently, is Wilfred Clarke and company.
who present sketch entitled In a Bio
graph" Mr. Clark. is a son of the late
John Sleeper Clarke, and the mask of
comedy is his by inheritance. The sketch
given by him and his associates is an
adaptation from the German and Is of the
falcical order. Some of the situations are
skillfully wrought and are extremely fun
ny, and they are emphasized by the unc-
ton OF the chief player. 1t is decidedly
better than the average vaudeville play.
The talking turn of James J. Morton
furnished full quota of amusement. His
methods OF comedy are original and his
easy flow of bright conversation was
greatly enjoyed by the audience which
called him back a number of times. An
acrobatic act of unusual excellence is that
of the Martinetti family Some OF their
feats of athletic art are extremely diff
cult and exceedingly graceful. They are
the best gymnasts that have been seen at
Chases in many a day.
r. H. Mohr displayed his skill as a
rapid sketch artist and as a ventriloquist
in both of which he was clever. Edwin
Latell, in a black-face musical act. was
as entertaining of old. and Al Leech
and the Three Rosebuds presented the
same funny sketch they gave at this house
last season. The one weak number on the
bill was that OF the Seven Reedbirds,"
f,- hatr Il. t,afs sIr,.
tanning. Daily matinees.