The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-31

Fort and made apparently deeper i'm
pressions. What a strange condition is
this
A Theatrical Puzzle.
Wonder will grow, however, as all the
concomitants are considered t'The
School for Scandal is undoubtedly a
popular play. Those who saw it last
Thursday night will vouch for it. Its
cid lines, said over and over wherever
the English language is spoken. excited
as much laughter-its old characters.
made familiar by Unnumbered prints
enc etchings, aroused as much interes;
as though the work had been new. From
scene to scene the audience of that
right followed these old friends in their
familiar clothes through all the ia
miliar events of this old plot, only to
rejoice at the end in virtues victory
ever vice and arise from their seats
as though it had all been new and the
plot an unfolding of surprise after sur
prise. From that reception. no new
play could have pleased more, and any
play less than great one must have
pleased less.
were similarly distinguished A coinci-
dencc brought to Washington in the
course of the week an "all-star" cast,
equipped with splendid scenery and her
aided by much blowing OF trumpets.
Those who attended both performances
al cnee spread about the city the most
confident Judgments in favor of the Gal
land company. Actor for actor the bal
ance between the two organizations was
Enthusiastically in favor of Miss Galland
ard her associates. Between the two
Juliets there was wide gulf of charm
and strength, also in Miss Galland,s ia
yor. How remarkable this was cannot
he appreciated except the reader knows
how strong the alI-star cast was and
how notable were the achievements Of
any company which surpassed it.
Even this was not all. Miss Galland's
Juliet was not only superior TO that OF
sensation. Every competent critic who
saw her in the role contributed the sup
port of mis- opinion to that judgment.
Those who are privileged to publish
their opinions in the daily newspapers
united in paying her the highest trib-
utes of their pens. Old actors stood
about the Columbia sensibly awakened
from the lethargy which is so charac-
teristie of the profession Wherever
the theater was discussed at all there
was either enthusiastic praise for this
enactment or wonder at the impression
it had made. Miss Galland's Juliet was
not alone a dramatic sensa tton-it was
an accepted and recognized sensation.
Whose Judgment Erred?
The reward for all this was what?
Support for the manager who had dared
to produce great plays with decent
regard for their greatness? Not at all
On the contrary he was forced TO see,
night after night, smaller houses than
were assembled in his own theater a
few weeks earlier to view the asinine
antics of cheap bufoons or hear the mis-
cradle strains OF an abortive musical
composition called The Runaways." 1t
is much 70 be doubted whether in all
the history of that wonderful institu-
tion any musical comedy has been so
completely without merit. Yet the box
Office proceeds from that senseless mush
probably exceeded those for the entire
three weeks of the Galland stay. The
contrast in popular favor could hardly
been greater had Miss Galland under
taken TO conduct a symphony orchestra.
So. when the curtain fell last night.
Mr.. Luckett-to whose love for good
acting and appreciation Of good plays
This enterprise was solely due-was con-
fronted with serious financial loss and
manifest failure IN this undertaking.
A hundred minds have supplied as
many explanations for this sad reflection
on the taste OF the community. One
points TO the season-the evenings were
100 warm. people were tired of theater-
going; yet the streets and parks were
not noticeably more patrontzed. An
other thought the plays were too
"heavy"-as though any comedy of The
modern ''parlor" period were half so Ill
yerting as THE School for Scandal"
A third objected to Romeo and
Juliet"-yet the poorer performance OF
the Liebler company attracted a crowd
ed house. "a fourth thought the actors.
many of them veterans. and all OF them