Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-27
THE THEATER.
Columbia Theater.

The production of "a Comedy Of Errors"
at the Columbia Theater last night was at
tended by large audience and one that
was plainly anxious to testify to its esteem
of Mr.. Stuart Robson In every possible
way. Even when Mr.. Robson refused to
make his customary condescension In the
way of a curtain speech the enthusiastic
youth aloft, without whose presence no
Shakespearean play could hope to be really
complete, remained loyal. The Raymond
overture which the orchestra played as an
entr'acte was drowned by the persistent de-
mands for Mr.. Robson, but he was deter
mined in his avoidance of well-intended
compliment.
Mr.. Robson bears. the burden Of this pro-
duction almost alone. To select single
Dron1io and make him the central figure Is
a bold experiment, for Shakespeare was no
tably impartial in distributing the comedy
to these remarkable twins who nave IN
spired so many later farces, though none 80
good. To play 1.-The Comedy of Errors
with only one Dromio is, fortunately, not
nearly so bald an undertaking as to play
Hamlet" without the melancholy Dane,
for that one witty varlet may by especial
effort compensate to large degree for the
delinquency of his brother. 1t was TINS
service that Mr.. Robson performed last
night. A rough calculation shows that
there are about 19.4l636S, more or Tess. act I,
ors who can give accurate limitations OF
Stuart Robson. Mr.. Leigh, who Is cast LOT
the part is a very competent player, nut
his gift is not mimetic, and when a man
with so pronounced personality as that OIL
Mr.. Robson plays the Dromio OF Syracuse
all that is left for the Dromio OF Ephesus
is to give as accurate a copy as possio,s.
Mr.. Leighs performance had at least the
merit of sfrankneSS. There was no decep-
ton.
The play proceeded merrity and left no
just reason for serious complaint 1t lep-
resents the farcical extreme OF the e mo-,
nous range of moods covered by the SNAKE
spearean plays, and is redeemed from puL-
foonery only by the mastery genius WEIGH
so deity interweaVeS the ab1ect 1ooler!es VI
these two uncompromising clowns with
story of almost tragic interest MT. ROBSON
is doing the stage distinct service in pre-
serving this reminder of Shakespeare ca
pability for broad humOr to the American
stage Classic is a formidable WORD 10
many theater patrons; but When cassie
author can arouse so many nearly iauSus
as those which greeted the performance last
night there is no further excuse for doubt
ing his popular interest. -.
That Mr. Robson played the Dromlo or
Syracuse well goes without saying: 80
firmly has he identified his own indivfdual,
ity with the role that it Is very douot1ui
whether any performance of. it could be ac-
ceptable which did not exhibit his pro-
nounced peculiarities Of speech and ges-
ture.
Some very handsome scenery embellishes
the production, and the costumes are PIC
turesque and in some instances gorgeous.
The company includes Cecil Kingstone as
Aegeon. Edwin Holt and Adolph jackson
as the Antipholi. Miss Eleanor Barry as
Adriana Frances Grahame Mayo as ner
sister. Laura Thompson as Phryne and MISS
Jennie Reifferth as the abbess. The music
accompanying the play is accreoited 10 MI.
Sol Minister and is highly meritorious IN