Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-05
THE THEATER.
Columbia Theater.

Columbia Theater.
Several times a season 1t is announced
that the limit has been reached in the pos
sibilities of stage magnificence. Produc-
lions have progressed from great" to 'im-
mense'' and from immense" to colossal"
"stupendous'' and words Of equal signif-
canoe. And now
Wanted-For THE Runaways," a new adj
jective.
1.-The Runaways'' was discovered in man.
uscript form in Chicago, exploited in Balti-
more for a preliminary season of three
days last week, and opened its first regular
engagement at the Columbia Theater last
night Messrs. Shubert and Nixon & Zim-
norman expect to make its next engage
ment one Of indefinite duration. since it is
designed to occupy the same position In
theatric affairs as was held by THE Chi
nese Honeymoon last season. The audi
ence last night indicated popular DISPOSE
ton here to embrace the opportunity to see
the original production of this Casino crea-
ton, and not take chances of having to de-
pend on number two companies.
THE Runaways' forsakes the oriental
atmosphere and is manufactured of Amer
lean material. True, some of it is modelled
after foreign designs. The mythical island
idea which inspires the second act is redo
lent of other musical comedies, but the idea
is SO embelliShed that it affects the senses
as new creation. The realm is called
THE Isle of Table d'Hote," and at the rise
of the curtain the eye is surprised and de-
lighted by bewilderment of epicurean and
floral fancies. Luscious berries, fruits and
flowers are endowed with animate lowell
ness by the young women of the company
who are so radiantly numerous as to in
clude almost every style of beauty and al
most every accomplishment in singing and
dancing that the stage affords.
1t is on the second act that the attractive
ness of the new piece chiefly depends The
first act is a reflex of much that has been
hitherto presented. The enormous interest in
horse racing that has lately developed In
America may invite approval of the frolic-
some array of tpsters. plungers, jockeys
and faShionables who are displayed amid
surroundings of perpetual glee. The book
does not seek to develop any new fields Of
satire, but devotes itself, as it were, to the
B c of humor, falling back, when other
material fails. on the catch words which
have been popularzed in the current adj
vertisements. Early in the piece occurs
song with the title, How I'd Write Com
ic Opera" If it may be accepted as con-
fesSion, its frankneSs must commend it. 1t
alludes to the hacker as the important fac
tor; and the hacker has provided so extensive
and yet so tasteful an array of stage
beauty as to command the utmost in
dulgence In the consideration of all other
details. There are light effects which would
claim instant pardon for any triteness of
tuning which alone would give the spec
tacle sufficient excuse for being.
So brilliant are the impressions made by
the ensemble effects that there is momen-
tary danger Of overlooking the fact that
there are comedians we'll as choristers
and stage settings. They are presented
with the lavishness BETTING so extensive
an enterprise. Arthur Dunn a feather
weight in physique, but a Hercules in fun,
1mpersonateS a jockey, a pickpocket and
anything else that happens to occur to him.
AL Fields as the more experienced rogue
assists Mr.. Dunn in showing that there are
still possibilities in the career of "Ravvy''
and "Caddy,' who are constantly forsaking
their old haunts to appear in new dis
guises. William Gould neat, compact and
graceful, impersonates tout, and displays
vocabulary Of slang which is as pic
turesque as 1t is unique. Alexander Clark
appears as the burlesQue military man. and
there Is promise, faint and soon dspelled
That he will prove satiric successor TO
our good old English friend, Sir Joseph
Porter And If these are not comedians
enough there are the rooster, etc. A bless
ing on the man who invented that conven-
lent phrase, Others too numerous to men,
ton. Among the singers are Van Rensse-
laer Wheeler. so well known for his eff
cheney in delivering a heart-to- heart ballad
that his name is a sufficient guarantee that
the sentimental portions will be idylIic and
not unduly exaggerated. Miss Dorothy
Dorr. Miss Helen Lord and Miss Amelia
Stone all have congenial opportunities The
ehSi1i Si"leIS, WIN lol oIliy make cndrm-
ing subjects for photographs but who sing
little and dance a great deal, imperson-
ate two newspaper women. And there are
the six widows, who, in stunning gowns
are as dazzling collection of show girls
as ever nodded hat brim coquettishly a
la Florodora The kissing septet, in which
they figure with Arthur Dunn, is sure to he
one of the hits Of the piece.
The present is an era of big enterprise OF
combinations of business energy and cap
ital. In Its spectacular equipments THE
Runaways' represents an amalgamation of
forces that is likely to be discouraging to
competition. II 1t comes under the OBJ
servation of Attorney General Knox he will
be tempted to take cognizance of it as an
other formidable enterprise in the merger
line.