The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-09-18
Off With a Rush.
Season Begins AuspiCiouslu
With The College Wild
0W" and Mrs. Bingham's
Engdgement-"The Vital
Issue"


The height Of the theatrical season
is not likely to give more enjoyment
than tho eight performances with which
the season opened. We shall be fortu-
nate indeed. IL we get 10 see another
comedy in the whole season as fun OF
America. of genuine humor. or pure
comedy, OF good acting and as free
from objectionable dialogue as the col
lege Widow" Mrs Bingham's engage
ment. on the other hand, rewarded every
interest IN good acting. At the Lafay-
cite Miss Bob White" gave satisfac-
ton. Chase's supported Miss Coghlan.
an extremely capable actress, with an
unusual bill of vaudeville Billy elf
ford, at the Academy obtained enthu-
siastic favor for a grade of comedy
rarely seen in such playhouses. Il was
the Lyceum that broke the rule. and
it viii hardly offer a poorer company
all season.
The College Widow" gave unanoyed
pleasure
First Of ALL it was mighty good com
edy. and grew. as the best comedy al
ways grows. out OF an association Of
types instead OF the wit Of dialogue. In
what the dramatist calls real life il
would be impossible to bring together
such characters as Dr. Witherspoon
Hiram Bolton. Stubs TaInnadge. and
Flo, the daughter Of the boarding house
keeper and not have the best kind OF
comedy. So it is on the stage. but
dramatists are slow 10 find It out.
Second-the atmosphere was new to
the stage, yet familiar to every au-
-dience; redolent or "reminiscences 20 every
man I'm the audience; and thoroughly
American. That is a great combination.
Third-the love story was sweet. rea-
sonable. and happily ended and that is
a great consideration. as the Saturday
matinee proved.
Fina1ly-every role was admirably act
ed.
Fault can be found with THE College
Widow" Of course. Monday night there
were MANI loose ends, which were per
fectly manifest to the stage manager,
author. and producer, and they were
much better able TO gather them to-
gether than the critics Even Friday
night the cheering on the bleechers and
the events of the game did not keep
time Most of the cast cheered so
heartily as to ruin their voices for the
last act Consistency OF plot waited on
incentive TO laughter. in the last
scene when two couples declared their
love and became engaged in the middle
OF a street directly In front OF the
Grand Central Hotu:.
But what Of it? Nobody who is grown
up and has hts senses sees a banana
peel. at his feet when. he locks at the
Alps A good comedy like The Col
lege Widow" is too rare and precious to
be picked apart FOR any such faults
washington might find amusement in
noting the comment Wednesday on the
first performance OF The College
Widow I'm New York Mr. Corbin. OF
the Times" who is one of the best
critics in Gotham, is almost certain 10
like il. 20 say so, and then to Indicate
the weaknesses set forth in the proceed
ing paragraph. Mr. Huneker, of the
sun" will condescend to it, Mr. Bull
lock. Of the Press, viii admire the
acting. Mr.. Cohen, who writes for the
Journal as Alan Dale. VIII try 70 de-
tect the spirit Of the initial audience
and then contradict it. Mr.. Winter. OF
The Tribune" the dean Of the corps
Is little uncertain; but IL his dinner is
good and the company not too nervous,
ii will remind him OF the days when
Lester Wallack and others gave US real
comedy. and move him 10 commend IL
gently the while he touches on its
faults with acid
And the play will go on, playing to
crowded houses all season.
Mrs. Bingham's engagement suffered
from the use OF old plays. The
Climbers" The Frisky Mrs. Johnson"
and a Modern MagdaleB-" all have
what the advertiser calls pulling pow
err" but they will not pull long. Which
is a very good test OF their actual
merit. Cleverness, audacity, ingenuity.
and smartness do not make plays.
They are. however, Mr. Fitch's stock in
trade. and they have helped Mrs Bing-
ham 20 her present position on the
stage
Her company continues TO be one Of
the best CT the stage. She herself IS in
telligent. artistic ambitious. and pos
sessed OF remarks Die executive ability
Her acting has so far correspondent ex-
actly 20 the limitations Of her plays
and her plays just miss being great.
Mr.. Worthing essayed three different
KINGS OF dCInB-What the stage CT lis
straight" acting I'm The Climbers
light comedy IN THE Frlsky Mrs. John
SON" and character acting in a Mod
ern Magdalen." Except for q rather
muffied voice his imDersOnations were
all beyond criticism. Indeed. nothing
finer than his comedy IN THE Frisay
Mrs. Johnson has been offered here for
years. and il Is easy 70 see now why Mr.
Winter has called him so often sue
cessor 20 Lester Wallack. II viii be well
20 watch Frank Worthing.
Mrs Bingham has a new play in re-
hearsal called The Vital Issue" 1t deals
with modern American politics. is a play
OF life IN Washington. and opens 10 the
company a distinct new field. The au-
thor Is a Mr. Middleton I'm whom Mrs
Bingham has long been interested. There
q a strong probability that after her
tour Of the South. perhaps in January.
Mrs Bingham may return and present
the rev play 10 Washington, for she
hrat time on any stage.
The ensuing week promises musical
comedy. romantic drama. comic opera.
good vaudeville melodrama. and bur
leeQuc There Is assortment enough f,r