Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-07

Il
folk that the end of the season means
the end of friendship AS companies
II make ready to disband all the griev-
ances that have been held in SUBJ
lection through motives OF self-inter-
est demand utterance There is no
longer need for diplomacy. and there is
nothing to be gained by parting friends. In
deed 1t is better to be well rid OF repu-
dated association than to nurture farewell
pangs. Perhaps the average playgoer feeis
something of the same disposition. Assur-
eddy the playhouse was not held In high
esteem last week. and some of the opinions
exchanged the crowds went forth INTO
the cool, inviting darkness were harsh, FER
haps the hints that Ben Hur" Is no longer
acted with the original dramatic spirit and
that "Mama's Papas' is a nightmare are
unjust Perhaps in the regular season THE
Street Singer would have seemed genuine
entertainment, and the Russell Brothers
would have been less absurd as the heroines
of a roof-raising melodrama. The Zancigs
at Chase's Theater might have been hailed
as genuine occult phenomena, instead of In
genious code signalists, had they appeared
when snow was the ground and there
was joy in getting out of a drafty street car
into any place that was steam heated. The
regular season has had its day and the
public is ready to say farewell. The signs
are unmistakable. The all-star cast that
flashes meteor-like through the city is near
at hand. The circus looms in the distance.
The summer stock company parades its list
of local favorites aspirants for that dis
tinction. The college boy who loves to dis
port himself In cosmetics and muslin under
wear energies from the winter gloom. The
quarters that used to go for seats in the
cd IN t1a 0herG IN
the ball field. 1t is the season of theatric
farewell, and unless Charles Hawtrey and
Charles Hanford can remove some of the
impressions created this week the farewell
will not be a friendly one.
X X
OF course, Ben Hur." with all It's scenic
greatness, commands interest and respect
but it possesses no novelty for the habitual
playgoer. The novelty of the week was
"Iama's Papas." And a novelty it was.
Nothing like it has been seen since 1.-The
Rose of Persia withered and expired in
this city seasons ago.
The fact that a play with the mawkish
title of ''Mama's Papas' could live all the
way from Chicago to Washington inspired
hope. But it was hope ill-founded. The re-
ports from Chicago were that 'Mama's
Papas' was success. And then came the
teamsters strike. Perhaps the play was
success there. There is no telling what may
happen in Chicago. Occasionally 1t looked
as if some of the original members of the
cast had been left behind and supplanted by
the teamsters. "Mama's Papas'' Is an
adaptation from the German. 1t affords an
example of how different may be the results
attained by two people with the same ma
terial One of Nat Goodwin's earlier pieces
was taken from the same source. 1t was
entitled Confusion ands the Identity Of
origin is Enthusiastically traced by the incl
dent of the sea captain who married a col
ored woman. In the Goodwin comedy the
incident was handled lightly and without
undue emphasis. In the present play the
suggestion is merely one of vulgar miscege-
nation.
The performance at Chases Theater was
remarkable for an example of impolite
vaudeville which is hardly excusable Lou
Wesley who delivers what is termed a
monologue makes a speech seemingly in
good faith and says that an accident has
occurred. He wants to know whether there
is q physician in the audience, and after
some delay, during which any aspiring
young medico who is waiting for oppor-
tunity is rejecting on the advisability of de-
am a DOCTOR" Whereupon Mr.. Wesley, with
dainty wit says, well, don't go out. I'm
going to sing" The man who arises is
doubtless an employee and nobodys feelings
are hurt. although 1t is safe to say that any
doctor who thought of doing the decent
thing and offering his services congratulates
himself on a narrow escape from public hu-
initiation. The query is this: Would the
performers repartee have been the same IL
a physician had been too prompt in volun-
teering his offices? And If he happened to
be a man of pugnacous tendency would he
look for a reckoning at the stage door or
in the managers office? No theater which
appeals to reputable audiences has the right
to permit Its performers to make game of
Its patrons. So many of the performers in
vaudeville recruited from the ranks of
entertainers who appeal to audiences with
out fastidious tastes that 1t must be diff
cult to hold them to the amenities But the
vigilance to which vaudeville owes much
OF it's success should not be relaxed.
+
fervid suspicion is aroused by Mr.. David
Belasco's championship of Nan Patterson.
His offer of 81 600 to head subscription for
her defense in the event of another trial
calls to mind that Mr.. Belasco is by instinct
managerial knight errant. When Mrs.
Leslie Carter was regarded a dramatic
adventures. with nothing to invite public
interest except a divorce. Mr.. Belasco I'M
,dertook to exploit her. When he wrote
THE Heart of Maryland managers refused
TO book the play If Mrs. Carter was In the
cast. Later they refused to book 1t without
her. Nan Patterson has all the capital of
notoriety that could possibly be accumu-
lated. Yet an attempt even by so great a
developer of talent as Belasco would seem
perilous enterprise.