Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-08

NEE more tolls the bell. Another
melancholy train wends Its way
toward the nations theatre ceme-
" terry. New York THE Dragon
Fly may not find immediate ad-
rnIttance but its afYectionate and loyal
friends say they will do their best to secure
IL attention from the overworked sections
Of broadway and have hollow eulogiums
scattered through the city on three-sheet-
posters Those posters are the tombstones
of the many defunct shows that New York
has received. Criticism IN that city mas
become a long funeral grafton, and the
attempts at gayety are as hollow as they
are misplaced So great has been the rush
sn theatrical undertaking that there is an
unnistakable tendency toward indecent
haste. Occasionally play finds the
coroners jury waiting for 1t at the jersey
City ferry, and an autopsy is performed
on general principles. whether II Is needed
or not All that can be learned OF 1t from
the next days papers is that 1t Is dead.
Now and then the embalmer Is permitted
to exercise his Office But 1t is shallow
consolation. Washington has been the
locale OF many disappointed hopes. But
there are few scenes of sorrow more az
fecting than those which have sur
rounded various performances as they de-
parted hence to join the others that arrived
by less beaten thoroughfares in the city
of gloom, whose play houses this season
loom up as mausoleums. Perchance some
of the producing managers now on their
way there may be content to leave the
Journey incomplete and make the last
farewell in the provinces among the daisies
by some wayside shrine. wet with the tears
ttxT lnt a crTpT
some metaphors. Let US turn to something
light and joyous.
Take the Joe Weber show, for instance.
Here are mirth and melody and attire of
rainbow gorgeousness. Here is Charley
Bigelow him to whom we turned with glee-
full confidence in the days agone of summer
opera; days when summer opera were as
conspicuous for genuine music and comedy
as for warm weather. Surely Bigelow will
beguile this pessimistic mood. Behold him
adorned with exaggerated nose and strange
mustachios, grotesque and more approx
mately melodious of voice than any other
burlesque comedian except De Wolf Hop
per. But there is something familiar about
this French waiter that Bigelow imper-
sonates. Mong Doc! 1t is the waiter of
"Papa's Wife And bringing on the same
mannerisms which were welcome to an
appetite then unappeased! In the second
burlesQue Mr.. Bigelow gives pathetic pic
ture of an unhappy person who went broke
because of too much education. 1t Is most
touching. But take cheer, my fidus Achates,
you whom l have lured into the playhouse
with promises of laughter unrestrained. Ed
Connolly has quiet. gentlemanly humor of
his own. Still the evening progresses, and
the lines allotted to him are most sedate-
noI-at last-he has q glorious opportunity!
He is permitted 20 fan off fence back
wardi Here indeed, is hIlarity.- But a fall
from a fence lasts only for moment. Yon-
der is Weber himself chunky and with I'M
failing drolleries of speech. But where is
Fields? Damon. strive heroically as he may,
Is not himself without Pythias Had a quar-
rel? Too bad. But there is no reason why the
public should suffer for that Washington
is now recognized as headquarters for peace
the world over. Let them make it up, or in
lieu of an entente cordale at least establish
a modus vivendi for business purposes. It's
time to laugh. How do 1 know? Because
that joke was printed in the newspaper as
one of the best in the Hbretto. There is
nothing like providing schedule of this
kind In advance. And when the echoing
rnirth resoUnds again 1t is accepted as in
deed merry jest, when 1t is in reality only
another testimonial to the fact that people
read the papers But II you will not laugh
with these, perhaps you long for art. Ho-
garth knew no curves graceful as those
daintily applied lines which stand for lips
and eyebrows with the bonnie choristers;
the only ones in all the theater who are
clad for this unreasonable warmth. 1t is
the mission of femininity to, be beautiful;
beauty, combined with gentleness and grace
look out! Sit back and hold tight. Here
comes Marie DRESSER. That little furry of
disorder just beyond is caused by the hurry
of beauty, gentleness and grace to find
back seat Miss Dressler never told re-
porter that she took milk bath or tried to
reduce her figure but when she swoops
down on scene the place where she stands
is the center of the stage and she doesn't
need spot light. With vocal range of
exactly two and one-half notes she gets
three four times as much out of a song
as the author and composer put into 1t.
Miss DRESSER is not coincidence She is
comedian. Distinctions of gender have no
place In her work. She is uproariously,
boisterously and outrageously funny. Miss
Dresser is. obviously, the all-star alluded
10 in the program And she is abundantly
sufficient. PHILANDER JOHNSON.