The Washington times., 1905-02-12
Stage Gentlemen.
nT. Bel!ew S <Raffles'' Lost
in Comparison With His
Oppos t On Good Week
All Round

There IS vide difference between
stage gentlemen. 1t the Columbia the
past week Mr. Robertson embodied the
nsan of honor Who saenl ICES .every4f hing
else than honor TOR the sake zef doing
good. At the National Mr.. Ballew por-
TRACED the man OF dishonor, who sacri-
fees nearly everything else than dis
: honor for tee rake CT evil. The contrast
he Robertson gentleman
ore attractive. He wore
he had no black silken
easli hanging from his temple to his
waistcoat. He did not move exactly as
though he had BALL bearings and walked
in grooves. He did not draWl He was a
serious. honest. powerful man of affairs
Ind his seriousness, honesty and affairs
all came before the graces of his bear
ing.
Yet even the old type of matinee girl
could not hesitate to choose. Original
sin exempiifled is not a pretty picture.
Manly courage exemplihed is q mighty
attractive picture. So those who saw
Rallies and seemed to admire him were
constantly apoiogizing for their taste,
and those who saw Love and the Man"
and admired the man. were as diligently
advising ali theiI friends 10 go and do
likewise
"Raffies' on the Bill Boards.
In the course of the week a determined
effort lifted its head to prevent the dis
pay OF '.Rafies'' posters on the bill
be ards. The advertisements gave way
TO those for the ensuing week. however.
before the matter could come to an
issue. This opposition is not hard 10
understand. "Raffiss'' was, after all a
common thief. excepting that he was
Encommonly clever in evading the law
His charm. Of person. his manifest high
breeding, his alertRess, and resource,
only make mis- thefts the more disered,
liable The explanation offered by the
text of the play-that he had inherited Il
moral faint is an argument for his in
generation. not reason for indulgence
But whether this explanation is sound
or not. it is not set forth on the bill
boards. The pictures shown there are
Of gentleman thief with plumber in
his hands. The effect on Tnaay boys
would Be dangerous. So the managers
o: this play would have done much bet
ser 10 display other posters in which
the thief side Of Raffigs was not so
prominent
As for the play. it has been lung a
question f il was not altogether pernic-
ieals In its inflcRee. allowing that it has
any influence. But newspaper discus
sion Of that question would only arouse
interest in the play. The newspa pers
have undoubtedly dene the best thing
in the premises by permitting the play
10 wear Itself out
Mr.. Holland was a delight as always,
II n mt l3y fpsl1f
trionie light as WELL nlGminates Captain
Bedford to the dispara cement Of every
one else in the cast. The role IN other
hands would be cheaply fnelodraT,latic
AS acted by Mr.. Holland it is an ar
tistie character drawing
he Robertson Engagement and Others.
Robertson engagement prompt
,oughts-that il is good i
'eman of today accur2s
1 that 1t is mig'
Is TO be
he The
an .ght
suggS lie cias-
sic drs- .nirably TO
read r. Not a liae
of och was lost
No, relessiy en-
pfas.as 4ould be to
hear - bert tie lines of
Rostand.
Miss Rorl<e aceomp- he'd the difficult
task Of acting modern gentlewoman so
that the character seemed realty gentle |
Her power is not the less because it /
does not depend upon writings all over
the floor and the chewing OF sofa legs |
Some of the so-called emotional act |
resses OF cur time might learn a few
valuable lessons by watching Miss Alien. |
Miss Marlowe, and Miss RoTke depict |
emotion. There Is more patlzos IS one |
Of their silences than I'm ali the twisting /
and choking an Olga Nethersoie can de |
liver in two days
AeIlar crowded the Lafayette. Of /