Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-28

nropram for The Embassy Bali
makes no allusiou to what many OF MI
Thomas admirers regard as MS mosI
hopeful production, that biographical
drama. oliver Goldsmith" Although
never as high in popular favor as It's heri's
entitled It to rank, 1t was the means Vi
soIidifyIng the reputation of the late stuart
Robson as an actor of serious eXceHehce
and Of giving Mr. Thomas literary pres
tise which even Alabama did not qui'e
secure for him Since "Oliver do!dsnnth
MIR. Thomas more substantial aihDl'ioiiS
seem TO have faltered. He has peeh ue-
voting himself TO little farcical pieces Win
a limited cast and moderate scenic
ouirements and joined in the uhl'efs sal
chase Of that literary butterfly the cpl
gram.
He does many things well and suffers
from, an excess of mental riches. So many
dirferent STYLES has he at command that
they occasionally interfere, In THE Elm
hsssv Rail-" for instance. there is a dis
tinct clash Of purposes. as if the writer
yyearied of his own devices and longed LOT
scope and variation. In one scene the play
socrns TO be a rather rugged picture of hu-
man nature. and in the next it is an EFFORT
10 reproduce the luster Of highly polished
though superficial refinement. The intro
duction of coIorcd people to represent the
servants about Washington is not happy
inspiration. for it requires some legitimate
talent to display even the part of servant
correctly and convincingly. The self-con-
scfousness Of inexperience was always IN
evidence when experiment in human real
ism was paraded.
It IS said that Mr.. Thomas expended as
much as a month or six weeks in studying
the local atmosphere Of this city. 1t Is q
feat Of rapid absorption surpassed only by
the achievements of Mr.. POultney Bigelow
Some ten years ago Mr.. Thomas produced
n Washington play in New York under the
title OF THE Capitol" 1t was not sue
cess. although 1t contributed something
to the stage by bringing Miss Amelia
Bingham prominently before the public
Indeed the Washington play is almost as
battling as the Washington novel which
the world is still awaiting despite the an
nouncement in every popular catalogue
that the IonE-felt want has at last been
filled. There are but two Washington plays
that stand out with sufficient distinctness
to make them easily remembered. One Is
"The Senator" I'm which William II. Crane
principally the work OF man entirely
familiar with conditions and people here.
The other was Charles II. Hoyts genial
political travesty, The Texas Steer" much
OF whose success Mr.. Hoyt publicly avowed
was due to Tim Murphy, native and for
years resident of this place. While there
are unconvlnciug moments in THE EN-
bassy Bali it must be conceded that for
n six weeks creation It is a very remark
able and CTeditable work. 1t provides Mr..
Lawrauce DOrsay with some lines of
splendid cleverness, and. what is of more
consequence gives him frequent opportun-
fly to laugh in his own infectious fashion,
x *
When the inevitable ordeal of curtain
speech was reached last Monday night the
usual paradox was presented The star,
who is supposed 10 be but the Interpreter
of the authors luminous mentality, scin-
tiIlated with ready repartee and impromptu
grace. If Mr.. D'Orsay's speech was his
own the playwright should have made
an arrangement by which the star in re
turn FOR literary favors done MIN in the
course of set dialogue should lend some of
his experiences in framing expressions of
formal gratitude for the publcs kind
applause It is no unkindness to suspect
A
curtain speeches. Greater men than they
have called in assistance in formulating
public utterances. Neither is It harsh to
imply that Mr.. Thomas, who is known to
be a speaker OF felicity on social occa-
sions did not eclipse the brilliancy of the
plays lines by his own extempore com
ments.
y x
An audience invariably wants to see the
man who wrote the play. The curiosity is
a compliment and the author being one
whs lives by popular favor, IS perhaps I'M
der certain obligations to recognize it in
I friendly and Complaisant spirit But It
/ IS unfair 10 expect him to contribute a
/ little monologue on his own account. His
| function is not Ike that of the actor, de-
/ pendent on his ability 10 personally i'm
press and he is at a tremendous disad-
vantage in being wholly preoccupied with
stern realities 10 degree which make the
airy hctous of polite intercourse more or
less difficult BY the time an audience is
ready to call for him the authors work
has practically passed out Of his hands
Even though his work be well done he
Is dependent on the performers for the
grace in which he IS to stand with the
public. There Is a strong chance that he
may not feel at all like being a social lion,
but prefers being one OF the sort that go
ravening about. seeking whom they may
deyour.
s.
1t Is seldom that a playwrIght's person
ality realizes the imaginary picture that
people have drawn. Hall Game. as he came
forth to acknowledge the paudits awaiting
him at THE Christians triumphant pre-
mier in this city, was not the calm and ma
jestic figure OF somber intensity which
THE Bondman' and "Thc Deemster' had
conjured up I'm the imagination. His clothes
fitted him loosely and his hair and beard
seemed 10 share The same misdt tendency
The smaIIness Of his features gave him an
air rather OF cgo!s;ic assumption thsn Of
"a rightfui demand Tor Difference TO cxJrapr-
binary attainment Mr.. David BelaFcD al
ways appears 70 be taken with a terrific
case of stage fright, from which he re-
covers only by supreme effort. But be al
ways RECEIVERS. There IS never moment
when Mr.. Bcllsco is not an entire master
of Theatre effect George AIDE stepped be-
fore the curtain the night Of the Col
Iege Widows first presentation. not with