The Washington times., 1906-12-11
BROWN OF HARVARD" FULL
OF THE SPIRIT OF YOUTH

| Why couldn't they have left out the
/ Wronged Lady? Why did they have 10
/ get such a clean. wholesome. and alto
| gether charming Fellow as Brown Of
Harvard" all tangled Up with her? Not
mis- wronged lady. Of course. but still!
Why let the woman IN black stalk
! specter-like through such a feast Of
youth and Joy? OF course she was ne
cessary TO the story as told. but why
tell that story. There are plenty Of
other sweet. clean stories that would do
just as well. and leave 10 the play its
greatest charm. the bUoyant. wholesome
spirit OF youth
For the rest. it's delightful. the play
that Harry Woodruff has brought TO
the Belasco this week. There's no use
saying it's himsy; il is--but it's strong
enough TO carry one along with It.
There's no use saying the race scene
has been done before. and that having
been stirred up three or four times last
season-notably in "Strongheart' and
The College WidOw''-by descriptions
OF races you can't see and have 70 take
on hearsay evidence you decline TO be
stirred again by Brown OF Harvard"
90 over. and you'H be stirred all right
No use growing that the whole thing ;
old; it s-as old as youth itself. and
as eteruaiiy attractive.
The story doesn't in the last matter;
( IL had really much better have been
omitted The descriptive lines affixed TO
one OK two of the characters tell all
about Il. First OF all there Is Brown
himself. a paragon OF all the virtues
and, wonder OF wonders. a modest para
gon-jUst about as near perfection as a
fellow could be and remain in good com
pany. He's really quite too angellcalIy
angeliC< writing checks To help some one
out OF hole Is his favorite occupation
Va Ooorufr himself Is capable, good look
ing. intelligent. young-he puts vigor
and sincerity into Brown. looks the part
plays 1t wildly, makes Il quite human
ana bearable.
Opposed TO him IS Victor Cotton. who
wants the English crew TO defeat his
I anna mater Aha! the villain, ana not
| above using the weaker students as tools
! OF MS Nlllalny-a nice clean cut perform
/ ance By Theodore t'riebus.
AS q bone Of contention there Is VIII
Ired Kenyon, who does not own him
SELF fact on which one would feel
! inclined 10 congratulate him. except that
unfortunately he does own the WFongsd
Lady. Brown IS Of course ir love with
| his sister. II Is a familiar type OF weak
ness acceptably played by j. Heron
Miller, who. being Henry Mnlers son
study Ia heredity.
There are a dozen OF so college boys
BY way of chorus. Indeed, the hustle
and movement OF the frst three acts are
far more suggestive OF q musical farce
than OF legitimate comedy, and a chorus
Is almost essential. The boys do a
whole lot toward maintaining the clever
. atmospheric effect that Is the great
charm OF the production. One or two OF
them stand out in rather sketchy parts
admirably plByed-notably Arthur Shaw,
and William Resell. Roseu manages
particularly well q sentimental moment
that comes TO him IN the last act
Then there Is the brother OF the
Wronged Lazy, stroke oar in the var
/ sity eight" who discovers all 1ust be-
fore the race and Tushes off 10 save his
sister. giving Brown a chance to take
his place and, Of course. win the race
The wOmen's parts don't amount TO
much. Katherine Mulkins plays Brown 3
best girl en- TIE whole satisfactorily.
There have been giInsh girls; but on the
ether Land, some girls never are girly.
The other womeH's parts give but little
opportunity. hut are on the whole ac-
ceptabIy done.
Both characters and play are conven-
tOual: the plot is older than the hills
And yet It is entirely charming and de-
lightful. its appeal Is IN the spirit of
heart warns to its fTankhess II IS the
sort of thing one is bound to enjoy; the
sort Of thing whose sttractiveness ap-
peals 20 every o;,e-eVen as youth Itself
appeals. And II is PLAYED so that its
hest qualities. manlineSs and youthful
exTberance. are not only preserved but
emphasized