The Washington times., 1907-09-08
r. He dramatic season of 190I-190S Is
well launched. There have been
a dozen premiers on Broadway,

we'll launched. There have been
a dozen premiers on Broadway.
OF which much was expected, and
while Il is far too early 10 take a pessi-
misic view Of the situation, to say the
least, the reports which come from the
Great White Way do not bring tidings
OF any monumental successes such as
were seen last year in The HypOcrites. .
"His House in Order" The Rose Of the
Rancho" and The Man of the Hour"
The one production which is unques-
tionably doomed is The Dairymaids. -
an English musical comedy, on which
Charles Frohman spent a goOdly sum
The ldndest words which have been
spoken Of The Dairymaids" come from
the New York Times critic, who says:
1T is good of its kind. and will run
well. The Dairymaids' is not tiresome
81 IL is not exactly brilliant. it IS really
tuneful, while the fun is of the old
fashioned, obvious kind"
The World. on the other hand. says:
1t is always unpleasant TO record a
failure, but The Dairymaids' will not
DO in America. The maids proved a
woeful failure" The Evening Telegram
says: There is a lot of tuneful music
In The Dairymaids,' but who shall say
IL is sufficient &c atone for lot Of hui
NOR that IT would be an insult TO a God
fearing race to call English?"
Augustus Thomas New Play.
There is great diversity Of opinion as
70 the merits of Augustus Thomas new
play. The Ranger" in which Dustin
Farnum is starring. Anything that Mr.
Thomas writes deserves special notice.
for it is generally recognized that he
has approached more nearly the ultima
thule OF writing distinctveIy American
plays than any other native dramatist.
Viewed from this distance, the Even
ing kilograms review of the play ap-
pears to be almost extravagant praise.
There is in this new play" writes this
critic, all the finer things that went
70 make Alabama, In Mizzoura.' and
Arizona memorable. Il has all the
poetry Of Alabama the decency ana
moderation Of In Mizzoura,' and the
stirring picture of free life that lives
with Arizona "
The World declares: Augustus
Thomas hit the target squareIy in the
center with The Ranger The dramas
supreme merit is that it gets its roots
down into human nature; that It's char
acters are shown not only oats de, but
inside"
-Four Adverse Criticisms.
Leading members of the critics anvil
chorus inregard to The Ranger are the
dramatic editors of the Sun, the Times,
the Herald, and the American. TIE Sun
says: Augustus Thomas recently took
a trip to Mexico, and returned with six
packing cases full Of local color. But,
unfortunately, he left MS dramaturKic
skill behind. Meanwhile. he has written
The Ranger The Herald saws. ''Mr.
Thomas has written a play that out
melodramas anything he has previously
attempted" The Times says: 80 The
Ranger IS a kind OF accommodation
train on the road Of melodrama. II
bumps along by fits and starts, and
makes a lot of stops, and finally arrives
at Its destination with everybody pretty
well tagged out by the journey" Alan
Dale. OF the American, systematically
remarks: 90 The Ranger is q meIodra-
matte deranger."
John Drew in my Wife"
John Drew's premieres at the Empire
are always of interest. Mr.. Drew's own
personality viii always save a play from
complete failure Not That he has any
wonderful amount of personality or
magnetism, but because there are a lot
OF people who have the Drew fad, and
think whatever he does is au fait. This
season Mr.. Drew Is presenting my
VIE" an adaptation from a French
play by Gavalt and Charnay, "Mademoi-
seile Josette, Ma Femme" From all ac-
counts, 1t isn't half bad, but it is by no
means a sensation; one of those amus-
ing trifies IN which Mr.. Drew appears in
q role which the provinces viii learn
shortly hts him Ike glove" The Sun
says that Mr. Drew pleasantly accom-
phshes the Feat Of falling in love with
MS wife The Times adds that the plav
mas retained lot Of its original sparkle.
The Telegraph reports that Mr.. Drew
was received with open arms. The story
or Ny Wife" deals in a humorous va-y
with the difficulties that are likely 70
IoiloW Platonic marriage. The Herald
INFORMS theatergoers that they are 10
score another for John Drew. and one
lor MISS Ellie Burke, the new leading
lady Of his company" The EvenIpe5
Telegram says: Ny Wife has her
faults. but, after all, they are OF minor
ff-+NAA Dllt considers her /
merits.
Robert EdesOn Has Success.
Robert Edeson. as one might exnect
after his tremendous success in Strong |
heaFt. Is again cast for a coIIege-bov
part IN his new vehicle. Classmates s. !
by William c. DeAIiue and Margaret
Iurnbuil. The play has made a graft |
Tying start at the Hudson. The ORA
matte Mirror says OF Il: ''Redder blood /
ana thinner syrup distinguishes this
play from its prototypes. Brown OF /
harvard and The Boys of COMPANY l
s. Il is more virile and less sugary. |
Besides II has a unique third act and /
an unanticipated conclusion" The
Herald says; Before the second oct
vas over II had scored a hit. The
play held critical first night audience
n their seats until the final curtain"
Robert Edeson scored a very pro-
success in Classmates - is the
0@rhaet OF the New York Times. which