The Washington times., 1907-04-09
Drags at First, But Then
RuShes to It's
Climax.


/ he has seen before, can furnish the
hardened theatergoer with two or three
real thrills. when Il can set his blood
tingling and his pulses beating faster
I for even the fractional part OF a min
ute. as The Lion and the Mouse" at
the National can and does. then it de-
/ serves its run Of six hundred odd nights
I n New York Your New Yorker is not
easily thrilled. He is willing 10 pay
/ repeatedly-for the experience.
Such an one writes; one to whom the
play was not new, who had seen its
weakness, but who once more last night,
at the National, felt its strength.
Charles Klein has selected a vital
theme-the dominance of the money
power-and he has written play that,
in spite Of it's faults-and IL fairly
bristles with themr-is at once entertain
ms and thoughtful He has brought
into strong relief the one dramatic es-
sentlal. the struggle of wills. the all
absorbing contest between two natures
absolutely antagOnlstic in ideals. IN in
tellect, and IN education. He wrought
OF this an uneven play with some
splendidly stirring scenes and Of steady
cumulative interest
The first act is-well, It is not quite
''the worst ever" perhaps: that would
be saying a good deal. but it's pretty
near it. II takes 10 the middle Of the
second act for things to fairly get go
ing. Then II is 50 perfectly plain that
there's going 20 be a bully good fight
that the spectator has 10 sit up and
take notice They didn't like the play
over in England. but one of the English
critics said Mr.. Klelns drama is an
unsconscionable time getting started.
but when It finally does get under way
my GodP'
That's just it-and that's why it ran
COO nights IN New York before the most
critical audiences the country can pro-
duce.
The handspring Of the action is the
heroic attempt or Shirley Rossmore to
save her father, an honest member or
graced through the Vaccinations Of
Ready Money Ryder. OF course. she
succeeds. Judge Rossmore's name IS
cleared, the lovers ars united, and the
lion Is quite, quite tatue--ready to iced
from anybody's hand-when the curtain
Meiodrama7 OF course it is. sub
limated melodrama, the very best sort
Of drama, though il stretches dramatic
license 10 the borders of the fantastic
II spots Fer inStance-tor just one IN
stance-if Ryder had been the person OF
amazing perspicacity described, he
couldn't have failed TO see through
the deceptions-the cruX Of the entire
crama-practtced upon him.
John Burkett (Ready Money! Ryder
Is a figure full OF power and Yigor-
picted with uncompron,tsing-not 10 say
blatant-harshness II is a part that
almost plays itself; pity Edmund Breese
doesn't let It BE undoubtedly real
ICES the popular conception OF the al
conquering nagnate- But the popular
conception is nearly always eXagger-
ated, not a true portrait, but car
toon- Your financial magnate Is nearly
always as mild a hammered man as
ever scuttled ship. Mr.. Breese makes
him unduly repellant and uncompro-
missing, Overdoes his harsh blatancy-
And his makeup Is not good. Particu-
larly. he wears the wiggiest OF wigs
so that one wonders II IL IS meant 10
be so, a subtle suggestion of John D.
Rockefeller and his notorious wig.
Miss EliistOn is charming as Shirley.
She has wholesome sort Of beauty
that TITS the part, and a delightful
voice, During the first act she is mo-
notonous and a bit preaehy in her
handling OF the role, but she is earnest
throughout, and rises TO a very credit
able strength IN the big scene of the
third act.
Joseph Levers is well and pleasantly
remembered in Washington from past
seasons IN local stock companies. His
JEFFERSON Ryder is done sympathetically
on the whole But he seems to occa-
sionally mistake young Ryder's func-
ton in the development of the play
Jefferson Ryder is meant TO supply SEN
tlmeEtal interest, not comic relief, to
this melodrama of financial and gov
ernmental intrigue. His sudden Jack
ln-the-box spasms Of fear OF his father
are absurd. And, anyhow. the comic
relief corps IS quite strong enough with
out him.
For the business of comic relief is
rather overdone. Melodramatic eonven-
tions seem 10 require It, but il IS easy
70 get too much Of a good thing. Laughs
FOR the multitude are dealt out pro
digaiy. The comic effects in the first
act are entirely commonplace. Eudoxia
and the Rev. Pontifx Beetle. Miss Nesbit
ana Miss Beetle are absolutely conven-
tional comedy types. Miss Nesbit by
the way, IS supposed to be the daughter
Of Long Island rural banker. but she
never got that accent this side of the
ANeghenies. Meme Of these appear after
the first act. Thereafter the laughs are
supposed to be furnished by the Hon
Fitzroy Bagley, Ryder's secretary,
played by Reginald Darlington. who
drives his humor home with a sledge
hammer so that 1t fairly hurts.
Really. they are all inclined tn rub
it in rather unmereifuily-except Mar