Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-20
7 HE THE AT E R.
New National Theater.

When a production by Fred Thompson
is announced the public can count on see
ing something exceptional. Mr.. Thomp-
son is the genius of the pyrotechnlc ana
colossal in later-day entertainment. he
Is the man who discovered Coney lsiano'
and civilized it. BY means of scenic rail-
way devices he is responsible for more
thrills than any other man in the coun-
try, and when he puts on play ne nus
it so full of effects that they keep the
actors on the qui vive to avoid oelns
hit by the machinery.
The new production wireless" is an
interesting return to a form of entertain
ment that has for long time been ne
neutrality-suspicious. melOdrama. WIRE
less has all the requisites for play or
this kind villain of the deepest dye,
handsome hero whose hairbreadth escapes
call for the most lavish expenditure Tor
practical stage properties, charming
heroine and plenty of stage hands TO nan
die the paraphernalia. Just how many
carloads of scenery. Mr.. Thompson an
nounces is not recalled. He can place the
figure pretty much as he chooses. No one
will dispute him.
In a curtain speech Mr.. Paul Arm
strong called attention to the number
OF authors whose mentality had been
focused on this piece. and bespoke serious
consideration. The effort to make guam
tity take the place of quality in author
ship has frequently been made In
theatrical productions Wireless" may
lay claim to both quantity and quality
of genuine grace, notably the love scene
between MIR. Arden and Miss McCord and
the little comedy episode of domestic life
between the stenosrapher and the clerk
The cast includes notable array OF really
good actors and the scenes are so arrang-
ed as to give each his chance in turn
The plot concerns the invention of gun
and the effort of the villain to disgrace
the inventor and enrich himself by foul
play. The foul play consists in placing
the tempering in charge of drunken
man and gives an opportunity for one
of the biggest stage settings ever at
tempted.
Last nights performance must be re-
Sarded simply as a try-Out Its CHIEF
service was to give the regiment of
actors chance to get acquainted with
the brigade of stage hands so that
boundaries of authority may be estab-
lished.
The gun-casting scene is a magnificent
conception. but the illusion of the white
hot steel will have to be improved to
prevent the anvil chorus, with which the
act concludes. from sounding like criti-
cism. The other great effect is an elab-
Grafton of the ship scene in "Brewsters
Millions. most convincing and re-
markable illusion. The communication
with sinking ship that contains nearly
all the important characters in the
the agitation of the player who portrays
the operator, though extreme. is. under
the. narrowing circumstances, justifiable.
Among the good pieces of acting which
the performance displays are, the drunken
scenes of Francis D. McGinn: the char
acter study by Mr.. William B. Mack Of
struggling and conscience-smitten in
ventor. who has been lured into the con-
spiracy against the hero, and the examina-
ton conducted by the secret service man.
impersonated by Frank Monroe The
wireless operator was played by Joseph
Kaufman. who, having set terrific pace
of emotionalism. sustained it better than
might have been expected. His work is
of crucial Importance in the presentation.
for the interest and illusion depend at
times entirely on his personal demonstra-
ton. The scene could be shortened with
advantage.
The play is frankly and avowedly a
melodrama, without classic pretensions. 1t
contains a lot of red-blooded human ma
ture. which grips the auditors interest
and should find hearty popular approval
for it's abundance of startling incidents.