The Washington times., 1908-10-20
Play of Intense Human Inter-
est Is Offering at
Columbia.
Wireless" in Its Premier
Production Pleases a
Large Crowd.

Melodrama-99.4 per cent pure-Is
Wireless" a new play by many au-
thors, produced by Frederic Thompson
at the National Theater last night for
the first time on any stage. The wraiths
OF The Still Alarm The Nutmeg
Match" Blue Jeans and THE Elec-
trician' lowering over the performance
as del ex machina; and the blessing
they gave II as Of their own kind hall
marked IL a true thriller.
The distinguishing feature of melo-
drama is that il deals mainly with a
course Of events. and only secondarIly
with mental process. 1t Is action, not
thought. And as event is it's chief quail
ity, even in its quieter scenes, its eli
makes are as violent as the limita-
lions OF the stage and the endurance OF
the audience make possible. There IS
naturally little appeal to the mind, and
much to the emotions, and 1t has fol-
lowed as a Consequence which # would
he tiresOme to trace here that the sub
jet matter IS invariably a victory or
virtue over vice. II has followed, also,
that the element OF suspense which is
tie foundation Of all dramatic COnsIruc-
! ton is obtained through simulated dan
suppOsitiOn seem real there has been a
growing tendency 10 introduce forces
that are known 10 be actual and relent-
less-horses dragging a nre-engine at
top speed, ponderous pile drivers, Whir-
ring circular saws. and huge dynamOs.
All Of which is Comprehended and
brought 20 the very minute in Wire
less IL is chain OF c!imaXes; virtue
does conquer vice and drive IL in ignom-
my from the view; the very substance
Of the plot IS machinery-a great steel
plant at which guns are cast for the
| United States nav. and the room Of
States steamship. Thank God. l am on
! time eNclaims the hero, as he steps
| into the furnace room just IN time. as
! he thinks. TO save his invention from
/ the Vaccinations Of the villain and the
obfuscation Of a drunken foreman.
Actors Wasting Their Sweetness.
The distinguishing mark Of Wire
/ less" is that all this is well done. The
company is more than competent-with
actors like Edwin Arden. William B.
| Mack. Francis D. McGinn. Frank Mon
roe, and Georgia Drew Mendum for the
most part vieing with a steel plant that
! comes mighty near a burning reality
\ and a wireless dialogue with a vessel
wrecked on a sunken reef somewhere
J under the pouring heavens, there is
| indeed, ground for dismay that they
/ have not tasks worth!e~ Of their metal
| It is not good 70 see Mr.. Arden. foI
| example, broadly trained, reserved, in
/ tuitive TO the fneness of dramatic art
/ in a role little more than a pose. II
is not much better 10 see the leading
man in Mrs Fiske's company for years
/ MI Mack, put of with a single scene
| even though he makes II as vivid and
| as deeply psychological as the best
moments OF plays much more seriously
! composed. Miss Mendum, with some
/ what the cOunteuance OF the great
J stage family whose name she bears
] fires a character rOle-that Of an Irish
! stenographer-with the art OF the car
toonist and the humor Of a rather
/ broad comedy. The others OF large
| cOmpany-especially Mr.. McGlnn. as q
| drunken bOss-present vignetteS OF
| character or costume. There was evil
/ dent last night in the TDle OF the wire
/ less operator. acted by Joseph kaut-
man, a tendency to Ove.aCt which sug-
gested that he was as ratified as the
] other operator, whose sending ne
/ could not altogether get Even so. II Is
not TOO much 10 say aIIer day de-
/ liberation that no melOdrama and none
I too many plays that are better than
I melOdrama suggest themselves as hay
1 ing been better acted.
/ Many Authors-and Mr.. Thompson.
The lines which these actors spoke
came from four sources-the comedy
light and happy. from WincheI Saith
the stronger scenes, from Paul Arm
strong. who made a clever though rath-
er long speech acknowledging this
hurrah OF applause after the wireless
scene; and the great climax in mid
ocean, with one vessel raking the white
caps to rescue another somewhere Out
in the stormy blackness OF the night.
by L BaImer and I. w. Edwards That
| four authors could write as many sep
arate scenes each Of them good, would
have been a remarkable playwright
ness. done more-they have united n
/ the weaving Of a dramatic fabric which
| is coherent, reasonably consistent, aaC
at all times acCCrddnt TO the best
| standards OF melOdrama.
The appeal OF Wireless viii not b.
due primarily. however, either 20 act
ling or pIayWTitinE. 1t will BE due t.
1.-THE representation on the stage of Z
furnace room and a ship rocking in
storm Even hardened theatergOerS
must have drawn IN thcir breath q
little sharply last night as they saw the
stage transform itself into great ma
chine shOP. with trip-hammer, cranes
lderrlcks. furnaces. and glowing meta.
so realistic that. as q cleverer critic has
said. the audience was al In a perspir-
alton. AS for the ship scene. though Il
hacked some OF the wind Of Caat re
n1a1l.able moment in Mr. Thomson,
{ "Brewster's Millions it was yet like tC