The Washington times., 1908-09-20

SAJhEtNSEl ADtTf1AAIs MS
NM name parted just like that.
v has for a moon or two been
the hon OF DR. m ic
authorship in stanch London; and to-
night he is the same in mercurial New
York.
II was all brought about, in so far
rs this city is concerned. with much
grace and graciOUsness at John Drew's
opening the other evening in Jack
Straw" at the Empire Theater.
Vaughan challenged the attention and
won the admiration OF the smart ones
here in a single night. I hear that he
has a Darrell more of plays. many Of
which Charles Frohman intends to pre-
sent TO the American public. and so we
may dwell with fond expectancy on the
prospect.
1t is a never-failing source of intense
interest 10 me to watch the unerring
precision. as true as the magnet to the
pole, with which the first-nighters
(these regulars who pay s. for first
performance and would not give a quar-
ter for any other performance pick
out the winners, pick out the winning
roles, the winning actors. the winning
lines, the winning situations, and how
like the roll of a slowly rising drum call
the steadily cumulative applause OF a
success finally breaks forth in de-
lighted acknowledgment that all is well
and that the piece has scored.
That is what occurred the other even
ing at the Empire. 1t occurred en-
phatically enough TO make two successes.
In the first place it was a John Drew
opening.
Not only was Mr.. Drew cast in role
that gave the fullest scope to his tran
scendent light comedy accomplishments
but Rose Coghlan came back once more
TO Broadway's heart of hearts in
rich, vulgarian part that simply let
loose uncomfortable appreciation and
laughter.
The combination Of perfect Mr.. Drew
IN the best character he has ever had,
and Rose Coghlan at as good as her
magnificent best of years ago at Wal
lacks is one hard to beat.
The leading woman is Miss Mary Bo-
land. a young actress Of rare and deli
cate blonde beauty. She has a heroine
role that calls for simple love interest
She fills il well and wears her honors
easily.
The New York Hippodrome is IT.
What the management has tried TO
achieve for a long time has at last
been accomplished. The immense build
ing, embracing a city block, costing a
million dollars, employing 500 people tDe-
hind anG in front of the sCenes), has
been thought to be in advance even OF
the wants of this great city. Spectacle
after spectacle has been put on, mld
fanfare of extraordinary brilliance, ana
still the attendance, although very great
indeed. was not large enough to meet
the expenses and pay pront on so 81
gantic an enterprise For months the
affair has been a financial success, ana
then the multitudes would flow into the
grand auditorium in decreasing num-
bers and so there was a sualnlnS ana
OullinR to keep up the run at WhlJe
heat This time the unmistakabIe top
notch of enthusiasm has been reached
The feat is nothing short Of work OF
genius. The guiding genn OF the huge
production are Arthur Noegiein and K
Il. Burnside, and their names snouiq
be mentioned with awe Dy spectacle
WOrShipeTS. The Battle in the skies,
wherein the future is discounted, battle
ships shoot radium and melOdranla IS
played in midair, rOuseS people mlShtlIy
and Is transcribed IN exciting material
only by the ineffably gorgeous ballet,
The Land Of Birds which is the most
gigantic multicOlOred girl show the
earth ever witnessed.
A circus. a baseball game, a tread
mill horse race, a bewildering COnCate-
nation Of sparkling features; mermaids'
clowns. performing a succession Of spec
tacularlties beyond belief and remem-
brance finally rouse you to the pitch
OF bursting with delighted wonder.
There is no resisting the wondrous ap-
neal Of the whole show. II finally real
ICES an alert imaginatiOn's conception of
Barnum old words, The Greatest
Show on Earth There win be no hes
itation about this achievement Of the
directors Of the HippOdrOme- It is what
they have been trying for. 1t is the
last word IN spectacle and II is bound
TO ring around the world so that the
great place will be crowded indefinitely.