The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-03-10
THE GIRLS,
The Cast in Girls"


IA Ssenger B0y......,......I1d Onward M0rrlssey
After "The Straight Road" Her Sis
ter" The Truth" aEd the lamentable
''Toddles," Washington tneatergoers
had about decided that they had had a
plethora Of clyde Fitch for the present
when TO the surprise Of everyone along
came Girls" the very tag of the sea-
son. and made the comedy hit Of the
year at the Belasco Theater. where 1t
was given its premiere last night.
Seldom has a capacity audience SEEM
ed to enjoy SO thoroughly every moment
or q scInuIlatlng satire as that which
gathered last night 20 welcome Mr..
Fitchs fiftieth theatrical Offering. and
this half-century product of this most
prolific ana versatile Of American play
Wltgits demonstrated couClusiyely that
he las not grown stale Every line
spar i-led and every situation was a
keen delight, while the company en-
tered into the true spirit Of the OcCa-
sion and gave the play an ideal inter
probation, Some OF the situations on
account OF their tendency toward the
r.sque gave the impression that MI
Fitch was indebted to Frenchman for
his material rather than 70 the German,
Hugo Holtz, TO whom re gives an am
bIEuous credit, but these scenes were
handled with such engaging charm,
deuCaCy, and simplicity, that they We're
at no time even remotely offensive.
The first act. in the studio OF three
bachelor girls. suffragett and misog-
GInists, was q sheer delight rs study
or character and Whim. The second act
Was less pleasing from an artistic stand
point as II descended to farce, but the
hiIarity was more pronounced. The
third act was sufficiently sentimental
TO crafty the youthful mind and at the
same time was "A brilliant satire on Ine
Inconsistency OF woman.
Nr. Fitch has enriched the production
with a wealth Of clever stage business
showing once agaln the marvellous re-
suits Of his genius for detail 10 the
staging OF his plays. He Vas on hanl
last night, and, In response 10 repeated
calls, after the second act appeared De
fore the curtain and told the audience
how pleased he and the company We're
But much OF the success OF the open
ing performance OF Girls was que
10 the cast. There are only twelve
persons in It. but they are all good,
and they make every word count, BY
their Interpretation last night they
thrice refined the work OF Mr.. FlJch;
Girls" IS no long-halred' Elsh-
browed, weighty problem play. II IS
a delicious comedy. and laughter IS It's
theme from start 10 finish. II was
written 20 amuse. and Il accOmplishes
its purpose. il Is the story or three
bachelor girls VINO swore 10 nave hotL-
ing to do with men, but who later fell
all over themselves accepting - the
wUuld-be husbands who appeared IN
the telling of the story are such
novel situations as the hero running
from q Jealous husband, finding refuge
in the girls room when they are at
tired in their night gowns and smiles,
and that same man escaping across
the liant shaft on d long shelf and
having fun in doing It.
Laura Nelson Hall, as Pamela Cor
don. Ruth MavCliffe, as Violet Lans-
doV-ne. and AMY RiCard, as Kate
West ulayed the parts OF the three
bachelor girls in delightful manner.
Miss Hail is the central figure IN the
comedy. and she enacted the role win
unusual cleverness and charm. MISS
<or real comedy. and took advantage
of il in a most ingenious style. A
companlon piece to the acting OF these
three was the work Of the lnlInlJaDlo
Zelda Sears as Lucille Purceile, 'eIo-
crtiouist % Miss Sears. as the woman
Who is careful about her age and prone
to consider anything wearing trousers
as fright attractive was aitoselher
Charles Cherry. as Edgar W. Holt,
the Young lawyer. had the biggest male
mart, and filled IL in an eminently sat
isfartorv manner. Herbert Standing.
as Hollis senior partner, did a piece
of comedy work in the second act.
with himself at the foot of step
ladder and a pair Of trim ankles on
a lire with his eyes, that CONFUSED the
house.
Leslie Kenyon, as Frank Loot, a law
clerk. and FanchOn Campbell as Mrs.
bennett. the fiirtatiOus young wife,
were also unusually good