The Washington herald., 1908-05-19
LAST NIGHT AT LOCAL PLAYHOUSES

The BelascO-"SherIOck Holiness"
Really good melodrama always has ap-
pealed TO the taste of the Anglo-Saxon
theater-goer. 1t seems to answer some
call in the blood, this drama OK adventure
and action. which takes little account Of
Characterization so long as It's moving
incident works inexorably to the storys
end. as IL does In that most successful
play. Sherlock Holmes"
It was excellently done at the Belasco
Theater last night by the fine company
headed by Mr.. Guy Standing; in playing.
In staging. in accessories and Illusion, the
performance might well be compared 10
those OF the original production under
Mr.. Gillette.
And such play as Sherlock Holmes
tests the mettle of a company Of play
ers. for 1t is a play abounding in action
that must be suited 10 the word; it is
sublimated melodrama Of a high order
containing much that was best in the
famous detective stories Of Dr. Conan
Doyle, rather fragmentarily put together,
10 be sure, but still a thoroughly inter-
esting. sensational, and moving play.
Quite naturally. of course. Mr.. Guy
Standing chose in his impersonauon Of
the character Of cocaine habitue and in
ductive detective to follow, in makeup
and general style. the work of William
Gillette. This was hardly to be avoided.
as Mr.. Gillette himself patterned his
physical conception Of the part on the
description furnished by DR.. Conan
Doyle. and on the Illustrations in the
early editions that were so widely read.
Thus. in a measure, the appearance Of
this character has been fixed for all
time. and it IS too late to change it.
Still there was Of course some changes
and it certainly seemed more reasonable
70 think OF man Of Mr.. Standings
physique unafraid and able TO handle
burly ruffiians than to think Of the
emaciated and slender character Mr.. Gil
iette made of the part doing the same
work
Mr., Standing in the two plays Pre-
viously put on this season has shown
himself rather an impulsive actor; there
is usually strain of light-hesrted buoy
aney about what no does, and Il IS there
fore much 20 his credit as a player that
this usual manner of his was subdued,
and that his Sherlock Holmes was the
base, imperturbable man OF the world
self-contained, self-sufficient, absolutely
sure OF himself at all times. and op-
posing an unrufied front 10 the dangers
that came his way. 1t was a skillfui bit
OF characterization. we'll conceived and
admirably carried out.
Mr. Standings support. greatly aug
mented for this week. was good through
out. For the nonee Miss Dorothy Ham
nond, the leading woman, has resigned
that position. She plays Madge Lar
rabee. one OF the opponents Of Holmes,
and she played the part with force and
conviction, and looked so good in her
black gown in the last act that the words
OF Holmes, That's a fine woman, Wat
son., sounded very appropriate. Miss
Vira Stowe played the leading part Of
Alice Faulkner, and tn spite OF a certain
ingenue quality about her playing, she
was very graceful and charming. Miss
Alice Butler, an old favorite with Wash
lngton audiences, who has returned for
a brief stay, played two bits well. Others
IL the cast who deserve mention for clev-
CT work are Mr.. Sabine as LarTabee, Mr..
Fairchild as DR.. Watson, clever George
CASTOR as MorIMity. A clever bit OF
makeup and character acting was done
in the part Of Craigin by Rob V. Fergu-
son.
The audience was large last night, and
by frequent applause and many curtain
calls testified its pleasure and enjoyment.
It seems probable that Sherlock Holmes"
will prove a most popular bill all the
week. HECTOR FULLER.