The Washington times., 1908-01-21
"THE MAN OF THE HOUR"
YIRILE PLAY AT NATIONAL
The Cast.

George Broadhurst's play, THE Man
Of the Hour" was enthusiastically re
ceiVed by large audience at the Ma
uonal Theater last night. II came here
after a phenomenalIy long run I'm New
York, and Washington Endorsed ne
verdict Of excellence that had been
a'yerded to It by Broadway.
1t IS about politics. graft. and strong
arm methods in the science Of running
a municipal government There were
many politicians In the audience. Presi-
dent Roosevelt who knows something
about politics. liked the play as much
as did the other statesmen.
The story IS about a very young man
VINO Is elected mayor Of a large city
BY the efforts OF HoTrigan. the head OF
ne Ting. When a bill that is crooked
Games up for the mayors signature. he
defies HOrrlgan, who wants the bin
signed. There follows a war 20 the
knife between FOrrigan and the mayor.
The mayor finally wins. But this hap
pens only after Horrigzn has turned
some fine tricks known to modern poll
ties.
Although the story is "A good one, cley-
erly developed, and filed with dramatic
moments. the character drawing in the
play IS the secret Of its remarkable sue
cess and rational appeal There are two
characters that deserve monument. so
run are they OF human interest, fidelity
10 life, and Irresistible humor. They
are HOrrigan. the boss" and Phelan
an alderman. who TevOlts against Hor-
rlgau's domination. Robert A. Fischer
plays Horrigan, and Harold Russell
takes the part of Phelan. These two
are finished and f0rcefuI actors. More
over, they come before their audience
realizing fully the great material there
Is IN their parts, and utilizing that ma
terl4l ia truly remarkable manner.
Many Irish types have ben played on
the stage. but IL has been years since
this country has seen lrlSnmen pOT-
trayed well as Horrigan and Phelan
were drawn last night They are con-
vinCing They make people laugh, and
they are real men. each humorous, re-
sourcefuI. persistent. and indomitable
IN his way
Orrin Johnson did excellent work in
the difficult role Of the mayor. Il IS
part which offers many excuses for
mock heroics. and Mr. Johnson avoided
most OF these pitfalls with commendable
repression. His Alwyn Bennett was not
so viTtuOus as to De maWkish, and there
were occasional flashes Of genuine
yiriIity. His denunclation of HorTigan
in the second act was especially good
William Deaming won approval By mis-
wOrk as the ConcetJed. of1icious and
painfully youthful brother OF the
heroine. Bennett Southland rose 20
height OF genuine histriOniC ability in
the last act. when his one opportunity
OF the play presented itself His work
in unmasking the man who ruined his
father was striking 10 a degree.
Miss Frances Ring had the somewhat
EaCCharfne part Of Dallas Wainwright,
the heroine, and easily met what little
demand there was for hisTiOniC effort.
She mas a strikingly pleasing stage
presence. Miss Kate Lester as Mrs.
Bennett WIS convincing
With a cast as uniformly good as Is
the case in The Man of the Hour the
performance OF the play IS pleasing
throughout Il IS a strong piece OF
work and Is. IN many respects, q faith
fuI presentation Of the boss rule that
exists in some American cities.
Mr.. Broadhurst has been ably second [
ed by the work OF the producers OF the
play. Brady & Brismer.