The Washington times., 1908-09-13

uriently mounted than 1.-THE Fighting
Hope" But no one OF those other Be
lascO productions included an investf-
ture more truly appropriate or more
effective in the right sense than this
Developing Light and Shade.
Somebody asked me Tuesday II the
actors were able to express all that I
had put In my play" observed young Mr.
Hulbut, in the course Of a week
Why, Mr.. Belasco and Miss Bates have
found things in that play / didn't know
We're there" This modest acznowledg-
ment from a man who may rightly
claim chief share in the credit OF the
performance. had more and more foun-
dalton as the week wore on.
Every first performance is overdone
No one knows where the laughs" will
come, or the applause. or those little
ripples. which are the finest tribute
TO any acting; the actors are usually
atremble with nervousness; and the
first actual presentation invariably sug-
gests 10 everyone concerned dozens OF
opportunities 10 improve the drama
which had not occurred TO any Of them
through the long round Of a months
rehearsals. With each succeeding pre-
sentation changes are made-most Of
them little. but sometimes. as in this
case, few of large Importance. The
effect generally was TO give smoOthness
TO the dialogue. accent 10 the action,
and light and shade TO the whole per
Torrance.
Miss Bates has never done anything
better. On her, more than any one other
90
and its future is bright. But the review
in these columns Of Tuesday hardly
gave proper attention 10 the others I'm
the cast. Mr. Richman. for example.
achieves the extremely difficult task
OF realizing and disclosing the most self
contained type Of American men His
impersonation grew more every night.
Mr.. Core introduced the one element OF
comedy without revealing the wheels or
offending good taste Mr.. Hansell gave
FEASIBILITY to a character so thoroughly
despicable as almost to defy credulity
Mrs Wells not only acted a most diff
cult role in the part OF the housel1eeper
but proved her superior intelligence, as
the week wore on, by helping correct
Mr. Hurlbut's mistake Of making her
enter the action in the last act strident-
ly and-so to speak-slap everybody in
the face.
Theaters of Courtesy.
washington has not had toe much
courtesy in its theaters. marked ex-
ception is the National. where most Of
the employees have ueen trained under
Mr. RapIey's own eye. and serve the
confirmed patrons Of that house as ac-
uuaintances of long standing. A rela-
ton exists which probably has few par
alleIs in all the country, and is so dis
tiuctly personal and so near to friend
shin that Few theaters seriously under
take to bring It into existence.
The second exception is the Belasco.
Even so good a performance as this of
The Fighting Hope" was advantaged
by the mana cement of such a play
house The Times review OF Tuesday
referred to the Belasco as "exceHently
managed" 1t is so. indeed.
At the box Office there is courtesy
as ready for the seeker after informa-
ton as for the buyer of tickets, and
the latter is treated as a patron of the
establishment rather than as enc whose
privilege II is to receive such seats as
an assistant treasurer may cOndescend
to toss under the grating. Ushers take
your coupons, when you have passed
inside. without either unnecessary
briskness OF maddening delay, guide
you to your seat without making you
feel you are being rushed to a train,
and motion you into it without a sug-
gestion of banging seats. BY the ex-
ercise of a little tact the early-comer
is not punished through having his view
INSTRUCTED by tardy neighbors.. the lat
ter being guided down the side aislCs
or brought 10 their seats at times when
the interruption is least to be noticed
There is no noisy hawking of songs or
photographs Even the little pages who
hand about the trays of drinking water
make themselves as inconspicuous as
they can And the entire building is
clean. gallery. as well as parquet, aisIes.
as we'll as seats.
These are details. of course. None of
them. perhaps. is of first Importance.
But, together. they serve to give a thea
ter character. to create for il an en-
viable individuality like that which the
Hollis Street Theater. in Boston, has so
long enjoyed, and they have already es-
tablshed for the Beiasco in Washing
ton an attitude Of personal friendliness
on the part OF Capital theatergoers.
which is capital as indisputabIy as its
fre-proof construction and its comfort
able seats.