Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-25
T HE THE At e R.
Columbia.

Every now and then a farce is expected
from the pen OF Leo Ditrichstein. Such
productions have come to be recognized
events in theatric affairs and their general
quality is known In advance. They are
breezy and irresponsible. save in SO far
as they guarantee a certain proportion Of
laughs to a given quantity Of dialogue.
Their logic is not always neXcrable-in
fact, certain genial Elasticity -distin-
guishes the dramatic method of reasoning
out a situation oftener than not. But
the result is never tiresome and process
sionS of smiling faces fill the atSles as the
house orchestra plays the exit march.
This general description applies to
Bluffs the new Ditrichstein farce
placed on display at the Columbia Theater
last night. The title is not strictly sig
niffcant of it's character. for there is no
rattle OF ivory counters. nor rifle OF cards
nor any other indication that high stakes
are under discussion. The bluffs" de-
and the characters. although humorously
drawn. express no satire worth mention
Ing. Although the scenes and characters
are American on the program. there are
In the structure of the piece certain indie
Unable qualities that suggest made
in Germany or Imported from France. y
Perhaps the amount of French introduced
in the dialogue is. responsible for this
impression. Whether or not the piece
in its entirety or in part is the
product of transatlantic suggestion mat
tiers not. AS placed on the stage last
night. with all its complicated mechanism
OF plot and coun ter-plot in good working
order. 1t proved care-dispelling whirligtg
of mendacities and misunderstanding. AS
In the case of most farces a word Of sane
explanation spoken at any one of several
points where common sense would natu-
rally suggest It, would cause the whole
fragile structure to collapse. But COM
mon sense is not the distinguishing trait
of farce characters and the play pro-
ceeds. with steady crescendo Of mirtl
to a final climax which, without leaving
the denouement wholly In doubt, gracious
ly dispenses with the cut-and-dried ex-
plantations with which most final acts are
encountered.
1t Is about a honeymoon interrupted by
all sorts OF events which compel the
bridegroom to assume the guise of
chauffeur. lady's maid and a valet
rather than face his fire-eating Texan of
father-in-law. Mr.. Ditrichstein plays
the embarrassed bridegroom. turning
from one guise to another with the most
ACCOMPLISHED ease and contributing sew
eral bits Of comedy that stand out as
gems. Mr.. Frederic Bond is the father
in-law. and his performance Of the role
adds another success to his list of char
acter interpretations. 1t Is quite as strik-
ing a creation as the title role In My
Awful Dad" in which Mr.. Bond made SO
excellent an impression among Washing
ton playgoers seasons since. Miss La
Toilette appeared as the young wife, and
gave an unaffected and graceful por-
trayal. Miss Kenyon Bishop contributed
a series of capital comedy scenes. The
complexities of plot are woven together
with great skill. and while the early por
ton of the play seems rather incense.
quential. the tangle in the third act be
comes irrisistibly ludicrous. 1t Is al,
light even to the degree OF absurdity. So
far from being ponderous it is irnponder-
able. 1t confined no appeal whatever to
sentiment. 1t was an occasion for laugh.
ter rather than applause. and the audi
ence so recognized 1t and SO responded.