Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-18
W DDIE FOYi

been burning up a great Ccal Oh gray
matter for the sake of producing limit
ell bonfire.
Foy does not attempt to elucidate any
thing.
True he seems to have theories of his
own about Hamlet. lie does not regard
the meIarcholv Dane as insane: only
foolish. Whether YOU choose to call the
PLAYER clown or comedian. he has the
inestimable gift of not taking things
seriously. He is rastfully unintellectual
and leaves no opening whatever tor dis
putation Laughter he will have one way
or another. If YOU keep your dignity
intact and refuse to laugh at him, he will
awaken the uncomfortable suspicion that
he is laughing a you. He is one of our
Peter Pan players who refuse to grow
up The older he grows the funnier he
gets which is equivalent to saying that
in this new extravaganza he is more
g!eefully entertaining tl!an ever before.
His humor is not of the fine edged kind.
He prefers something in the nature of
bald unvarnishcd pun to the most select
REPAIRED. But there is quiet twinkle
In his eye when he is in repose and n
twinkle in his feet when the unostenta
tioUs rhythms of the composer suggest
dance that are the embodiment of
humCr.
The new musical piece. Mr.. Hamlet
OF Broadway is by no means destitute
of fun of the quieter sort The imper-
sonation of Hamlet is in itself something
OF joke on the critical auditor, who
expected the comedian to do something
outrageous. 1t may he a shock to the
matinee girl. who has been worshiping
Robcrtson: but the handsomest Hamlet
on the stage today is Eddie Foy. Strange
that he has not followed the fashion
among actors and insisted this on be-
ing called Edwin" The travesty is
made peculiarly delicious by the suspicion
that Foy is really taking himself seri-
ously: suspicion that his ruthless per-
versions OF the Shakcspearean text dispel
as soon as he begins TO talk.
1t is a rollicking assemblage of sur
prises. Surprise number one comes on
noting that this new musical creation was
not written by Harry g. Smith and Vic
tor Herbert. This departure is an af
front to tradition. Other surprises are
provided by the costumes. Some of them
are shocking. positively and uncomprO-
misinSly and deliberately shocking. They
are holder than the department store adj
vertisements in a Philadelphia newspaper.
The final surprise occurs when a pair OF
entertainers who - first glance look as
Il they might he the brutal brothers, who
had mistaken the occasion for an anna
teur night. proceed without invitation or
apology to cat up. The audience liked
them very well after il got used to them
but = wouldn't he a bad idea to make
some little prelude or explanation of their
presence Just TO prevent them from look
in- as il they had climbed in, unbeknown
to the management, through a skylight Or
a co2lhole.
May Nokes, a coincidence of illustrious
family in tho footlight world. appeared
in "A Knight for a Day" IT is piece
that appears to have been written princi-
pa,y by the electrician. for nothing in
the words and music compares with the
gorgeous illuminating effects so dexter
ously employed Miss Voi5es manages to
he hoCely, awkward, i'll dressed and
charming. Her drolIeries are so simple
and spontaneous that they awaken a sort
OF genial sympathy that does rot require
the audible laugh for its expression. She
is neither ornate nor studious-only fas-
cinatingly CrotesQue, a bit OF stage brio
a-brac.
The Virginian" proves to be one of the
real plays that outIasts many limitations
Mr.. Hart has succeeded in completely
impressing his own personality on the
title role, and it looks as if this story
about real human beings In our own
country would so on and on like another
Uncle Toms Cabin or odd Home
stead" 1t is refreshing 10 see the intense
interest manifested in a Play absolutely
free from the faint Of mCrb;dity.
Frank Canpeau is still playing Trampas
and playing 1t 50 well that he can safely
claim 10 be the most popular villain on
the American stage. Mr.. Campeau is n
convincing demonstration OF the fact that
not all our great actors are stars any
more than all our stars are great actors.
PHlLANDER JOHNSON.
y WIDELY TRAVELLED ACTRESS
The presence of the American actress.
week attracts attention TO. the fact that
She is a native-born American. who has
played in nearly every large city in the
civilized globe except in the Capital city
of her own cOuntry-or. if she has, 1t
must have been long before she arrived
at her present position of distinction.
Miss ONeil is probably the NEST trav-
eled actress on the American stage. She
is Californian by birth, and her first
appearance on the stage made in
San Francisco. She first attracted no.
ttce about fifteen years ago when Mckee
Rankin. able actor and stage director,
saw ther in minor capacity at the AL
cazar Theater. lie engaged her for more
important roles in a starring tour which
he was then organizing. She continued
to play almost entirely on the Pacific
coast and the far west for the next five
years. When Mr.. Rankin brought her
east and placed her at the head of
stock company, which then PLAYING
at the Murray Hill Theater an East Side
playhouse iii New York she appeared in
the SarGou plays. in Leah the For
Saken.' as Nancy Sykes in .'Oliyer
Twist and other roles of similar type
Following her appearance in the east
Miss ONeil confined her efforts during
ahe next few years To the west where
she was already highly esteemed She
appeared in such classic roles as Medea
and Lady Macbeth She also reslrrected
Meg Merriles'' from the past. a great
character part forever associated with
the most glorious triumphs of Charlotte
Cushman. The modern problem play APP
pealed early TO her and She became
strongly identified as an Interpreter of
Ibsen Sudermann and HaupJman plays
Some four years ago she made a tour
OF the world. visiting South Africa. Aus
tralia Japan. Egypt and London and
other European capitals. II was after
her return to America that she won her