The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-06-16
Mary Ryan Scores Big HIT
In Giue4e's NezU Comedy
Clever Actress Does Much
Toward Making a Success
of Doubtful Drama.
The Cast.

MISS lA4Ltie Cameron NARY RYAN
MISS Mary Morse. ..-.... Mercelta Esmonde
Miss Dora Englehart.. .Ire1e Moore
Mrs B,5yd--.----- -Jetfreys Lewis
ass .l-eofA Al'ole
Miss jeanette BOyd.--.-..-..-- NirG stowe
AIRS. ............ Alice Parks Warren
Mss Mss , Ihoriey Members Elsie Rizer
Miss Crsston J Company Gertrude Augarde
Nr Stephen boyd -----.------. Frederick Lewis
Ar n, Montasu Wedsoloy 90" Dallas Welforu
Mr. tAlll4aly Joseph Brennan
Air Thomas Burnett ,..-..... Frank Craven
Mr. willie Quayle.. Frederick Hand
Mr. Harold Fayne Purvianoe
AIr Frederick n. Dickinson John Dugan
Philippe, a head WaiJer......ROb v Ferguson
Auguste. "a waiter Louis La Bsy
oscar. a waiter..............--..I. Lon W. Carter
Frederick Wolfe
Police $500. George Spelvlu
II William Gillette viii reconstruct
IN its entirety the fourth act or THAT
Little AFFAIR a the Boyds" and use the
scissors freely in certain parts OF the
second and third he will have made
a success Of tho play which was given
its first performance an any stage at
the Columbia TheaJer last night. Then
the credit Will DO largely due to Mary
Ryan. whose work made her a star over
night
The idea OF an actress, who, on ac-
count OF her love for an unsuccessful
playwright, masquerades as a scullery
maid In his home I'm order that she
may assist him, is rich in dramatic
and humorous possibilities. though tho
tax on the creduIty of the audience
goes beyond the bounds Of plausIbility-
The love interest IS keen. and while
the suspense IS at no time sensational
il is maintained un1aggingly for three
acts The autho- has not distracted
his audience with counter and second
airy plots, The role OF the actress
scuIIery maid contains a wealth OF
comedy with an occasional touch or
serious purpose. and once or twice or
dramatic force and feeling which az
fords 10 the actress portraying the role
splendid opportunity for strong contrast
and impressive character effects
The dialogue IS not especially bril-
liant or epigrammatiC. but II is illu-
minatiye Of character 70 a marked de-
gree, q quality greatly 10 De valued
iu the making Of lasting impressions.
IN both the second and the third acts
the author should reconstruct scene
The questioning or the SlaVey Iysls Dy
the unsuccessful playwright as 10 her
knowledge of his play. in the presence
OF strangers, is unnatural ana lacking
81 effectiveness. In the third act the
author has allowed his realism 20 be
come too real His II. MOntagu " edge
lev not only bOres the persons In the
uIay but Dallas Wexford, as MontaSu,
bores Che audience as wei.
The last act is altogether 1mposslDle-
The uake-shift of allowing a teiloW-
actress - iTupersOnate the s-agey IN
order 10 deceive the playwright. j. a
hopelessly weak and inartistic supter-
fuEe. Mr. Gillette must find sCmethlnG
more uIausible and convincing J. ne
would make his play gripping II IS
hard 20 conceive that the same qIetIli ..
atist who wrote sherlock Hoii-es
could have contrived such sfoleS4-e
denouemeut as that when taxes LleAS1
| in the managers once.
THE cast presenting THAT Little AIiair
at the Boyds' IS unusually stfohs- In
one raepeet ft proved notable for me re-
/ 7autfOu accorded Miss Mary hY an ia 'i.-
voia oF the ertress-slavey was such as 70
make the management decide thal she
should become q star at once, ana lp1aF
/ the lobby OF the Columbia IS pelhs re-
IbVfed with Miss Ryan name IN Dig type
e5F tba rr0graus are being reprinted
with ''VViueheu smith presents Miss
MARY RYAN. etc. Miss Ryan rlSn-s
| fasa~-ed the big personal hit which sie
made. Receiving the part oLll la9t =
lgav- She was practically letter perfect
last evening. and while her nrst and last
I acts lacked a certain amount or poi5e
and finish her Interpretation OF tHt
| eIavev scenes wGs admirable. There
was an appealing quality In her imper-
/ s8natiOu not Tar removed al times lIoilt
/ the infinite pathOs or Maude Adams
non o. Nv Thumb" while at other
times there were Nlsttul glahces ana
naive poses reminiscent OF Marie Boro
one or two flashes Of emotional acting
| evlnced her versatility, and her make
Inn while lud4CTOusly exaggerated, as
lane author doubtless intended showed
"a wholesome disregard for personal
/ anuaarances when occasion demanded.
Miss RYAN appeared I'm washington last
1 year as leading woman in Brewster 3
Millions " and earlier in the season was
q star for two weeks in hopeless
/ drama at the Savoy theater New York
called That Girl Patsy"
! Frederick Lewis. as the playwright.
gave a finished and intelligent per
/ formanCe. His conception OF the role
/ is clear. and he develops the Character
/ with force and discretion in spite or
me fact that he often fails to touch
J the hearts OF his auditors SO much
/ cannot he said for Dallas Wexford,
! whose work would seem 10 indicate an
effort 10 achieve an individual hit re-
| oar5feez Of the other members Of the
| Sor7rarv. Mr.. Welford's laugh would
| he in6n4teIv better II cut IN half lie
| triae 10 Give Il a double individuality,
| s,,5 succeeds. but the one nullineS the
/ s,,,,,gi,la, impression made by the other.
/ EI,lor might be made Of the small and
/ -l1Tleasant role OF Miss Boyd, II nan
( 5ie,5 NV an actress OF more experience
| +1aD Miss J.eOra Moore
/ Two admirably acted bits were the