Evening star., 1909-06-08
Columbia.

Never was stock company put to a
more exacting test of its ability as a
whole than were the Columbia Players in
their production at the Columbia Theater
last night of Leo Ditrichstein's laughable
farce comedy, Are You a Mason?" and
never has company OF players under the
circumstances more completely met the
demands upon it. From the leading man
to the player in the humblest minor part
there wasn't a misfit. and it is not sur
prising that the large audience which
divided its time between roars of laugh
ter and vigorous applause should have
emphatically set its approval upon the
production and left the theater at the
close still laughing and vowing 1t had had
an evening of genuine pleasure.
The play is not new to Washington, and
the very recollection Of It's former pro-
duction. with the splendid cast hat origi-
nally presented it here, including Mr.
Ditrichstein himself, was enough to make
the Columbia Players a bit nervous and
TO deter the playgoers from hazarding
the chance of witnessing a failure: but
last nights performance set all doubts
at rest in a surprisingly happy way. The
Columbia Players made good, as those
who have witnessed their other per form
ances predicted they would and the audi
ence added heft to it's avoidupois If
there is anything In the old adage laugh
and grow fat
There was a very large attendance of
genuine Masons present. and their amuse
ment at the various stages of the per-
formance seemed evidence of the fact that
at least the secrets of some Of them were
cleverly exposed. The play, of course
makes no pretense at Masonic exposure.
but 1t discloses possibilities In the life Of
an indiscreet Mason that are very laugh
able The players last night seemed to
enter heartily into the spirit OF the play
6nA
against the too common error Of overdo-
Ing things. Orme Caldara, whose Prince
Chap last week disclosed his ability in
the more serious line and won for him a
host of admirers. loses nothing by his
work as George Fisher. He might easily
have been too much of a girl when he
appeared as Fanchon to assist his friend,
but he wasn't He met the requirements
stamps him the good actor that he is
William II. Conley as John Halton. the
gentleman farmer from up state" scored
pronounced hit He was. for all the
world. the rural gentleman who has made
snug fortune from his lordly acres.
combed the hayseed from his hair and
come to New York ready to be gold
bricked MIR. Conley's work clearly dis
played his abilities as clever character
artist. Thomas Chatterton made a lively
Frank Perry. His work was strenuous. but
he met the demands quite acceptably. 1t
was also a pleasure to many last night
to find Alexander Calvert cast in a part
more consistent with his abilities. OF
the women. Ruth d. Blake had the most
responsible role as Mrs. Caroline Blood
good. the mother-in-law with a memory
that sorely afflicted her husband apd a
puritanical conscience that made her SON.
in-law groan yet withal a confding ma
ture that occasionally gave both breath
ing spells. Julia Dean as Mrs. Perry
charmingly filed the bill and fully met
the demands of her role. Clara Sidney as
Nora. with a love in her heart for the
bluecoat on the beat. furnished much
amusement for the audience. Ruth Chat
terton. Esther Wright. Bessie Monaghan,
Virginia Warder and Alice Parks Warren
were also good in their respective parts.
Indeed il will bear repetition. The COM
pany as whole clinched the reputation
il had previously established of being one
ever delighted a Washington audience.