The Washington times., 1909-03-23
Fails to Qualify for immor-
tai Five-Goes One
Better.
Scores by Sheer Merit of
Mirth and Excel
lent Cast.

lent Cast.
Some folks who, way down deep in
their souls, are ever hoping that, after
! the censors Of Trenton. y. j.; Rlch-
mond, Va: Evansville, H.. and even
! the Capitals purity squad get through
with play, some naughty or at least
! spicy lines may have been overlooked,
left the BeIasco last night with slight
pangs Of disappointment bothering their
breasts. Disappointment, however, had
little chance. for these people had been
| forced by good clean and breezy humor
to forget what they had come to see.
For months Washington had heard
rumors end whispers OF THE Blue
Mouse" A manager in New York who
nightly saw the crowds vending their
way TO the show house across the street
where was billed a play said TO be even
fast enough for faded old New York
I lost his temper several weeks ago and
declared the stage should be renovated,
| fumigated, and, if necessary, refiOored
Immediately New York and the curious
ones Of the country at large wanted TO
know just what specific plays had at
| tracted the attention and aroused the
ire OF this reformed manager.
| It was a great day for the press
agents, and soon New York and the
| curious of the country at large knew
the names of at least five shows and
these five were noted down for future
personal investigation And The Blue
Mouse" was included in the list Of
| five.
Only Near-Disappointment.
| This tells why some of the curious
of the Capital aided in filling the Belas-
co to overlooking last evening. The
next part Of the story is the part that
tells Of the near-pangs of disappoint-
ment and the desire of a few of the
still more curious TO meet with the
press agent or the person directly re-
sponsible for the report that colored
I glasses and ear muff1ers would be nee
/ essary for the proper enjoyment OF this
Fitch production
Naughty? Nothing Of the kind.
In The Blue Mouse Mr.. Fitch gives
to the theater-Soing people OF the Capt.
tai farcteal comedy in three acts and
these three acts are three periods OF
/ genuine humor guaranteed not 10 shock
with even the slightest little thrill
Things may have been done to The
Blue Mouse" BY the blue pencil men
who are supposed to know what the
country at large wants, and The Blue
Mouse" in New York may have been
! u different story. But il this is true
the Shuberts might we'll take back to
the big city the revised edition of Mr.
| Fltch's show from the German and
not suffer by the change if the people
OF Gotham want genuine comedy No
| vulgar lines are needed 10 bolster I'D
the Fitch play, and Ii need never travel
through the country with advance
notices that excite the type that felt
slightly disappointed at the end Of last
nights performance.
Profits by Changes.
All this about the real character Of The
Blue Mouse" and now about the actors.
Washington is not seeing the original
New York company" and again Wash
ington IS profiting-" again being used
with the understanding that THE Blue
Mouse may have been revised for con-
sumption outside Of New York
r AS the Blue Mouse Elsa Ryan does
not suffer In comparison with Mabel
. ! BarriSon, and this is said with the
/ ! knowledge that the fair Mabel has won
: reams and reams Of praise in her handI-
ing OF the dance hall artist Some
/ actresses in the role could have held
? the press agent who limited OF the bold
and naughty things from the Ananias
I class, but Miss Ryan at all times last
. night held away from the dead line and
even her one swear word sounded cute
, and innocent.
, More Of the same may be said of AL.
bCAL III ohs mo. DIS AllE SlIIlDle-rnlnOe0
rat president of a railroad, preferred
private secretaries possessed OF beauti.
1ul wives Harry Conor. in the New
York company s is known at his rea
picked for the original railroad presi
dent, and the play-going public would
have lost nothing. If there is anythins
more that can be done 10 the ma IF tbaT
is done by Mr.. Gran It remains for :
S most clever comedian 10 come forward
= and do It,
Robert Dempster as the secretar,
with the beautiful wife is better thar
e Jamison Lee Finney sf the origina
{ company.
Cast Uniformly Strong.
: other members OF the compan,
: are equally strong. Sam Reed. a.
8 the liveryman from Coohoes, y. Y.
! must surely have stopped over at tina
: station between trains and met tn,
y original OF the part, and Lillian Hall a
= the coy little 300-pOUnd wife Of the rail
y road president, was responsible 70
> much II the continued laughter
: In the story Of the play you can Sc
y the possibilities FOR amusement
l. young secretary Of a railroad presiden
g discovers that his superior enjoys tn
O society of pretty women and the secre
& tary being anxious TO be advanced L
an important position hires dance hal
s actress TO lmperSOnate his wife. He ha
[ q real wife and loves her and when
: turns out that the dance hall actres
j. The Blue Mouse-is mistaken by al
y for his wife and his really and trul
i. wife is take for The Blue Mouse, on
can see many opportunities for cornDIi
cations and Mr.. Fitch did not overlool
= many.
Many friends Of Miss Charlie Court
land were interested in watching tn
l. work Of the young Washington gin
j. who, despite the opposition OF he
e parents, left her home here for tn
stage. Miss CORTLAND, in addition I
playing a minor part, is understudy {
- Miss Affie Warner. the real wife.
l.
le COLD HURTS FRUITS.