Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-23
New National.

Jack Straw comedy in three acts
by w. Somerset Vaughan. the author
of Lady Frederick or. rather. John
Drew. who played the title role of the
comedy. attracted d typical Drew audience
to the New National Theater last night
and between the star and Rose Coghlan
who will be favorite with comedy lovers
as long as she is on top of the earth, kept
the great. audience in laughter from the
time they first appeared until the curtain
went down on the last act.
The play is clean cut, healthy refined
comedy throughout. 1t served eminently
to amuse and entertain large and
hours and to win hear,y applause for
the presenting company especially Mr..
Drew and Miss Coghlan, who easily
shared the honors of the evening with
him.
The plot hangs on a practical joke
which Lady Wanley. charmingly por-
trayed by Adelaide Prince. and her
friend. Ambrose Holland. impersonate ed
oy Z. l.. Davenport. plan to play upon a
rich family of upstairs. cap:ained in a
mastery manner by Rose Coghlan as
Mrs Parker Jennings. the mater
Mrs Parker Jennings has cruelty hurt
tne feelings of the gentle wife of an in
cnensive ctrate Holland recognizes il
the waiter at his table IA friend whom he
mas always known Jack Straw He
and Lady Wanley determine 10 punish
Mrs. Parker Jennings. Jack Straw. VIII,
has become infatuated with Ethel Jen-
ninSs. charming and sensible young
woman. quite out of place In the Parker
Jennings family. consents TO be introduced
by Holland and Lady Wanley to the fam
lily as the Archduke of Pommera MIA not
so much to punish the mother as to be
near the daughter The plot works and
Mrs Parker Jennings gives an elaborate
reception To his royal highness 10 which
she invites every distinguished member
OF socie.y and the nobility in the county
including Count Adrian Won Bremen the
Pommeranian amba ssador This develop
ment astounds Lady Wanley ard Holland
VINO at once try to persuade Jack StraW
To back out and leave before his fraud is
discovered But he doesn't propose to do
anything of the sort. He has entered into
the plot for purpose Of his OWL and not
even the vehement abuse of Mrs Parker
Jennings, when she is made aware of the
deception, can induce him to give up his
part. He plays it to the end. knowing
that the Parker Jenningses and the others
are more involved than he and cannot
AFFORD to expose him. Then with a daring
audaclty he proceeds to make love to the
charming daughter of the family. On the
day of the reception he Parker Jen-
ningses are simply overwhelmed with the
rank and dignity of their callers and
Jack Straw plays the archduke's part to
fragile. He does just exactly what he
pieases. even insists upon NEE ing the
fommersnlan ambassador. This is the
situation when the curtain rises upon the
third act. The Parker Jenningses are
mortified beyond measure almost des.
perate at the fear of exposure, for the
reception has been heralded in two col
umns of the local paper. Every induce
ment and every threat is resorted to to
get rid of Jack Straw, but still he re-
mains.
At the psychological moment the Pom
nieranian ambassador reappears. informs
Jack Straw that his imperial grand
1atheT has given his consent to his
union with Ethel and vouches for the
genuineness of the archduke. whom he
has known from childhood. but whom his
only other acquaintance has always
known simply as Jack Straw This al
the very height of a vigorous denuncia-
ton OF Jack Straw as a fraud and a
mental by Mrs. Parker Jennings The
everybody was happy afterward' sec
ton of the play results i'm the accept
ance OF the archduke's proposal of mar
rfage to Ethel. although why the Young
lady should consent to marry him when
the playwright seemed To awaken in her
STRONG interest for Lord Scrio. II sutton
for her hand and money. particularly
her money. * not quite clear.
John Drew is as usual simple i'm his
methods, entirely natural at all times
and effective "a; cIimaxeS. The char
icter of Mrs. Parker Jennings "a rather
unlovablc one. WAS. as a matter ot
course, splendidly handled by Miss
Coghlan.