The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-04
COUSIN KATE
Columbia Players in Splendid Inter-
pretatIon OF Clever Comedy.

Columbia Players In Splendid Inter-
probation OF Clever Comedy.
The usual Monday nighS capacity audi
ence yas on hand to witness the trans
formation Of the Columbia Players from
the wigs and patches Of the Georgian Pc
Rod to the habiliments OF modern English
life For Cousin Kate" by Hubert Her
~ Davis Is just q simple little comedy OF
country manners. laid in rural England.
Cousin Kate" the author OF a dozen
novels written in cynical vein. and all
about love and near-love. and full Of
shafts leveled at weak and yielding wom-
en-, tells far different story when In
her own life she encounters the real
thing In the person OF the passionate
young lrlshman, Heath Desmond II is
the old, old story OF the difference be-
tween the make-believe and the genuine,
and Kate IS typical Of the woman who
does good bit Of looking about before
she settles upon an ideal. As she says,
herself. very simply. there have been two
classes Of men IN her life. those she loved
and those who loved her. but they we're
never the same.
OF the intricacies OF plot through which
Hates love affairs are guided, there Is
little 10 say, unless II is that the ex-
pedients. though obvious. are entertain
Ing. and that the dialogue, while not
brilliant, Is smart and intelligent The
battle Of words between Kate and Heath
IN the second act Is a delicious series Of
wholesome comedy scenes. ana. for the
greater part. commercially acted.
Julia Dean was COunsin Kate. and her
Interpretation of the somewhat complex
role left but little 10 be desired. Miss
Dean has a pleasing voice and her ges-
lures are delightful but she has bad
habit Of wearing a too-pained expression
when not wholly warranted. Her hand
ling OF scenes largely composed OF badi-
mage was immensely taking with the
audience, who showed by generous ap-
plause how much they appreciated #.
Orme Caldara had a likable part IN
that OF the artist Heath Desmond. It Is
rather difficult for a man 10 be engaged
70 one woman and n love with another
and extricate himself without reflection
on either. This is precisely what Mr..
Davis has made Desmond do. and IN the
enactment Of the varied progress Of the
character through his difficulties, Mr.. Cal
dara rendered a good account Of himself.
He was more natural and easy than he
has been heretofore. The part Is really
excellent. and one which can be made
much OF.
Miss Ruth D. Blake. as Mrs. Spencer,
a widow. showed her versatility by relin-
gushing the ingenue role Of last week 70
appear as a grand dame, Mrs. Spencer
IS nervous and cllnging lady. with hys-
terical inclinations Miss Blake rendered
her thoroughly amusing. Miss Laura
Oakman. as the priggish Amy Spencer.
had one good scene IN the last act with
Mr.. Caldara, IN which she succeeded in
conveying a good idea OF the vagaries Of
tho feminine mind when torn twixt love
and duty. Mr.. Frank. as Rev James
Bartlett, did clever work, and Everett
Butterfeld and Ruth Chatterton, while
having little 20 do but fill in the picture.
completed a cast which. II small. was
high In quality.
Tce performance was smooth and showed
evidences Of rigorous and intelligent re-
hearsals: and on the whole Cousin
Kate viii prove one Of the most enjoy
able treats that the Columbia players
have offered