Evening star., 1909-05-30

~ presentation OF Charles Rich
mans four-act play, The
Revellers." at the Belasco. It
was not only the first presentation OF the
play on any stage, but the first attempt
of Mr.. Richman. an accomplished actor,
at playwriting. First productions, by a
courtesy among critics, are handled with
mercy, II there be intrinsic merit in them.
In that spirit THE Revellers" should be
reviewed. Mr.. Richman almost succeed
ed In making a great play. Indeed. 1t is
to be hoped he may yet do SO. for the
material barring the "scrap heap" is al
ready at his command. His play in its
present shape Is open to several objec-
tions, the most serious Of which Is the
manner in which it bares things offensive
to refined audiences without the need of
1t. The first act Is full OF such offense
The man OF the world may not perceive
It, but the good woman cannot fail to.
It brings her face to face with characters
whose very existence she knows nothing
Of and why? It Is not necessary to dis
close vice in order to glorify virtue. The
domestic beauty Of the Randolph home in
the third act needs no contrast with
baser metal. It is idyllic in itself. The
stunts introduced at the "beefsteak'
supper in the second act really required
something exquisite to follow in order to
get the bad taste out OF ones mouth; but
the home scene needed nothing to add to
its glory. The first two acts as pre-
sented were entirely discordant and ut
terly out of place. They may attract
the denizens Of the tenderloin and those
who long for that life, but even that is
doubtful, for vile though they be, they
are not spicy enough to suit even that
class. The ''beefsteak'' stunts would
hardly make a go in a low class variety.
1t is only their audacious novelty to re-
fined people that prompts the dramatist
to dare introduce them In a respectable
theater. 1ntrinsically they do not pos
sess even the merit of novelty in vice. The
use OF the Mystic Shrine emblem to stay
the murderer's hand and bring him to re-
pentance Is crude. That incident needs
reworking to save it from the charge of
improbability If nothing else.
The charming play. "A Royal Family. .
SO well presented at the Columbia
Theater, stood out in refreshing relief
and the large audiences that greeted it
were living evidence. Of the fact that
So. too. at the National. where the Aborn
Comic Opera Company gave a fine pro-
duction Of Princess Chic that filed
the house nightly throughout the week.
The Lambs gamboled into Washington
and out again with nearly $1,000 for a
single matinee ,624 to be
exact. for there was $500 raised from
the sale Of the souvenir programs. This
ought to give the managers and pro-
ducers. as well as the actors themselves,
who made up the distinguished contin-
gent a grateful memory of the gener-
osity of Washington playgoers in the
future, and insure them some considera-
ton in return.
Mention of the weeks attractions would
be incomplete without reference to the
splendid spectacular production pre-
sented at Chase's by Miss Cora b.
Shreve's pupils in their operetta and
spring carnival, THE Flowers Serenade.
Nothing has ever surpassed it here, even
in the professional field. The children
who contributed to its success, and that
means all who took part in it, acquitted
themselves beautifully.
The Relasco has closed its regular sea-
son, and. taken as q whole. it has been
a good one from the playgoers stand
point. There are rumors of a summer
season of stock. but they have not yet
been confirmed.