The Washington times., 1909-04-25
Laughs Evolved From Three
Circumstances Wholly
Farcical in Character.
IMPROMPTU" BIT
is OBJECTIONABLE
Extraneous Joke Recalls Incident of
Skirt Pulling in The
Toreador."
BY ALLEN D. ALBERT, JR.


Francis Wilson leaps the gulf between
comic opera and operate comedy be-
cause he gets the laughs That may
not be elegantly expressed. but it will
be understood. And if there were any
doubt about it there is sufficient re
statement of it in the reports OF the
National box office this past week.
Money talks-in theatTicals.
But, indeed. that is about all that can
be said for Mr.. Wilson. He is a man OF
much learning. His Eugene Field
Knew is delightful reading There are
indeed. passages in it which rival ior
rich simplicity the best writing VI
stylists like Pater. No one could pos
sess such artistic discerning as is re-
flected in that book and not know what
orenses blot MS impersonat9n IN
When Knights Were Bold
II is not that he fiddles his acting
full OF tricks. That is as 1t Is. we
take him with the tricks or we let him
pass. OF course, we know there Is no
great attainment of acting in making al
representations out of one piece OF cloth'
but II the cutting is interesting ana we
get our fit of laughing we may content
ourselves. The trouble is not there. 1t
is in fragrant offenses.
Character of Comedy.
His comedy in when Knights Were
Bold" depended upon three circum-
stances purely farcical in character. A
cold in The head may make laughter.
But il is doubtful comedy no matter
where tie laughter is heard or who
makes 1T A dinner coat and q cigarette
box amidst knights and yeomen may
also make laughter. But the utter in
congruitv of the situation is a crea-
tion of the playwright and not the actor
In the first place, and not a very great
achievement in any place. Finally, Mr..
wilson swashes about his own ''kossle"
isn't It extraordinary how well actors
pronounce that word2-as a mixture of
nightmare and drunkard- That, also,
makes laughter. But it is far from es-
tabIishing this comic opera comedian
as an actor.
Even this is not all
Those who remember Mr.. Wilson In
1.-The Toreador'' may recall that he
pulled a skirt loose or did some other
equally brilliant thing, entirely Out OF
character, in the course OF a scene with
one of the women Of the cast. At once
there was a quick realization OF some
thing not in The program. Mr. wilson
ence laughed
That those two stepped out OF their
parts and became q man and woman
walking about the stage, that the audi
ence completely broke the thread of its
attention to the action-these things evil
IDENTIFY did not matter. For that simple
trick was used through the week. Now
comes he back to US again to do the
same Stiffness and we obligingly laugh
Everyone who saw When Knights
Were Bold win remember the Incl
dent. Sir Guy. Lady Rowena, and the
rich Jews daughter are on the stage
How are the Rice Pudding and the
little Pudlet2'' asks Mr.. Wilson Then
the actors laugh as though that were
new brilliancy, the audience takes II
I'D, and the action stops Monday night
IL seemed only cheap. But when II
was repeated and the other actors again
and again acted the same failure to
contain themselves and turned the same
shaking shoulders for the succeeding
audiences to see-then It became worse
than cheap.
Where Amateurs Reign.
At the BeIasco and Columbia, mean
while, amateurs were illustrating an
old truth that intelligence is the main
essential OF acting Everybody knows
the story OF the poor helper TO Edwi-
Booth, who simply couldn't get a line
as the "Chief' desired II. How, at the
last, the star himself spoke it and
cueried: .sTherei Why can't you do Il
Ike that?'' And how the poor fellow
answered: MIR. Booth, IL 1 could dc
IL Ike that DO you think 1 would b'
getting only SIS weekT'
Well. there was plenty OF understand
ing at these two theaters In "Abou
Thebes'' and the college performances
Lack Of rehearsal was manifest, Vi
course. Likewise, lack of security o.
dignity, of ease. of shading. But th'
wonder Is yet how amateurs could b'
found who could so nearly rival pro
fessionals-
There used to be an organization her
known as THE Carroll Institute ORA
matte Club" Its performances wer'
smooth, well developed, excellent,
managed and in many cases acted witt
was once the David Garrick' in tn,
play of that name and the impersona
tom would have satisfied any metro
politan audience. Well. the result wa
that this one group of amateurs gav'
the stage half dozen successful pro
fesslonals, though his success had tn
uuexpected effect Of confirming Mr.
walsh ia a belief that the rewards o
acting did not balance his opportunitie
in business. For the which, strange a.
it was, we OF Washington continue L
T6e ensuing week is no mixture o
low comedy and amateur performances
IN brings US Miss Van Studdiford In al
opera which Washington saw prOduce
and approved cordially; new play
most attractively announced. 'Th
Whirlpool" and the leading actor o
our stage today. r. II. Sothern- II tn
weather IS not fOrbidding ali thre
houses should be exceilently patronized
Mr. SOthern will act RiChelieu,
new role and never before undertake
by him in Washington; his fathers oil
role Of Dundreary. which he has don
I'm this city in earlier years. If ] Wer
King" perhaps the best OF modern ei
forts at romantic drama, and Hamlet,
which year after year this student cen
tinues 20 make more and more the el
preston OF his best thoughts Goo
luck 10 him.