Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-02-12
The Blue Mouse" Interrupted Only
0a Applause end Laughter.
BIG AUDIENCE OUT TO SEE It
Answer to Question as to Plays
Moral Tone is at All Depends
linz, IN. Point Of view"-Chief
Reynolds Position.

standard Of other PLAYS which nave
been presented and repeated III vac
Academy wthouG protest from the
public. ! could SO" no reason lor III,
reference on my part, Said (hi"t "'
Police Reynolds last night. after De-
in, one of some twelve hundred PEG
ME to witness a slightly "rNDurGat"d
presentation of the mach discussed
farce that was barred by IN" Rcii'
mond authorities after one OF four
scheduled performances.
With instructions from Mayor
Jones TO sop the performance If any.
thing immoral or indecent was said
or done on the stage. Chief Reynolds.
accompanird hv Commonwealth At
tornev {. c. Berkeley. occupied
seat in the orchestra circle of IN"
company. cssaying for III" iirst timr
in his career the role OF theairlCal
censor The performance was Mter.
rupted only b. storms of laughter anu
applause.
II all depends upon the point o!
view Tom Sawvcr's standby Tor NOR
ais. a Sunday school Superintendent.
would or should hav" been terribly
shocked II he had happened to b" at
the Academy last night. Such per
sonase. realizing his position as
stickler for high moral tone. might
even have demonstrated his disap-
proyal of the naughty doings and
ga yinss bv leaving the theater. Indeed.
il would have been risky for him to
stav for it would never do for him
to give sign OF approval. and n"
certainly would have suffered Internal
INJURIES if he tried 20 stay without
laughing. But farce comedies are sell
dom luil, upon a plane likely to be
approved of by Sunday school SUI
periutendent. and If any part OF the
audience that nearly filled the Acad-
envy objected to THE Blue Mouse
that part was in hopeless minority:
Apparently the whole house joined
in the noisy signs of satisfaction.
Was 1.-The Blue Mouse" Immoral!
Was The Blue Mouse" immoral?
That's what everybody who didn't go
to the Academy will ask. AS has
been mentioned above. 1t all depends
npon tho point of view. The story
of the farce. adapted from the Ger
man by Clyde Fitch. is. in brief. as
follows: A Young secretary TO an
old railway president wants to he
promoted to position as division
superintendent. The old president mas
an old wife. and he has a reputation
for being more than ordinarily IA
miliar with the young and pretty
wives of his private secretaries. In
fact, a young and pretty wife Is 4
PREREQUISITE to appointment as pri-
vale secretary The secretary OF the
moment keeping dark the fact that
he has wife. employs a SalOme dan
Ger called The Blue Morse at a
salary of $1,000 month to pose as
his wife lead the sporty old president
a merry chase and win Tor the secre-
tary the desired promotion. The Sa-
lone dancer. incidentally is live lit
tie party whose beautiful gowns.
splendidly furnished apartments. etc.
are furnished BY old guys. as the
lines Of the play do not fail to make
Main and who makes a practice OF
hugginc and kissing and hanging
about any man who happens TO he
in sight The real wife of the secre-
tarv her father, the old spouse oil
the president. and the lover OF the
dancer are all brought mo the game.
and il Is easy to imagine what re-
markabie lot Of scenes might result
from this complication. The Blue
Mouse" gets the promo ion for the
secretary. and incidentally. takes the
secretary's !ather-in-law on a chase
netting her $:.0oO: then the situation
is cleared up and the curtain drops
with everybody happy except IN" gay
iNnn. his vile
This story speaks for Itself. II ii
i not too broad to BE- put on the
stage with ali of its breadth. then
there is no reason for "bJec'inS u
The Blue Mouse As far as the
actual demeanor OF the players them
selves Is concerned. it is all that any
playgoer could desire.
The Examinations.
The play was presented h""c witt
the eiiminations suggested by Chic
Of Police Werner. Of Richmond. dur
ing the rehearsal conducted for HI
benefit Tuesday afternoon. J
dam has been turned into darn
here and there: The Bin" Mouse
contents herself with pulling h"
dress of one shoulder insteai vi "t
both in a certain scene and reveals
a bit less Of her lower limbs in an
other. Apparently. however. 'hes'
changes make no material difference
in the play. II The play is ohj"C't'na
hle. there is no way OF "l!minatin
me Objection except ny h'"iing IN
curtain down.
No matter wha! else MAY u" sal
siou The farce. il certainly IL fur
nv. very funny. Il : "uoug
IN make wooden Irdia
jauSh. Mss Millicent Evan
makes the leading role deltSh 'rl. an
does and SAYS all Of the qu' stion;
he thing assigned TO the Nous"
in such dainty fashion tha' sh"
obliged 10 please The ent.r" cas-