The Washington herald., 1909-02-16
THE COLUMBIA.
@Shnm."

@ShaTu-D
. At the Columbia Theater last night. BE-
fore a representative Washington audi
ence, Miss Henrietta Crosman presented
a new comedy by Geraldine Bonner and
Elmer Harris, entitled Sham" Il is
gratifying 70 be able 10 record that the
play proved most pleasing and satisfy
ing. providing a hne Incentive to laughter
and applause, and bears all the ear marks
OF q real success. It is aboye everything
else smart comedy. satirizing
prominent phase Of the social struggle
In such city as New York. It Is Up 70
date. distinctly worth while. clean, re-
freshing. wholesome, and admirably
acted
There is nothing very pretentious in the
central idea OF this new comedy Il
really attempts 70 solve no problem, and
X It teaches a moral lesson It Is only BY
indirection-by what II glances at It
tells OF the straits OF Miss Katherine Van
Riper, a daughter Of one OF the ''old
families" OF New York. who Is living IN
an expensive apartment in Fifth avenue
On an income Of SEQ a month The re
suit is that she IS deeply involved In
debt The rising OF the curtain Is simul-
taneOus with the ringing Of the door
bell by irate trsdegmen, who too long
have been cozened out Of their money II
does not take long 10 learn that Miss Van
RIper is $500 in the hole. She has no
means. though she has wealthy relatives.
but her main reliance against anything
serious happening IS a string OF pearls
that was given TO her grandmother by
Gen. lafayette. and on which she knows
she can raise S1S.oo0 or c2o.00o any time
Katherine Van Riper he's had many
suitors. but just at present her hand Is
sought b. two men They are both west
erners. from Idaho. but one OF them is a
muIti-miIlionaire- and the other had 10
work for a living. BY q strange perversity
Il is The poor young man she falls in love
with. He has expressed 10 her his horror
Of New York society and the shans
which are al its foundation. Her aunts
are horrifed 10 learn that she IS about 20
be sued by her tra6esmen in c0mbina-
ton ard they urge her 10 marry the rich
man. but Katherine is becoming tired
now she Is in love, OF being a sham; she
sell her famous necklace 10 pay her debts.
bat when she does II IS only 10 learn
that the necklace. 100. is a sham. that
her father had sold II and substituted
paste- So that dream falls TO the ground
Her poor lover comes. and in a scene Of
considerable power and much true comedy,
with a note Of real path0s underlying il,
she explains 20 him what a. sham she s
and how she has been a CRATER all her
life But. AZ the last. her aunts come 10
the rescue. and she is able 70 pay all Of
her bills, and with genuine. not sham.
love she goes 10 the arms OF her poor
young lover
II IS a far CRY, indeed from Sham 70
the classical and beautiful The Chris
tian Pilgrim in which Miss C-Osman was
seen here last year, but that failed, and
il seems likely that sham VIII succeed
IN both Of these plays Miss Crosman
found fine opportunities. but the work IS
vastly different. and It Is really marvellous,
this demonstration OF her fine versatility.
Seeing Miss Crosman IN Shan" one
would say that light comedy was dis
tinctly her forte. She has a most
charming stage presence. never looked
prettier IN her life than she did last
night. and her acting was a revelation.
She just swept the comedy along and
kept it at high note by the sheer
force Of a dominant and attractive per
sOnality aided by talent OF an unusual
order
Miss Crosman has been provided with
an excellent supporting company. Paul
Dickey, the leading man, who plays
the part OF Tom Jaffray. the poor
Young lover. is very good His work Is
conscientious and thorough So TOO.
with Homer Miles. who impressed one
with his cleverness as ! Montague
Buck, for II Is not an easy thing TO ap-
pear stupid gracefully on the stage
Clever work. also. was that OF Amelia
MayborB, Margaret St. John. and Ida
Waterman. and the small part PLAYED
by Mr- Charles WaIcott was very well
done
The piece is dainty. well dressed, and
altogether entertaining Il impresses
one with its freshness and sparkle. and
wherever II is played YOU may be sure
that there viii run, as an accompani-
ment, kindly trickle OF laughter from
the audience, for the dialogue IS
brilliant and witty. the acting is
clever. ard the comedy. as a whole.
merits the success which II is evidently
destined 10 win HECTOR FULLER