Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-21


sighted: the early flowers reflect
the sunshine in bursts or 10
c,,,d xa,lov,. the base ball enthusiast be-
Gins 10 make his optimistic calculations
concerning the pennant. and yet the zest
+or theatrical entertainment does not
ahate Nv all the rules, the ebb of IN
1e-est should set in as soon as winter
masses hut late spring has Its advant-
ages and the failure Of a fruit crop may
mean the enhanced success OF various
stage enterprises. There has been llVe-
u appreciation OF current entertainments
which even the significant suggestions tnat
the Aborn Opera Company is preparing
for new campaign. that the ". a. rage
stock company has its eye on Wasnlhe-
ton once more and that Fred Berger VIII
10 in the field with corps of players
could not discourage Even now we are
looking forward to more first proohcllohs
as features of the regular season III
fact Washington is to see no termlnauon
of It's dog town celebrity, even with the
opening of the summer season, Tor inc
valiant Mr. Page declares that ne Will
have none but new plays for his season.
nIays which will at least claim attention
for novelty He is encouraged by the
fact that some Of the greatest successes
have found the light almost as accidents.
AIR Page will not merely wait for genius
"a be discovered. He will go cunning for
4. At this moment ne is probably waist
deep in manuscripts
But all this is DEPRESSION.
We have just had another of those first
productions and custom requires GER
tain amount of contentious comment
Not that 1t can make the slightest DIFF
ference whether The Beauty Spot Is
praised or blamed at this late day. Ii
has had a prosperous engagement and is
now on It's way toward New York. The
author. Mr. Joseph Herbert. exemplifies
s. strange state of inward struggle. He
IS both an author and an actor. Tradi-
tion expects an author to be modest ana
crave the gentle reader for forbearance
Iut an actor bereft of his self-reliance
j. lost Here are two ccntending forces
which may unless carefully managed,
neutralize each other. In this merry
musical piece. which Unexpectedly be-
slows almost stellar honors on a burnt
cork comedian. Mr.. Herbert has ap-
parently demonstrated a long cherished
theory In one of the Alice Nelson operas
the comedian announced that he had a
d
under AIR. Herberts auspices as follows:
Il had a little bird and Its name
was Enza. l opened the window and in
nuenza,
Ii was solemnly argued that this pun
was sufficient for plot. And The Beauty
Spot" which depends the Commissions
a mole-a blemisn the skin-with
.nole-a small quadruped-is proof that
the theory announced in jest is susceptible
Of practical application. For the piece
is a gorgeous bit of hilarity. the names
That appeared with prominence in the
announcements were not supported by the
casting of the play. JEFF De Angels
part is that of a character old man with
few opportunities for dancing and with
slender supply of comic speeches. The
role is sort of pantaloon upon whom
clownish pranks played. instead of
being itself a source or spontaneous
humor. Miss Clarke has no exceptional
opportunities. but Frank Doane. the
piackface comedian, steps into a part so
advantageous that it is like finding a
winning lottery ticket There are some
efforts at touches OF indelicacy. both as
10 costuming and speech. prompted
possibly by the great prosperity enjoyed
in New York by shows that have been
Proprieties.
The appearance Of Miss Billie Burke
called forth the usual batteries Of compIi-
mentary adjectives. Marvellous of hair,
complexion and temperament, she romped
sayly through performance In which
every consideration was subordinated to
the exploitation OF her personality. The
play IS clever and some OF the characters
worthy OF skilled and conscientious inter-
probation but the production as offered is
no more than background for the viva
ctous little woman who talks like song
bird and looks like an animated bonbon.
In Panama was reminder that The
public must laugh. regardless OF the SEN
1iments or those whose business it is TO
entertain. There was mirth In plenty,
despite the bereavement which makes the
firm name. Rogers Brothers. thing
of the past
PIiiIANDER JOHNSON