Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-18
GIVEN ON THE Lawn ALL BUT ONE FOR IT
Play Performed in the White
House Grounds.
RAIN DRIVES SOME AWAY
Only a Few Drops Fall-President
Raises Umbrella and He and Mrs.
Taft Remain in Their Seats.

Neither the tumbling masses of inky
clouds which swept across the evening
sky nor the apprehension that terrific
rafnstorm would break at any instant
robbed last nights performance of las
You Like 1t" by the Coburn Players on
the White House lawn of jot of it's
witchery or poetic charm. And when the
first few drops began to fall, during the
opening OF the fourth act, more than half
the audience never moved, SO carried
away were they by the illusiveness of
the setting and the sweet fragrance of
the message Of this most beautiful OF
all the pastoral idyls in English litera-
ture.
President and Mrs. Taft were among
those who did not rush for Shelter at the
approach of rain. They sat in specially
reserved section just in front of the
stage, accompanied by party of friends
and attended by the military and naval
aids of the White House. all Respondent
in their summer full dress uniforms Of
white and gold.
President Raises Umbrella.
When the first raindrops fell the Presi-
dent raised umbrella and held It over
his wife. The play went on. A thousand
or more of the spectators fled the scene
i'll hot haste, but the players held to
their lines as if perfect silence reigned
Only few drops fell In five minutes
more the rain had stopped, and before
bthe emu of the play the dark clouds had
scurried out of sight and the stars once
more were visible.
The performance was given on the east
side of the lawn Just in front of a
great tree which stands on a knoll a
stage had been built So cleverly was
it merged with the knoll that it seemed
to be no stage at all, but just a patch
of greensward. Behind and to the left
of the great tree one could peer through
other trees for hundreds of feet and mark
the approach of the players long before
their entrance was called for.
Nights dark curtain shut out all else
except the make-believe Forest of Arden
and the spectators were free to imagine
themselves in that delightful realm where
Simple things sufficed, where freedom for
the better instincts was in the air and
where the promptings of the heart found
quick response in word and deed.
Performances Great Success.
Soft, yellow light from caIciums set
back of the audience bathed the stage
in mellow glow and the entract were
marked by a momentary darkness. The
else and the performance was an excep-
tional success.
Mr.. Coburn played the love-sick Or
lando. When he called upon 1.-The thrice
crowned queen of night" to bear witness
to his love for ROsalind a little ripple OF
laughter spread over the audience be-
cause the lady moon was not then in
sight Mrs. Coburn essayed the role of
Rosalind. Miss Amelia Barleon was the
faithful Celia. Augustin Duncan played
Touchstone. Frank Peters was the mel
anchOly and cynical Jacques. J. j. Ken
nedy portrayed CORN.
The customary cuts were made in the
performance, many of the long dialogues
in which TOuchstOne Is involved being
eliminated. as well as few Of the moral
izngs of Jacques.
Yesterday afternoon the company gave
a performance of Twelfth Night" The
committee in charge of both events will
make public in a day or two the exact
sum realized for the Washington Play
ground Association by the benefits.