The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-09-25
Skinner, billiard, and Fig
man in the Limelight
sk at Theaters.
STAGE LIFE SHOWN
IN A NEW COMEDY
Vaudeville and BurleSque Houses
Offer a Pleasing Array
Of Talent.


Is distinctly worth while
Otis Skinner, one Of the acknowledged
leaders Of the American stage, viii ap-
pear at the National in new modern
comedy by Booth Harrington and Harry
Leon Wilson. entitled Your Humble
Servant
Robert Hilliard viii pay a return visit
70 Washington with his a Fool There
Was" a rather somber but highly dra-
matte play that Is now starting its sec
Ond season
Another tried success, Mary James
Pa" will serve 10 introduce Max Fig
man in star role at the Belasco.
Your Humble Servant produced
under the direction Of Daniel Frohnan,
is described as a realistic transcript OF
life behind the scenes with a small
touring company. such a. is known in
theatrical psrlance as a repertoire
troupe" Mr.. Skinner plays the role OF
hamboyant tTsgedian. Lafayette Tow
ers, who has never known q genuine
success but whose ambition keeps him
optimistic.
Story Of Play.
The play opens in a tiny village in
New York State, and the company,
with Lafayette Towers at its head,
is in the midst Of a performance The
leading woman is a young girl, Mar
garet bruce. who has been Towers
ward since childhood. a stage-struck
youth who Nss left a home OF wealth
70 crafty his ambition as an actor
is also a member Of the company.
The two young people are in love.
and when the boys father, who has
discovered his whereabouts, suddenly
arrives at the little theater and in
sists that his son shall return 10 the
parental roof, the young man indig-
nantly refuses For the first time in
many weeks the troupe is confronted
by an overlooking audience, but their
hOpes OF a substantial meal after the
when the manager abscOnds with the
nights receipts, leaving them
In the second act Towers and his
protegeS are discovered living in a
cherries lodging house in New York
vainly seeking for a metropolitan en-
gagement. The young girl has dis
covered that Dick, her weu-bOrn
mance- no longer cares for her enough
Bohemian life 50 by a ruse she sue
cCeds in perSuading him TO return TO
his millionaire fathers home
The third act transpiTeS in a mansion
where a fashionable vaudeville enter
tainment is being given Towers and
his ward arrive to contribute their
Of the guests, again meets his former
sweetheart, His old infatuatiOn returns,
but she tells him candidly that their
separation Is final a sincere affection
for Towers, the man who has been her
protector and mentor through years Of
viCiSsitudes, has ripened into honest
love In the last act she makes her
debut before a New York audience and
her latent genius, which has been de-
VelOped in adversely Is recognized as
something phenomenal Towers, who
has coached her in the part in which
Sne mas elecITlned the metropolis finds
solace in his wards success, and pre-
paIes 10 return to the old nOmadic life
on the road But Margaret shows
him that her love Is real and the cur
tain falls on their reunion with every
prospect Tor triumphant career be-
IRE them
Figman As Star
While Mary James Pa in which
Max Figman viii be presented by John
Cert at the BelascO Theater this week,
Is announced as an idyIlic Midwest
comedy, and might give one the i'm
preston that It Is one Of those sweet
buCOlic dramas Of country love and
tr1bulati0us, It is said 20 be in reality
big comedy drama Of real life in the
great Middle W.
The big scene OF the play comes at the
end or the second act as a newspaper
goes 10 press. Rome Preston. candidate
for nomination, disabIes the modern
cylinder press and upSers the type Of a
story exposing the practices Of his rival
n order 10 prevent Its being printed,
and thus saves the owner OF the news
paper PoTtIa Perkins the woman he
has loved In vain from the threatened
revenge Of the opposing candidate. She
discovers the accident TO the press and
IS in desperation, when her husband,
played by Max Figman. himself a tramp
printer who had left wife and children
eleven nd 10
world. ava kens from his lazy demeanor
at her impassioned call for help, and
sets the story he then prepares an
old-fashiOned hand press that Is in he
corner, and amid the greatest enthusi-
aSm turns out the paper, printed on one
side, and wins the big political battle
FOR his wife
The supp orting cast includes Helene
Lackaye. sr1 the original scenic pro-
ductiOn WI. be seen here
Plays Return Engagement.
Robert HnIiard. in a Fool There
Was which he brings 70 the Columbia
this week, has climbed to his highest
point thus far
The theme was found in KipIinE's
grlmty fascinating poem. inspired by
Sir Philip Burne-Jone's famous paint
ing OF The Vampire"
The story depicts the downfall Of
a Dig man-bfE socially. financially
and in the business world A hypnotic
Tor whom one Of her victims has just
killed himself on board ship. enSnares
MIN at the moment of sailing. She
Is Dew 4derlngly and sUbtly fasCinat-
ing She crumples up the moral
SCruple OF this man as II II were
tissue Down in the depths she draEs
him. haggard, dissipated and racked
by asOn1eS Of remorse and seIf-a base
menL Then comes the great dramatic
moment, when wife and child Loyalty
battle for his recla nation
Among Mr. billiards. associated
players are BertOn Churchill Virginia
Pearson. Stella Archer and Winifred
Burke
Vaudeville offerings.
Chase's bill this week is headed by
Homer b Mason and company, i've
nirthfuI players. including piquante
Marguerite Keller. in Porter Emerson
Browns latest and greatest vaudeville
COmedierta. In and Out
The author is also writer Of a Fool
There Was" and The Spendthrift.' - The
added attraction viii be those amusing
comedy stars, Edwin Stevens and Mss