Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-11


French Canadian girl In The storm.
Minds may differ as TO the play. ou'
nra.se Of Miss Starts exceptional work
comes from all directions The role i
an unusually difficult one. 1t Is that OF
an innocent, unsophfsticated girl. oorr
ard reared on the border.and Of the far
north strong in the healthy blood o:
youth and with but the faintest concep-
,,on of a moral code 10 guide her. yet
vithal the prey OF two fierce men fairly
sizzling with passion. each of whom
thinks he loves her. Miss STAIRS artistic
conception OF the part was a beautiful
picture OF natural innocence. and in the
belief ~ many the strongest feature OF
the play.
There are these who affect 10 believe
that French fares should be forbidden on
the American stage, and many Of them
CorntleSs should he; but few Will deny
who saw Con & Co" al the Bell>co last
week that that particular farce Is good
medicine for the blues. 1t Is fIl o.
laugh-7naking material other than that
dependent upon suggestiveness. but which
grows rather out OF tae ridiculous ac-
tons Of characters subJe cted to condi-
t.ons with which one finds difficulty IN
naturally connecting them
For instance. Tom Walsh, as Senator
P.nkney, probably caused more hearty
laughter ar the expense OF that LOFTY but
much tempted 6ignitary than his young
nephew and Hobson. mis- partner. the
chief funrakers of the play. GustaNe
Hartzheim. TOO. as the German Leuten-
ant Hoffbaur. laughably ridiculous
in situations that borrowed nothing from
tire forbidden Ben Hendricks, as the
suspicious Herr Director Won Schenel gave
the most natural and effective present 4
ton OF all the roles. His telephon'c
communication with his wife In the neN
room, when he believed her at home. was
iaughable enough without the boisterous
display OF Mysteries In the room where
the wife and her partners in deception
were trying 70 mislead the rate and sus-
picious husband.
II is q matter Of genuine regret to many
Washington pia-goers TO know tnat
the Columbia Theater summer season mas
reached It's close. II Is season fTaught
with many pleasant memories. and with
some disappointments. perhaps IL IS uh-
ouestionably the most successful summer
season ever enjoyed by local theater
For a time u seemed as IL Julia Deans
retirement might prove disastrous, Ior
Miss Dean Is very popular with the Pa
irons Of the Columbia Players. But noth-
ing daunted. Blanche Hail, the new lead
ing woman. modestly took up the work.
and from the outset, when she ran close
second TO Billie Burke In Love Watches,
the won her way In the esteem OF Wash
tngton audiences.
Paul McAlister II must be confessed
did not prove a better leading man than
Orme Caldara. who filled the position the
year before. Mr.. McAllister Is undoubt-
edly gifted in many points and gave a
number of exceptionally good portrayals
during the season, notably as Raff1es
and as the Drain Man In The Servant
In the House" toward 1.-THE close OF its
week. Yet his versatility seems limited
and his personal conceptions too little
susce ptible of judicious mobilization.
But in Stage Director Curtis. Walter
Wilson, Ernelie Melville and Phyllis Sher-
wood. not TO overlook Everett Butter
field, whose work during the season is
among its most brilliant recollections, the
Columbia Players had material that
placed them on par with many or che
hest producing companies Of the year.
STANLEY James, Arthur Ritchie, Frank
Shannon. Florence Huntington and others
will also he remembered as substantial
contributors 10 many pleasant evenings
in the Columbia playhouse during the
sammer months.
Two new plays viii be PRESENTED for
the first time during the present week
The Little Damozel for tie first time
IN America and George NJ. cohan $
dramatization = Chesters stories, Get
Rich Quick Wallinrford." The former
comes with a splendid advance reputation
from London; the latter will disclose Mr..
Cohan's work In new fed OF enoeavor.
THE Wolf. ar north passion play,
comes TO the Ac ,demy for the first times
although Il has been seen in Washington
before. Al III. Wilson comes with re-
turn engagement OF Metz in Ireland
81 the Columbia, and Chase.s the Casino.
Majestic and other vaudeville and motion
picture houses all nave alluring announce
mSnts for the week.
THE LAND OF BOHEMIA. Ever
since Henri Murger discovered in lit
e-ature the mine OF gold hidden away
In lovely fascinating Bohemia. that
wonderful Every Mans Land has been
the mecca for countless knights Of the
pen. Out % al the myriad attempts 10
draw the composite portrait of LA Bo-
hemes" dear. irresponsible folk, there has
srisen that superb masterpiece "Trilby,'
and now, The Little Damozel.
Neither Nonckton Hoffe. the author Of
this latest drama, nor Henry W. Savage.
Its producer in America, have sought 10
make this parallel in plays. Mr.. Hofe is
TOO modest TO suggest such a point and
Mr.. Savage too conservative But the
COMPARISON las been deliberately drawn
IN more than one Of the London critics.
VINO had opportunity TO pass verdict upon
The Little Ia moZei during its long run
IN the British metropolis last season.
Since that Is the case. and since these
observers have seen At to draw tho par
slel in complimentary way. reference
10 the matter here l. not out of place.
the Roheme Of Nv. Hoffe's drama Is
rot the tabled one Of Paris. but the far
less known one Of London itself q ro-
maIce land that IL would seen, should
he even moe readily understood III.
American PLAY goers than Tn Msurier's
However that may he IL is apparent from
these reviews that The Little DamoZer
pictures the people and the events 81 its
locale with singular charm ceep insight
ard admirable sympathy Certainly no
other play Of its type has So vividly i'm
pressed the London playGoers. while few
% any sort have excelled IL in point ~
popular appeal
Mr. Savage has had 1.-THE Little pamo-
zsl in preparation ever since the early
DAYS nf last season. when he first Sc
cured the American rights in competition
With practically every other important
American producer. The piece ran all last
season In the British capital and at once
most successful English playwrightS
TIE late King Edward three times com
msnded performances at Sandrin CHAM,
honor of very rare sort while the
popular triumph OF tho play was CORE
spondingiS- noteworthy.
HOW SHINE HAS SHONE. -The first
professional engagement secured BY Thad.
deus Shine. the Washington member OF
Al Wilson's Company. was with John Nc
Cuiiough. Previous 10 that he held q
cne-thousand-dollar position In the Treas
ury Department. which he resigned TO be-