The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-12
LAST NIGHT AT LOCAL PLAYHOUSES
THE COLUMBIA.
Wallace Eddinger in aBobby
Burnit.s

Wallace Eddinger in "Bobby
Burnit.s
Winchell Smith has turned George Ran
dolph chester's story. The Making Of
Bobby Burnt. into what may be termed
a melodramauc farce. All readers OF
that down-to-date tale VIII recall that
Bobby was q youth who had a very far
seeing father-a fathsr who seemed TO
have very little confidence in his sons
ability. and who recognized that the sons
folly was inherited Afterward it turns
out that the father had no such opinion
after all, but IN reality had a great deal
OF faith in Bobby's ability TO come out
on top.
The father. who was something Of
grim humorist, chose just the proper way
IN which to pique the boys pride. and
thinking that ne Is expected not TO sue
coed. and in spite of the apparently
hard terms OF the fathers viii. Bobby
pounds away at his opportunities and gets
away with some pretty big things. The
moral drawn from Mr. Chesters tale
was obviously that If Bobby had been
allowed to inherit. with no restrictions.
there would have been danger OF his
falling into that innocuous desuetude
which is tho ultimate fate Of the pam
pered child OF fortune.
Naturally there was much In the book
that had to be omitted, such as numerous
schemes of Bobby's to make money and
several dubious escapades which added
nothing to the dramatic possibilities OF
the tale But the salient features re-
main, with a few touches Of the play
wright, which may or may not be con-
sidered in the light OF Improvements.
The loss by Bobby OF his fathers long
established business forms the principal
incident upon which the drama Is builded.
The first two acts are given up 10 this.
and the neat manner in which the would
be business man is trimmed by his
fathers ancient business rival; the con-
trast between the greenhoTn and the
business sharp and Bobby's gradual
awakening 10 the fact that he has been
''stung" furnish considerable comedy, all
on the lines Of the book. The recurrent
blue envelopes with messages ITO my
SON" &c, furnished a pleasing diver
sion and something Of a thrill, beside.
In the third act Bobby and his friend
"Bif" Bates. not forgetting the faithful
Johnson, begin TO do things. It is right
here that the insidious form of melo-
drama creeps in and spells the artistic
complexion Of the piece. The dramatist
has introduced a fake murder as the
means Of intimidating one Of Bobby's
rivals and what might have been a
clever strategic scene was turned into
roaring farce.
Something of the plays equilibrium is
recovered in the last act-necessarily
mawkish and explanatory-but it never
really gets over the body blow of that
third act Mr.. Wnchen Smith evidently
labored under the impression that his
future audiences wanted action. so they
got it in this somewhat heroic manner,
It would have been much better TO have
used Mr.. Chester's quiet but logical and
artistic method of coercion.
OF the clever work Of Wallace Ed
dinger, as Bobby. nothing but praise can
be said. He played with boyish ear
nestness that was delightful It was as
though the character was conceived
for his especial benefit so completely
does it ut him He has the discretion
10 play away from broad comedy effects,
and even In the farcicai third act he
temporizes with his lines and succeeds
In keeping within his character.
Though Miss Wilette Kershaw Is not
the Agnes Of the book, she played the
role charmingly. Perhaps it is because
she is so young and fresh that she did
not appear in the least Ike one In whom
old John Burnt would eonflde a trustee
ship Jack Webster as "Bin' Bates had
many laughs follow his lines. end his
penchaEt for punching heads was so dis
corning that half the time the audience
would have been glad to see him do it.
George a. Wright was splendid as the
taciturn Johnson, and Rapley Holmes
played Sam Stone. the politician, in a
creditable manner. The balance Of the
cast were good and included John D.
OHara as silas Trimmer Fred G. Strong
as Applerod. Charles Lane as Clarence
Smythe. and Ruth Rose as Nellie Platt,
who were among the best
WILLIAM OSBORN.