The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-09-27
Rare Opportunity Presented
By Performance of Your
Humble Servant"
PLAY.FORGOTTEN
IN PLAYERS ART
Unique Drama By Harrington and
Wilson At the National
Vehicle"

The pIayEOer not unduIy fond OF heavy
tragic acting can find all that IS good
and all that Is most satisfying in the
rich art of Otis Skinner Il he attends
Your Humble Servant at the National
Theater this week
The play IS the production Of that
team of inveterate playwrights, Booth
Harrington and Harry Leon Wilson
In describing It one is sOrely tempted
to use that favOTite word Of the press
agents, a vehicle" II Is stout car
rage OF unique dramatic design to carry
Mr. SINNERS Improvisation Of Lafay-
cite Towers, optimist, and richly trim
med with sparkling lines
The meIlifous voice and rhythmic de-
livery of Mr. Skinner may be slightly
surpassed by Forbes Robertson, his
technique may be equaled in a loss
imaginative and more coldly intellectual
degree by T. h Sothern and his power
10 bring a tear may be less than that
of David Wsrheld- But with these ex-
'cepti0ns II Is doubtful whether Mr..
SINNERS ability as an actor is exceeded
in al these points by players the Arneri-
can stage affords And certainly the COM
binadon OF these qualities is hardly TO
serves 10 bring to the younger genera
ton some conception OF the traditions
OF Booth, Barrett and Salv1nl-
ImpeTSOnates a Star.
This summing up Of Mr.. SINNERS art
Is thoroughly apropos, for 1t found ade-
Quate expression last night in his i'm
persOnatiOn Of the star Of a one-night
stand troupe.
What matters It II the play, after
one distilis the rich essence Of the stars
impersOnstion, and shades the glamour
shed BY the acting Of an excellent com
Qany. appears cheap and Theatre in its
skeleton2
In the third act Edward Fielding won
the rather doubtful honor Of giving the
best representation Of a drunken man
Washington has seen for many months
HIS scene with skinner, in which thu
latter, as Towers, also imbibes TOO free
y in face Of an unexpected and unac-
customed deluge Of spirits, was one Of
the most genuinely funny situations IN
the play
There was not a single bit of coarse
ness 10 mar the act, and if men under
the Influence OF liquor were usually re
spOnsible for such unconscious wit Iitef-
eJuTC should endOW a few barToOmS 10
encourage rising young humOrists.
z IS a pity that the bTilliance Of Otis
Skinner should pale the lesser lights in
tie case Several Of them might shine
sfOne with less luminous couuetfrfO-
IN Miss Izetta Jewel Mr. Skinner
brought from Western stock COrnDauv
young woman who Is a genuine asset
&c the stage in the East Her drst ar
pe2IanCe IN Washington should stauIn
her on the minds Of the pIayzoer a. a
thoroughly artistic young actress whose
future VIII be watched with interest
That excellent character actor A g
Andrews contributed an imperSonarfCn
In ISidOr Blum, ImpreSari0. that stands
cut as one Of the best bits Of work
In his career
Some improvements might be sug-I
geSted in the parts taken by Charles
B Wells and Alfred Hudson, ir The
latter played the rather thankleSS role
OF the college youth he gave oCca-
SIGNAL touches that brought applause.
and a. other times stepped out of char
acter- The part Of the sheriff as pIaved
by Walter r Scott, furnished the one
jarTinE note. Surely the first act should
he relieved OF the bad impression he
gives It by an imperSOnation that in
ev1tably cOniures q recollection OF meIo- /
drama "thriIlers-T
Last night marked the resurrection
or Your Humble Servant Mr. Skinner
toll the audience in curtain speech
Washington is fortunate IN having a
chance to see this work OF Mr. Skin
ners- albeit a somewhat beIsted in
SpeCtiOn. Nothing but superIatives
could express Mr.. SINNERS success on
this first night of the plays second
season, and the reception given him at
the National deserves similar extrava-
giant phrase. J r. Hi yDlZRR AND