The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-11-01
"Mr. PTeedy and the Count.
eSS" a Revelation in Eng
liSh Farce.
CROSSMITH WINS
MARKED APPROVAL
Excellence of Company Is Bright
Feature of Importation-News-
paper Men Guests.

Playgoers had almost come to be-
lieve there was to be nothing new IN
English comedy until Mr.. Preedy and
the Countess which made its Amer
lean advent at the BelascO last evening,
disproved this idea.
The farce is one of the best OF its
kind and more. Il has the customary
maximum Of clever lines and laughable
situations suspended on a minimum Of
plot. But the lines are put into the
mouths Of very real characters who in
cur our sympathy or our dislike as
occasion may require. As a result the
authors witticisms carry home TO the
heart as Wei as to the head and We
find ourselves laughing-not because
that is so clever, don-cher-knOw, but
because we must.
r c. Carton wrote the piece and
Weldon Grossmith is his arch-inter-
prefer. Though last night was an Amer
lean premiere, the performance bore
none of the earmarks Of a first night
One notable feature of the presenta-
ton was perfection with which even
the minor roles were acted. There IS
a great hue and cry just now about
The development Of native talent. But
lean author could be found 10 formulate
such a polished and clever compound as
this farce. a manager would be in wait
ign with judgment and cash to assemble
an equally worthy cast
Concerning the Plot.
or course the plot is thin. ever so
thin. 1t merely deals with the adven-
lures of Joanna, Countess Of Rushmere,
who, while temporarily separated from
her husband. is placed in hiding in the
apartments or a respectable bachelor
by a kind friend who turns out 10 be
a cad, and the consequent embarrass-
ment of the respectable young bach
elor. At times the author grabs at a
word as II at a straw. in determined
effort to keep swimming until the 1880
o'clock port. but he always handles
with it merrily and never holds on too
long.
But the feature that makes the farce
pre-eminent IS its life-like, pulSatinE.
breathing characters. Chief of these is
Hamilton Preedy, played by Mr. GrOs-
smith.
Preedy is worth a review all TO him.
self, because there are SO many Preedys,
and the actor deserves extended men,
tion because so few players could have
both laugh at Preedy and rather love
him.
Preedy's Only Fault
Preedy's only fault was that he had
too many virtues. He was hopelessly
middle class. He had no romance in
his soul. no humor in his system. He
was a John Shand without even that
individuals redeeming flaw of egotism
Preedy wouldn't have been so hopeless
" commonplace had not Preedy been
fully aware Of his predicament.
Such a character holds such posi-
bilities for the dramatiSt and the writer
Of fiction that il is remarkable that he
has not oftener been drawn. In nc
other place can I remember him being
depicted with equal versimilitude than
by Perceval GibbOn in his masterfu
short story, The Second Class Pas
senger-"
Here author and actor seemingly worl
IN complete harmony The comedian
kept before the audience the hopeless:
commercialism Of Preedy's mental make
up and managed 70 develop with II
certain innate nobility. II was a plaiI
case of clarifying the commonplace II
less careful Hands the character NIGH
easily have been robbed of its symmetry
by over emphasizing Preedy's new
found courage in the last act.
Cast Uniformly Excellent.
Even if the hypothetical manager al
ready referred to were willing TO spenC
money in engaging an American cast {,
equal this English group Of players n
would have TO expend considerably NOR,
time to maintain the standard of elocu
ton alone. This season washington ha
been inflicted with a run Of actors witt
particularly racuous and indistinc
voices. The lines Of Mr.. Preedy an,
the Countess were not only a deligh
70 the fancy but also to the ear.
When did an American actor Of com
edy roles, from John Drew down, haV
such q man servant as Arthur B. Muir
ray, such a prospective father-in-law a
Herbert Maule such a cOterie Of friend
as Walter HewetsOn, Edward BOnfield
or. such a highly capable villain as Cyri
Ashford?
The President Of the United States an,
MS. Taft, a part Of their family, sew
eral justices of the Supreme Court, an,
a representation from Nj. Tafts cabi
net attended the BelascU last evening
L. Stoddard Taylor. manager Of tn
playhouse had as his guests many O
the newspaper men of Washington. L
whom invitations had been sent through
The National Press Club.
II made US all little prouder that y
are Americans when, upon the entranc
OF the President, the orchestra played
national air. This ceremony is too ofte
omitted in the Capitals theaters
J. R. HILDEBRAND.
HAVETV sfCrrcoa HirIeD