The Washington herald., 1911-01-08
THE WEEKS PLAYBILLS.
The Belasco-May Irwin.

Mry Irwin has long been a favorite in
Washington. and will doubtless prove
just as popular as ever. if not more so.
when she appears at the Be!asco for a
week, beginning tomorrow night, in a
new comedy. Getting a Polish which
was written for her by Booth Harrington
and Harry Leon Wilson.
Miss Irwin recently enjoyed one of the
greatest personal triumphs of her career
when she appeared in Getting Polish
at Wallack's Theater, in New York. For
once, all the critics agreed to praise what
so we'll pleased the playgoing public and
their reviews were generously laudatory.
The fact that Harrington and Wilson,
who had previously collaborated on THE
Man from Home" had Mi2s Irwins per-
sonality and methods in mind when they
wrote Getting Polish for her. may
have had something to do with it. At
any rate, they seem to have succeeded
in providing ample material for the ex-
ploitation of the jolly condolences pecu-
liar genius.
Getting a Polish tells the story of
Mrs Jim Griggs. 6 Yellow Dog. Mont
who has been scrubbing along making a
living by keeping clearinghouse. She
to "go as far as Butte to keep a hired
girl, and to have a moose-a cast-iron
one-ln the front yard. But her fancy
has never imagined such a vision as is
mapped out before her when she sud-
denly gets gold from an old mine left by
her husband in joint ownership with
John Blake, his partner. With unlimited
wealth at her disposal. Georgiana. her
niece. persuades Mrs. Jim that she ought
have her Mrs lin has
denied herself to send Georgiana away
to boarding school, and Georgiana al
ready knows a thing or two. Butte is
scorned. the cast-lron moose figuratively
shattered, and the family sets off for
Paris. 1.-The center of the world, with
the aim to mingle with dukes, vassals.
and earls. This gives.'the playwrights a
chance for good-natureds satire on the
mistakes and follies which SO often make
the newly rich ludicrous and afford the
finest kind of working medium for
Miss Irwin's comedy, which has truly
been called inimitable. Getting a Pol
ish'' has both color and action and one
or two pretty, love stories are interviewer
into the plot.
Those who think that a May Irwin
comedy without songs would be unlmag-
Unable will be glad to know that the
comedienne sings several songs and In
her own uniquely effective style. Some
Of them are new, like Eight Little Let
ters Make Three Little Words" which, 1t
is believed, will catch the fancy Of those
who like melodies they can hum or whis-
tie. The revival of an old savorite.
Teaching McFadden to Waltz" has also
proved popular. In support of Miss, Ir-
win is an excellent cast, including George
Cain, Mary X. Taylor. Frances McGrath.
John Junior, and others who are said to
be well fitted for their parts.
The C0lumbia-''Thc Spendthrift."
1t is said that American women are
more extravagant than the women of
other countries in the matter of spending
money for useless baubles and that in
many cases they spend even more than
their husbands can afford. ''The Spend
thrift which opens at the Columbia
Theater tomorrow night for a weeks
among others.
It tells the story of a vain. thought
less. spoiled woman who wastes money
in every direction and lives far beyond
her husbands income. but wholly unin-
tentionaily and with the seif-conviction
that she Is actually doing II for his own
good. The time comes when he II ruined
financially, and he finds II necessary to
practice economy. Here he endeavors ito
bring his wife to IN understanding Of the
situation. -and In doing SO he opens up
q breach between. them that entails q
vest deaf IL Guks1ing for botd e them
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