The Washington herald., 1912-10-22
Tax AAzloAlL
.HawsAer.s. o. .. A.,

II the enthusiAsm Of an audience may
be taken ~ q criterion Of the worth Of a,
p1sy. h may be said 1t onee that the
PRACTICAL premiere Of 'HAWthcrpA u.
81 A.. presented BY Cohan 4 Harris q
the National last niglsG sHas a osef-a
nrst-night audience received Douglas
Fairbauks and his new starring vehicle
with an approval which was so nearly an
ovation as to be at least its next door
neighbor.
The piece provided by James Bernard
Fagan, the eminent London dramatist.
for Mr. Fairbanks debut as Cohan &
Harris star could not have been better
chosen, for it fits the peculiarly buoyant
qualities Of the comedian to nicely.
The tale Is romantic comedy In four
acts, satiricai in vein and effervescing
with American spirit. Young Anthony
Hamilton Hawthorne, happy -go-lucky
American, actuated by thirst for the
exploration of the more obscure king
doms of Southeastern Europe, motors
along the highways and by-ways of the
Old World until he reaches the garden
of the summer palace near the capital
of Borrovina, small Independent State
In Eoutheastern Europe, wherein he
meets a princess of royal blood and In
advertently becomes involved in the tur-
moil and intrigue of an embryo revoiu-
ton, which mas for its object the up
heaval of a government and the de-
thronement of a King.
Hawthorne's. adventures begin and
end in a lovely old garden. wherein Is
an unaffected Princess and an old Sun
DIAL But outside OF the yine-coyered
garden walls there lies a field of action,
wherein there is fought a battle OF wits.
the young American opposed to a pre-
tender 10, the throne of the father of
the girl he loves and an army under the
pretender's control. An ancient royal
house on the verge of disaster, a bank
rupt monarchy honeyeombed by inter-
nal dissensions provide ample scope for
tense dramatic situations and action
that goes with "A zip. With typical
American exrediency and that little
game We call ''bluff.'' Hawthorne pre-
vents the sacrifice of the Princess for
reasons of state, and Incidentally brings
the most astounding prosperity. to the
little country which the Princess loves
better than anything else in the world"
with the happy ending of his own arfair
q the heart, which no conscientious
r,Agwright could well deny him after
py-t ing him through so many heroic
3 sszis for the girl of the garden and the
ssh Dial.
Are romantic side of the piece. with
1. aeIaint Old World setting, is entranc-
- nee, the Princess Irma and Haw-
- le-impersonated last night by
~ ,las Fairbanks and Irene Fenwick,
i3 ght TO it an additional charm.
y Is Fenwick impressed one as some
r. princess of some fairy1and. so sweet
siic unaffected bit of femininity did she
Taee the unsofhisticated Princess of
ovina, the spirit of the old garden,
young Hawthorne found her alone
the Sun DIAL kissing the hours of
~ coming.
= was all like the proverbial STORY
fraR story book''-and fairy tale at
'na with the quick wit of America,
fa@ spontaneity and expediepcy of one
20 ler representative citizens spliced in.
Fs character of the good-fellow-well-
m young American is drawn with an
aecu -acy which leads one TO believe that
-Ar. Pagan, the protege and namesake of
Se ge Bernard Shaw, has something
iasT% than fondness for the citizen of
fhE =. 5. a. to his credit.
iR MIR. Fairbanks hands the charac-
te sltinn was a delight a fact which was
attested by applause SO insistent that he
MS forced TO come before the curtain
xke end of the third act and express
ss, appreciation of the gyaciousness OF
*asAington's reception OF him in the
sitter role Of, the new play.
Assde from the American hero and the
1ssneess, whom be wins by drastic meas
Eyps there are but two other roles which
s-se much Of their impersonators-King
Aus astus III, reisnine monarch of Bor-
r9sisa, and Prince Vladimir Halberstadt
rretcnder to the throne.
II 4 was Mr.. Fagans idea to make the
ing of Borroyina a thoroughly assinine
80 colorless character Allan Pollock
y consummate fulfllment of the
purpose, for old Augustus was such a
spineiess individual that ne became
something of a bore before it finally
penetrated his cranium that love was
the incentive for all the activities of the
young American in Borrovina
Martin L. Aisop played the pretender
with satisfying dash and vehemence
The role of Rodney Blake, the boon
companion and inseperabIe friend of
young Hawthorne. was in the hands of
SSm b. Hardy, who as a friend was
always "Johnny-on-the-spot'' but as "a
love-maker was decidedly unappeaIing.
quite the anithesis of young Hawthorne.
The supporting cast was large and ca
pable in small parts. while the produc-
ton was deliberately and artistically
staged.
Hawthorne, L. S. A" made an un-
deniable appeal to Washington theater-
goers last night and deservedly, for II is
a good romantic tale well told and well
acted. J. C. MANI.