The Washington herald., 1912-05-07
Last Night at the Theaters.
THE BELAsCo.
aFlf.y Vac. lrom BosIoa.'

aFifty Miles from Boston-D
1t is an unusual thing for company
OF dramatic stock TO launch ont into .
comedy the chief interest OF which .
its musical setting That such & ven
ture is not an altoserner wise one was
last night proven IN the Beiasco Tne-
ater. when the Burterneld Players, pre-
sented George N. conan,s comedy.
'-f1fty Niles From Boston, to small
sudence.
ASIDE from the opportunity anorded
Tor clever character work OF the quaint
village type, there Il little TO recon-
mend the piece for stock production
The tale OF the Cohan comedy has to
do with the simple folk Of Brookheld. q
village Fifty Miles from Boston," to
which young Joe Westeott returns in the
irst act. to the music OF the village
band, heralded as a hero because through
him Harvard has won a big ball game
Even the fire department turns out IN
the parade. and young Westcott is pre-
sented with loving cup which does not
figure so Importantly with him as the
welcome accorded him by winsome Sadie
Woods. his village sweetheart. to whom
he has remained true through all his
college victories.
JED, the brother OF Sadie Woods, and
rascally deceiver, one Dave Harrigan
by name. are alone IN their failure 70
give the favorite Of the town welcome
home, for very selfish reasons. Dave
Harrigan is himself IN love with Sadie
and Is determined TO win her by hook
or by crook. Sadie Woods is the young
postmistress OF Bro6<neld and her broth
er Jed Is her assistant UNTIL upon the
morning of young Westcott's return
home. he suddenly resigns
Young Woods robbed the post-ofice
TO bet against his sisters sweetheart In
the Harvard game. and Dave Harrigan.
the secret OF its source and uses his
knowledge IN an effort to force the sis
ter Of Jed Woods TO marry him.
The three acts of the comedy are am
ply Interpreted with quarrels and mis-
understandings, with here ana there a
song and dance in the typical Cohan
style TO relieve the tension Of the situ-
ter of the stolen money Is straightened
out and everybody is happy. particularly
young Westcott, who wins his village
lassie.
Everett Butterneld played the role of
the college hero and Jessie Glendinning
was Sadie. his sweetheart. Mr.. Butter
field sang "A Small Town Girl and
Waltz" With Ne" with credit He was
assisted IN both songs by q local chorus
OF amateurs, some OF whom won favor
here in THE College Widow"
Jessie .Glendinning, who sang Jack
and Jill." has a voice which is totally
untitled to stage work. II reached scarce
ly over the footlights last night.
Blanche Yurka, the leading woman OF
the Butterield Players, created for her
self popularity in a new field last night
She essayed the role OF Mrs. Tilford, the
village gossip. In which she did as fine
a piece of character delineation as one
might wish to see.
In Miss Yurka's versatility and adapta-
bility lies her great value as the lead
ing woman OF the stock company. Aside
from her histrionic ability. which was
amply proven in her splendid Portrayal
OF the spendthrift wife a couple of weeks
ago, she has the faculty OF losing her
own identity in the character she Is pre-
senting TO the degree OF holding the CEN
ter OF interest whenever she Is before the
footlights. This was proven last night
when the progress OF the play was re-
tarded by the continuous applause which
she was accorded at the close OF her
song. Amt 1t Awful" which was easily
the hit OF the evening.
AS Mrs Westcott. the mother OF the
college hero, Anna Bates was well re-
ceived; and Charles Lane made q most
acceptable village character in the role
OF the hero's father.
Other village folk who did their share
in creating typical smaIl-tovn charae-
ters were Walter Wilson and Alice War
ren.
JED, the brother OF Sadie Woods. was
in the hands of Lewis Medbury, who
gave a good Interpretation of the chap
who was lured to dishonor by the greed
OF gold.
Frederick Forester as Dave Harrigan.
the INSCRIPTIONS villain OF the piece, lost
much Of the force Of his work last night
through his uncertainty OF his lines. a
fault which will doubtless be corrected
as the week proceeds.
Other members OF the company who
made q favorable impression In Fifty
Miles From Boston" were Pearl HavIin
as nellie Harrigan, Richard Rutland as
Eddie Addison. Smith as Mosley, and
G. D. Clark as the village constable.
A novel feature Of the production OF
the Butterfeld Players last night was
Nina Melville in the chair of the director
during the musical part Of the comedy.
Miss Melville is q finished musician. and
made charming picture as she welded
the baton. J. @. MANI.