The Washington times., 1912-03-26

and there are a few minor characters,
including the "eyesore" who takes one
OF the principal parts in the play, but
VINO throughout II ALL has nothing 10
say, not even when his dream Is realized
Just before the play is ended, and he
finally catches a fish.
Bit of Mystery
Injected Into Play.
BY his selection of costumes, by his
choice of eccentric characters by the
curious customs he introduces into the
play, Mr. Parker has surrounded 1t
with sufficient atmosphere" for half
dozen plays He gives his audience
a little bit of mystery, too in the char
acter OF the man with the aristocrati-
cally hyphenated name. and the eX-
pansive wastlnc, who turns out to be
the former butler of John Sayle. There
Is suggestion of Dickens in the char
acter Of the gruff. but delightful, one
eyed retired admiral, who plays sort
of fairy godfather to all the love af-
fairs of the Walk.
The entire play, from the brief pro-
logue, beautifully delivered by Miss
Parker, to the equally brief epilogue,
which Is spoken from the second floor
window, is fragrant. old-fashioned and
whimsical, reminding one of lavender
and yellowed old point lace. Yet 1t Is
slight story. The simple plot re-
wolves about the heart affairs of the
people in Pomander Walk. and before
the curtain descends upon the last act
everybody has married everybody else,
and things have turned out to the sat
isfaction of everybody. As Marjolaine
expresses it, "an angels wing has
brushed Pomander Walk and every
bodys getting married" The dear old
admiral constitutes himself first aid TO
caught in the meshcs. Mr.. Parker has
produced a perfect effect in the quaint
customs which he has introduced into
the play. There is the muffin man who
makes his twilight rounds. ringing his
bell; the lampllghtcr, who strolls on
and off the stage, saying nothing, and
attending strictly to business; there is
the nursemaid, who also has little to
tea, set out beneath the elm tree, and
when Jerome Brooke Hoskins' fifth"
is born. the nurscmaid comes out and
and hangs n white kid glove upon the
door, to announce to passer-by the
advent Of a little stranger"
Anticipated Customs.
All Preserved.
All the antquatcd English customs
have been preserved. and the company
is as thoroughly English as the play.
American players, no matter how
skilled they might have been, could
never have portrayed the delicate Eng
lish NaNor that pcrvades "Pomander
Walk."
Members Of the cast, aside from DorO-
thy Parker, VINO assumes the leading
role of MariolUlrc, are Reginald Dance
Edgar Kent, George GiddCns, LennoX
Pawle, y. Wigney Percyval, Leonard
Craskc, Stanley Lathbury George N.
Price, Charles Weller, Leslie NJ. Hunt,
Phil H. Dunning Maude Milton. Gym
thia Brooke, Marie Burke, Mrs. George
w. Barnum, Winifrcd Frazer, Mariana
French, and Adah Clarke
single settings. stands throughout
the playa setting which shows the
row of houses called by the title of the
play and occupied by the little commun-
ity that is entirely sufficient unto itself
and very, very unhappy for a while.
though resenting intrusion. But IT Is
intrusion that results, after all, in hap
pness for all who reside in "Pomander
Walk" JULIA MURDOCH.
Tomorrow Miss Murdoch will review
Mile. Innocence in which Anna Held
is appearing at the New National.