Evening star., 1912-01-09

n308 WAS the IdCI lHdt @1lcS <Ahobh
was leaving the vale of tears for the
hillside of smiles, which is another
way of saying she deserted emotional
ism, which has made her famous as
an actress, to win laurels in the realm
of comedy Reports which have pre-
ceded it said all sorts of good things
about the play, which 1t seems won in
stant success before 1t was presented
here. And, the novelty of the plot, the
delicacy and drollery of its treatment
and the fact that washington wanted
to forget for while the discomforts
of it's most wfntry weather of the sea-
son must have helped to increase the
interest in last nights presentation at
the Columbia
The play itself deserves first mention,
despite the fact that the play all con-
tributed with delightful art to it's unfold
ing because it started the springs OF
laughter and sent them bursting into
joyous rivulet of merriment through its
entire three acts. 1T sent the big audience
home thoroughly delighted with its own
judgment in coming and with the excep-
tional entertainment with which it had
been rewarded
Celia Faraday, the eldest of four daugh-
ters of William Farraday, J. p, has never
had a proposal, nor has she ever seemed
to attract male admirers. nor, indeed. to
care for them. In fact, she has come to
be looked upon as an impossibility in
everything but catering to the comforts
and wishes of the remainder OF the fam
lily. Her spinsterhood is commented upon
before her very face, and many things are
said which get down into the girrSeheart
and stir her resentment. Finally, - des-
peration, to relieve herself from this situ-
alton. she invents the white lie' that
she has become engaged to Col Smith,"
who has just sailed for Somaliland, Africa.
The surprise of her sisters forces her into
details which have to be manufactured at
short notice Then they insist it is pos
sible for her to get a letter to her be-
trotlled before he leaves the continent,
and she is made to write to her dear Wob-
bles, a pet name actually forced from
her because she can think of no other.
She does not really mean to have the let
ter mailed. but hides it in an envelope, in
tending to destroy 1t when she has the
chance. Her younger sister, however,
the envelope in which she has placed it.
thinking the fire has ended its existence.
Deliberately she makes up her mind to
kill off Col Smith October IL, eight
months later. and persuades her aunt
from America to write his death notice
to The Times. on the eve of their pro-
posed departure for the new world. but
a courtly gentleman who claims to be
Col. Vasasour. but who in reality is Col.
J. n. Smith Vasasour. bobs up to make
inquiry as to why he was honored with
the dear WObbles' letter. The laugh
able entertainment already begun then
carries the audience deeper and deeper
into tire realms of some of the most de-
farce, which has ever been presented in
Washington. To tell the entire story
would be to mar enjoyment of the play.
In cast of unusually good players.
Miss Anglin. Mr.. H. Reeves Smith, Miss
Maude Granger and Miss Gertrude Hitz
shine resplendently because of the op-
portunities of their roles. Miss Anslin's
conception of comedy is natural. artistic
and very pleasing. Mr.. III. Reeves Smith.
as Col Smith. presented a character
study that for dignified and unique droli-
cry closely pressed the star for honors.
Miss Maude Granger as the American
aunt, with q case of elderly feminine
hysteria. supplemented with an expert
ence under the influence of brandy given
her to keep her from fainting, came as
near "convulsing' her audience as it's
dignity would permit, while Miss Hitz
was charming and delightful as the
younger sister. Others in the cast who
contributed in a greater or less degree to
the success of the play were Mr.. Stanley
Dark, as the father of the girls: Mr.
Halbert Brown, as Admiral Grice of the
royal navy; Mr.. Henry Vaughan as the
Honorable Robert Tarver; Mr.. Wallace
Widdicombe, as James Raleigh; Mr.
Malcolm Owen, as Henry Steele: Mr.
Frederick Powell, as Martin, very
clever portrayal. and Miss Juliet Fre-
mont and Miss Helen Langford. as the re-
naming sisters Of Celia.