The Washington herald., 1912-06-25
pOIrs THEATER.
AIIas Jimmy vaIentins.

Alias Jimmy Valentine.
Since the Poll Players opened the doors
Of the former home OF polite vaudeville
IN Pennsylvania Avenue for the presenta-
ton OF dramatic stock their popularity
has steadily increased-a fact attributabls
70 two th.ngs-first. the character OF
plays which have been presented in rapid
succession, and. second. the versatility Of
company which has successfully run
the whole gamut OF stage offerings, prov
ing ability that Is deserving OF the high
est praise.
When IEetta Jewel played the title
role in ''Nobody's widow Washington
ians applauded her as an excellent COM
edy actress and therefore took the an
nouncement, a little later, that she
would essay the title role in Madam
x, with a feeling akin to doubt At
the close Of the first performance OF
this tragedy, however, Miss Jewel had
established herself in the minds OF
Washington theatergoers as an equal
ly gifted serious actress, capable OF
handling q tragic role with the sort of
appealing pathos that lets down the
food gates Of human emotion. And since
Madam X she has won such success In
comedy, character parts, and In straight
dramatic roles that the Poll audience
delightful Interpretation she gave of
Rose Lane, the leading feminine role
in Alias Jimmy Valentine" the Of
fering Of the Poll players this week.
The story Of the fortunes OF young
Valentine Is one Of romance combined
with clever comedy, and is sufticieptly
absorbing to hold the audience from the
rise Of the curtain until the close OF
the last act.
The first scene Of the play is laid in
Sing Sing prison, where the hero OF the
piece Is pardoned through the efforts Of
Rose Lane, the niece OF the Lieutenant
Governor Of the State. The girl recog-
nIzes Valentine IN his prison garb as the
man who, several months before, de-
Tended her from the insults OF a rufian, |
and not only secures his freedom from
prison. but is instrumental in getting her
father TO offer him a position In his
bank In a Western city, where, under |
q different name, Valentine has risen |
to the position Of cashier. when Detec- |
tive Doyle, who has been looking for |
him for three years to answer a charge |
OF bank robbery In Massachusetts,, ar
rives upon the scene.
The hero has a great scene with the |
detective, out Of which he has just come |
when the bank watchman |
rushes in. announcing that Roses baby |
sister has become accidentally locked In |
the new bank vault, for which the com |
binations have not yet arrived from the
factory. ..
Valentine realizes that to use the
sense OF touch which led /
him into robbing banks will be 20 re-
he opens the bank and |
saves the little girl, turning afterward /
into the hands OF the waiting detective,
who, in turn, yields up his captive to
Rose Lane, because, as Doyle puts II,
she needs him more than the State OF
The story OF Jimmy Valentine is we'll
told and has Just the sort OF intense
action which grips the whole interest Of
ST audience.
The Poll Players gave a most credit
able presentation Of the piece last night.
A II. Van Buren made a hero ft to
IN the role Of the reformed con-
vict doing an exceptionally fine piece
Of work in his big scene with Detective
Doyle, in which persued and persuer
fight a battle OF wits which furnishes
one Of the strongest dramatic scenes on
the American stage. Mr.. Van Buren's
Jimmy Is 30 realistic that his auditors
followed his fortunes last night with an
interest so intense that actual sighs OF
regret were heard all over the house
when the telegram came announcing
tnat detective Doyle was on his way to
undo the good reputation and high place
Of trust the hero had established for
himself under his new name. in a new
a regret which but made
The happy ending OF the story all the
more Satisfying.
Mr.. Van Buren has greatly strength
med his Washington popularity since the
opening of Polls Theater here. giving.
rs he has done each week. virile and
lrtistic performances in far-varying
'Oles, OF which his work last night was
~ no means the least meritorioUs.
Deserving OF special praise was the
PRESENTATION OF Doyle, the detective, as
yiven last night by Mark Kent His
character work was as clever as II was
'ealistiC, which is saying a good deal
70 less credit should be accorded Louis
Iaines in the role OF Red Jocelyn, a
'yegg." who stuck TO Jimmy Valentine
n the days when he was a bank robber
md followed him when he went into
living II straight" which was the harder
OBJ Of the two.
Master Caesar Fee and little Edno Roontz
s the tiny brother and sister Of Rose Lane
uite won the hearts OF their auditors ,
asst night by just being themselves in /