The Washington herald., 1912-03-26
AIT lEfIIIIE llIEHlIzAlFIglIIzzS
AT THE BELAsco.
.romnnd.r walk,


'Pomander Walk q comedy of man
ners, which was given its initial WASH
ington presentation in the Belasco Theater
last night, was not a place where account
ability fiourished, and no bad habits of
self-examination. as the priggish books
say, existed there.
1t was enough that the muffin man
came every afternoon ringing his bell;
that the lsmplighter lighted the lamps. at
twilight and put them out at moonrise;
that there was tea out OF doors, and an
arbor-they called it "gazebo"-wherein
lovers might sit.
You see, 'Pomander Walk was a
place OF little things which are often
very interesting and of little pleasures
which are often the very sweetest Of all
pleasures. And the villain of Il all was
no more than "Eyesore." He never
spoke: he only flshed. but he was shabby
and uncouth, and his presence irritated
the good folk of ''the walk" Nobody
could have called him genteel, for he
flung Miss Pemela Posketts cat into the
river-the curmudgeon-while she was
making spinster love to the admiral. and
when he discarded his filthy pipe he let
old DR.. Sternroyd ID. D.. F. S. A. believe
it an Elizabethan relic No gentleman
would do such a thing, according to the
belief OF "Pomander Walk" So these
things were events there, because Mr..
Louis n. Parker and the players seen at
the Belasco last night both knew how
TO SAVIOR them with happy artifice and
TO give them the queer zest for pretending
that a touch-if the playwright only
knows the secret-can awaken in any of
US.
A very pretty, appealing comedy of trifies
as well as of artifce; of mild humors
as well as manners; of little things, little
people, a little time and little place
made charming, is this 'Pomander
Walk" His royal highness-there is no
doubt Of it-would have thought it mon
strous genteeie." Mr.. Fox. who had a
would have been touched by the love
episodes, while as for Mr.. Sheridan, he
would have vowed. egad, that It was well
written and well GCted-and he wrote
The School for Scandal" and was man.
ageT of Drury Lane.
Just as appealing as this delightfully."-
pure and simple pre-Nictorian comedy are
the stage folk whose sincerity of inter-
probation goes such a far way in the
creation of the charm Of ''Pomander
Walk
First of all there is Dorothy Parker,
the heroine of ''Pomander Walk" and
daughter OF its author. Prior TO her
appearance in her fathers play Miss
Parker had never been seen on this
professional stage. Her success was in
Simultaneous. constituting one Of the big
personal hits of the year. Miss Parker
was received by a large Washington
audience last night with appreciation
and enthusiasm.
Quite the reverse of Miss Parker,
Cynthia Brooke has the record Of having
been the leading woman in almost every
first-class stheater in London.
Maud Milton. now a character actress,
was leading woman for Booth when
he was in England. for Wilson Barrett.
and also for Henry Irving. Winifred
Fraser. another member Of the "Poman-
der Walk" company. has been leading
woman for Ogla NethersoIe and for Mrs.
Patrick Compbell.
OF the men of the company, Lennox |
Pawle had never appeared on an Ameri- J
can stage until he came as the mssque-
rading butler in 'Pomander Walk a
role which he played last night in a
manner which won him prime favorit-
ism with Washington theater-gOers.
Across the big creek Lennox PawIe
is one of the best liked comedians on
the English stage, being the most |
famous for his Ecclers' in Caste
George Giddens has been seen in ]
America before he came over with /
Pomander Walk" He was the Tony |
Lumpkins when W. H. Crane and Ellis
J Jeffreys played she Stoops to Conquer" ]
a teW years ago, IN which he was seen ,
in Washington. While Mr.. Giddens has |
been prominent before both the English |
and American public for more years
than it would be polite to mention he !
has never done a more popular charac-
than his Admiral in "Poman-
der Walk" 4 role in which he scored |
heavily last night.
Edgar Kent. who has the role of the |
hero Of the piece. made his big London
hit in the title role of THE Flag Lieu
tenant" T. Wigney Percyva1. recalled
partially because of his queer name, par
tally because of his splendid record COW
ring many seasons endeavor, and par
tally because of his success as a play
wright, plays the part of the kindly par
son in "Pomander Walk
Reginald Dance, who played the title
-ole in 'Raffies' seven hundred dimes IN
England, and Stanley Lathbury, who has
played Shakespearean repertoire in Great
Australia. and Berlin. are also
prominent members of the companv.
There are nineteen players i'm the cast
nineteen people whose characterfzations
II quaint and simple folk ring so true
hat one is transported out Chiswick
way, half way Pto fairyland," where We
ire told quite definitely in the prologue
'Pomander Walk is situated.
J. c. MANI.