Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-26

ut was several kinds of play that
Elsie Ferguson revealed as her
latest starring vehicle at the New
National Theater last Monday
night. No small degree of dexter
ity was needed, both in construction
and in presentation, to prevent the
variant impressions from clashing.
The title of the drama is most seri-
Gus, carrying with 1t hint OF Be
ware significance. As the plot un-
folds it proves to be little more than
a gentle play on words. The woman
is only stranger In the inhospitable
circles of a rustic community. In seek
ing model for broad comedy the au-
thor could not have found better
model than the late Charles Hoyt,
whose craftsmanship was SO complete
that il was often overlooked in the
enjoyment of the laughs which con-
stituted it's purpose. Like Hoyt, the
author in assailing hypocrisy fans
into a rather vindietive satire on the
homely and conservative notions OF So
ciety. In "A Temperance Town" Hoyt
undertook TO fay the inSincerity OF
prohibition that does not prohibit. and
came pretty near Offering the conclu-
sion that generosity and human SYM
patty were to be found only among
the characters frankly addicted to the
flowing bowl The Strange Woman"
comes dangerously near suggesting
that all people who were advocating
rigid morals were illicitly inclined and
that the strange woman who defied
matrimonial custom was the only real
" sincere representative of a social
purity present. compromise is very
cleverly effected, and the heroine is
not permitted to encounter the embar-
easements of disregard of legal for
malities in establishing q household.
The play is a remarkable demonstra-
ton of versatile felicity. The manner in
which the ridiculous and the sublime are
brought into close approach without dis
astrous collision reflects great credit on
Mr.. Hurlbut. If he did not succeed in
endowing the stage with any unwonted
efficiency as a social educator. he bids
fair TO solve one of the most interesting
problems of the theater-that of provid-
ing Elsie Ferguson with an effective and
suitable play. The drama. In a sense, re-
fleets Miss Ferguson's personality It's
moods are variapie and Always emphatic.
Miss Ferguson shows a wonderful range
of talents in this one role, from laughter
10 tears, with a cash of dlaiect to give a
touch OF exotic nnish.. She is noE a
comedienne and next an emotional &C
treSS OF thrilling power. To the eye she
Is Saxon type femperamentalIy she Is
Gallo. AT times she a fasnion pate;
Il placid renecuon OF exquisite taste in
attire: next she is a reveiation or human
feeling, apart from al artlncIai charm.
After waiIlng Tor some time MASS
Ferguson To demonstrate what particular
style OF character sne Will associate with
her Iden.lty, Inc pupiic may as well &C
cepl ner as UNIQUE, IN tnaI sne Will not
connne herseir To one form or expression.
fersonaItS sne mas, OUT IL is a persunaiity
that reluses TO DC specialized with Ior-
muia ana Iapel.
There were a few minutes when AL
Joison naa 10 get OIL the track, ana they
were wnen the tram erect assigned ny
howard 1nu. s6on Tor the honeymoon
EApress'' came aIong. Tie Is so peryauIng
that lIere seemeu To DC severai OF MN.
III is Jolson ct AL. Tine COOK and the
captain DAd and all the rest OF them de-
scrlpeu in the W. 5. Gilbert paiiad were
not "a more interesting composite than
this tireless burnt-corker, who sings,
dances, recites, joilies the audience, and
critic no less than the performer, when
he sees an act tnat he thinks has lasted
long enough, cnides II gently OF the
stage. He is the Prince of Impudence; a
JOY to the jaded sense in his utter indif-
ference to the personal restraints sup
posed to prevail in a large company with
boundless pay roll and carloads Of see
merry. He has qualities of temperament
and magnetism which may in time en-
able him TO find his way to legitimate
triumphs, as other entertainers of his Pc
culiar field have done. His rendition Of
one of the ragtime songs of the day as
i work of serious sentiment was in its
way genuine bit q acting.
Another reminder OF the methods OF
charles Hoyt was In evidence in Elk
cuse Me- Without the satiric force
which Hoyts pieces displayed. but with
more finish in literary style. this farce
continues to be enjoyable because OF ita
honest humor. Its analysis OF human
character II not searching. but it 10 frank
and amusing. Perhaps 1t Is fortunate in
the fact that 1t was written some sea-
sons ago before it was considered essen
thai for q popular play. even a comedy
10 concern itself with topics of serious
sociological or physiological import. "Ex.
cuse Me- does offer a mild protest
against the lack OF uniform divorce laws
But that. according to most Of our dra.
matte producers. is now to be regarded
Is the least of society's troubles.