The Washington times., 1913-07-30
Washington Actor Makes Hit as
Villain of Thomas Play of
Army Frontier Life.

M ANY lovers Of the works Of
M Augustus Thomas, and their
name Is legion, claim that
the American playwright's s
best work was done in his earlier years,
when. unhampered by ideals Of psy-
chology, he wrote straight from the
shoulder" and made his heroes real
men and his heroines real women, in
contradistinction to the more or less
puppet-like figures of modern dramas.
Washington theatergoers, particular
ly those who frequent the stock houses,
have had an excellent opportunity
within the past year to take sides in
this argument. Last season the Poll
Players gave Thomas THE Witching
Hour" with tremendous success This
season, the Columbia Company revived
his I'm Missouri to the delight of
lsrge audiences. This week the Polls
are producing "Arizona'-long known
as one Of the typical OF American"
plays.
The comparative merits Of the earlier
and later schools Of the Thomasian
drama must remain a disputed ques-
tion-but there can be not the least
appeal and charm of Arizona" the
play which first impressed upon Amer
lean audiences that its author was 4
man of genius. gifted with the ability
to write lines with punch to them.
to compose melodrama which was not
"mellerdrammer."
Arizona" Is Play
With Real Human Touch.
In spite of the fact that Arizona"
was the forerunner of a long series Of
Western plays which became very tire
some to the average theatergoer. the
play itself bears analysis as being one
OF the strongest and most human ever
produced. 1t contains all the elements
of every species of play writing-com-
-edy, drama, melodrama, and psyche
logy. 1t contains lines which fairly
scintillate and which give promise of
that super-cleverness which its author
later realized in The Witching Hour"
The Harvest Moon" and other products
from the gifted brain of Augustus Thorn
as Finally, 1t Is essentially human
without being unduly sentimental or
mawkish.
In brief. the play is one which may
be depended upon to please practically
every species of audience, particularly
those who care for a dash of thrill, a
scoupeon Of melodrama, in their even
ing's entertainment.
For the third time during the present
season, the Poll Players are appearing
with a new leading man. A. H. Van
Buren began the season at the Avenue
playhouse, being succeeded by Thurlow
Bergen, when he removed his allegiance
to the Columbia. Bergen was followed
by Edward Mackay, who, in turn, Is re-
placed by Robert Cain, the Lieutenant
Denton, OF the present production of
Arizona"
1t is, perhaps, unfortunate that the
new Poll leading man should have
had to make his first appearance before
his Washington audience in the role
Of Denton, connected as the part In
with Dustin Farnum and others of
larger stature and commanding stage
presence Mr.. Cain, while showing his
histrionic abilities to good advantage
in the present Poll bill, is consider
ably dwarfed by a number of the
other members of the cast and he
does not show to the same advantage
which he would doubtless enjoy in
a play which did not make so many
physical demands Of its leading man.
Mr.. Gains voice is pleasant and well
modulated, and his love scenes with
Miss Bondhill. the Bonita of the Poll
production. were productive of much
feminine appreciation from the audi
ence. Trust a woman for knowing
when an actor knows how to make
love.
Miss Bondhill Repeats
Her Success In Lead.
Owing to the fact that Miss Jewel Is
still on her vacation. Miss Bondhin