The Washington times., 1913-03-13
She Declares Popular Irish
Actor and Singer Has All
the Requirements.

~ NE problem of the stage has
been solved. one riddle of the
footlights answered.
Successors may not be ap-
parent when one considers Sothern or
Marlowe, Otis Skinner, Mrs. F'iske,
John Drew. or Ada Rehan. but the
successor to Chauncey Olcott, almost
as popular star in his own particular
line as any Of those 1 just mentioned,
has been found
ter this week and his name Is Ffsks
O'Hara- His vehicle is THE Rose Of
Kildare" a romantic Irish play ESQ the
program informed mel by Edward Paul
ten and Charles Bradley.
Mr. O'Hara. as befits one who Is
stepping forward to the shoes so well
filled by Chauncey Olcott for more years
than that Irish tenor probably would
like to have me recall. Is physically
well fitted for the Oicott type Of plays
Tall, robust Of physique. and the pos-
SCISSOR of a clear, vibrating tenor voice
which Is especially well suited to bal
lads. Mr.. O'Hara is calculated to win
and keep the love of any Irish lass,
just as he does the heart Of Lady Moya
Fitzpatrick, in his present production.
The star also speaks with real Irish
brogue-a part of his character, how
ever, for II wasn't apparent when
visited him after the third act last
highland he has also selected for his
manager Augustus Pitou. jr., son of
the man who pushed Olcott into fame
and first made a fortune with Irish
plays of the familiar Olcott nature.
Play Has the Usual
Prosecuted Hero.
With respect to the plot. locale or gen.
eral nature Of "The Rose of Kildare"
one cannot say that there Is much novel
about It. But then those who like Irish
plays like them. not for their novelty,
but because they are sure that they are
going to see something like that which
pleased them last season, and Mr.
O'Hara's present vehicle belongs in that
class. There is the usual prosecuted
hero who is working for the freedom
of the Emerald Isle, the colleen who re-
| mains true to him unto the last, the
villain who seeks to betray him to the
British, and the comic relief of the
servants, who also furnish the second
ary love interest of the piece.
But, in spite Of its lack oc novelty
either in characters. plot or situations,
there is that subtle charm In THE Rose
of Kildare" which one finds only in
Irish plays and which causes the audi
tors to return time and again. each
time to be more fascinated by the SIM
plicity of the piece and enchanted by
its direct appeal to the heart.
Perhaps II Is the ever failing "love in
terest" predominant in these produc-
tions: perhaps 1t Is the triumph Of vir-
tue over vice; perhaps it is only the
unconscious relief which one feels in
getting away from problem plays-akin
to that which one experiences In leav-
ing the city for the wide open country
but. no matter what 1t is. one can
not deny that It Is there and that, in
a great degree, 1t Is responsible for the
popularity Of this type OF play.
Leading Woman
Noted For Beauty.
Mr.. O'Hara's supporting cast in this,
his first real Starring venture. may
| be said to be entirely up to the stand
ard set by the star himself. Miss Con-
stance Molineaux, who has the principal
feminine role of Lady Moya, is indeed
find. Beautiful to the point where
| her beauty may best be described by the
adjective .ravishing." with grace of
| manner and a charm Of voice as elusive
AZ II Is enchanting. Miss Molineaux
makes a well-nigh perfect leading wom-
an. The only fault anyone could pos
sibly find with her part was that there
was not enough Of it.
One look at Miss Molineaux is an in
yitation for a second. the second a de-
| mand for a thlrd-and so on. until you
find yourself wishing that she might oc-
] cupv the stage the entire evening. so