The Washington herald., 1914-11-29

ment, be replaced by a more cheerful
one. ....
:. Curious Venture.
Daly's Theater, which has been closed
for the past two seasons, and which,
even before its closing, had for some
, time harbored so many failures and had
achieved ans atmosphere OF dingy age
that almost wiped out the memories Of
Its former glories, has just thrown its
doors open again. The house is now on
the very lowest limit of the theatrical
district, and nothing but some very un-
usual attraction can lure the theater-
goer SO far away from the center of
the white lights and New York's night
life. The Shuberts were the lessees OF
Daly's at the time of its closing, and
threw up their lease-not unwillingIy II
is believed-on account Of a dispute be-
tween them and the owners as TO who
should pay for certain expensive changes
required by the police and building de-
partments to make the place safe.
To the surprise Of every one interested
in theatrical matters, an organization
called the Taylor Amusement Company
has taken over the place for a time, at
least, cleaned 1t up. put in a CORPS of
pretty young women in novel costumes
as ushers. and opened with a play called
-No NN" lOEh HldndBeT
would make such a venture-particularly
In a season SO full of ups and downs,
mostly downs, as this one is.
The Mr.. Taylor whose name appears in
the producing company's name is the au-
thor of Yosemite" and was at one time
the husband of Laurette Taylor. who
Is said to have appeared in the play in
one of its earlier incarnations. which oC-
CURED mostly in the Far West Mr.
l.
the present cast. most of the other MEM
bers of the company having been re-
cruited from forces not familiar in this
locality.
The play is of the kind that possibly.
perhaps, was dear to the hearts Of our
grandfathers 1t is difficult to believe that
it could gain popularity with any more
recent generation. For instance. a
favorite resource Of the play is process
that might be called "swiping the pa
poose." Whenever there seems to be
any likelihood of failure in the action OF
the piece, some one promptly appears and
kidnaps the papoose. This effect is
heightened by the fact that II is in the
first act when the kidnapping is most ac-
tive, the papoose is a shawl, presumably
containing a living infant of more or
less Indian and Spanish origin. Later
1t has become a precocious stage child,
q
possessing maiden of sweet sixteen.
The principal kidnappers are the pa
poose's father, a very clever bandit liv-
ing in the Yosemite Valley, named Yose-
mite, and personated by Mr.. Keenan,.
with much bad disposition mixed with
force and occasionally bit of sour-milk
tenderness; an equally unpleasant bandit
henchman, who only gets two chances in
the kidnapping game; the young mother
nf ha nh e.
marry its father. and the young Amer
lean, who, overlooking this fact. is will
ing, nay, anxious, to repair the mistake
Of the papoose's father. This last is.
in private, life, Mr.. Calvin Thomas, and
nice young man, even IL he does pro-
nounce promise ''promus'' and darkness
'darknuss," which causes wonderment as
to how he would differentiate between
the pronunciation OF wet-nurse and wit
ness.
The kidnapping is done variously at
the mothers cave-home, a pretty set
with the valley and Bridal Veil fall as
background; in a very complicated and
fearsOme place which is the bandits
home in an extipct crater and later on
in the garden of one of the old mission /
churches.
The play is seriously written, seriously
produced and seriously, although not
well, acted. 1t seems too bad that 1t |
cannot be regarded in the same way !
1t might have been some years ago when |
mock heroics, too devilish deviltry and |
sentimentality were regarded as legiti- !
mate stage accessories. As it is the play |
swings between dreariness and a sugges-
ton to mirth in its serious passages, and |
its humorous attempts are of the era of |
the yellow almanac. However, some one |
evidently believes in Yosemite" or II |
~ ho
at Days, in the latter part of this year
of grace 1914