The Washington times., 1915-04-13
BELASCO.

On the program over tho cast OF
chara cters of "A Mix-up," which brings
Marie Dressler to the Belasco Theater
this week, Is printed a bit OF verse
credited to the star which advises the
reader to smile, because II the person
addressed smiles there will soon %
miles and miles and miles OF Smiles
After presenting the cast of characters
on the stage Miss Dressler proceeds 10
create in the audience the miles anu
miles and miles of smiles ner verse
tells about-and the audience, 1earins
perhaps that the bright lights on ine
stage will prevent Miss Dresser seeing
the smiles, simply roars and roars ana
roars. . -
"A Mix-Up' Ia exactly what 1t pre-
tends to be-a vehicle for the presento
ton of the peculiar ability of the slar
to make a given number Of people lose
dignity and poise In uproar1ous lausn
ter for the space OF two ana hait
hours. The given number or people
| being the exact number the fire regula-
tions will permit to enter q theatei'
| The piece was written by Parker n.
| Hord. who at one time was resloeht
of Washington. 1t is built along Inc
conventional lines of a farce - along
one of the three or four conventonai
| lines farces have been built since the
| creation of comedy.
! The wife of q happily married couplo
| Ia called away by the illness of her
mother. She scarcely leaves when an
| actress enters the apartment. by ms
| take Before she can depart rich rela-
tives Of the husband OF a very reigious 40
sort, come in unexpectedly. They have
never seen the wife. Realizing the I'M
possibility OF explaining the presence
Of the loud speaking. fiashily dresscd
woman in the apartment, the hus4ano
introduces her as the wife. Add TO
this material for the farceur's art the
fact that the actress is married to a
jealous-m minded prize-hghter, and me
| ground plan OF "A Mix-Cp' Is co1p-
the mixture Is accomplished and each
| of the ingredients again resolved into
its original character ,,.
| lust what the farce would do without
| Miss Dressler doesn't matter at al,
because 1t doesn't have to do without
| Miss Dressler and there ism any par
tiCular reason for discussing that phase
| OF It. Miss Dressler. though perhaps
not the whole show. makes mos OF o. H.
in a manner Of speaking. She Is thor
oughly. entirely. and completely-a,
three being used to prevent any mis-,
Understandings Dressler. And
Marie Dressler Is a good. nearly Ia ~
any time and every time she can De
found on the stage and of She foi.
lows her accustomed method in "A
Mix-Up''-that's all. ,-
Chief assistant to the star Ii Jul.a
Blanc. who has made many frends
here by her work with the Columbia
PLAYERS. Miss Blanc has the part ol
an Irish maid that Is almost as grea'
a laugh producer as the chief charac'
ter. and she makes the most OF u
Sarah McViCker, as the religious aunt
ia second chief assistant laugh pro
ducer. and her work is an artistic bl
OF character acting.
The other members OF the company
Including Nellie DECREASE. Harry Hu
lard, Norma Wnslow. Helen Beau
ment, Albert Reed. Robert Conan, ant
John p Dougherty. each contributed Il
the general entertainment. The stag
setting was particularly attractive anc
the visualization Of both ends OF al
the telephone calls in the action OF tn
piece was novel and lent much TO TIT
picture. GARDNER MAIN