Evening star., 1915-09-25
ADJUSTMENTS.
Nav Irwin's Laugh-Maker.

May Twins Laugh-Maker.
If the tension has been too taut in
Washington over wars and such things,
as recently claimed by the inimitable
comedienne. May Irwin and her new
farce, "33 Washington Square" which
she presented at a performance at the
New National Theater last night as a
compliment to the National Press Club,
has relieved it, at least so far as it
affects the higher lights of the official
world and the heralders of its doings
among the newspaper men of Wash
ington. No audience that ever crowd
ed the New National Theater has ever
laughed more heartily nor more per-
sistently than that of last night. And
it was all over a play that represents
the type of farce that Washington
thoroughly approves and enjoys.
AS the apostle of laughter" Miss Ir
win has played well and generously
her part in these times when the chief
effort among the wielders of the pen
and pencil seems to have been to con-
jure up horrors. At her own expense
she brought her splendid company and
all the eauipment necessary to the
york, where it is a reigning success, to
Washington, especially to teach the
members of the National Press Club
and their friends that 1T is better to
laugh than be signing and she did it
to the queens taste. Not only did she
convert the newspaper men, but she
enrolled President Wilson and several
members of his cabinet, with a host of
others prominent in official and social
life in the audience. under her banner.
33 Washington Square" embodies in
its story the thrilling experiences of
Mrs De Peyster and her housekeeper.
Matilda, during the time when the for
mer is lodging the gossips and pre-
tending to be in Europe, when in fact
she is simply forced to hide herself at
home because of straitened circum-
stances in order to protect her position
as the social leader of New York. She
resolves to occupy her own suite in
her home and keep dark for three
months, concealing the fact from every
one but her faithful Matilda.
First William, her coachman. who is
Matilda's one best thing on earth,
makes love to her unawares and her
retort seems to end Williams inten-
tions about Matilda. Then her son slips
off and quietly marries a young woman
against her wishes and concludes to
lodge at mothers home as better ana
cheaper during her absence. Then a
Judge Harvey, friend and counsel of
Mrs. De Peyster. takes a notion that
to look around. This forces Mrs. De
Peyster and Matilda to make a dash
for a boarding house with social pre-
tensions, where the two are mistaken
has great scheme to get rich by hav
ing Mrs. De Peyster impersonate her
self and buy diamonds on credit. These
troubles are increased by sharp
mistakes them for servants and pro-
ceeds to treat them accordingly at all
hours of the day or night until she
finally threatens them with election
unless their board is paid for in ad-
vance the next morning.
They get rid of the mock clergyman
by shutting him up in a folding bed
while he is looking for a pearl neck
lace and fiet back to So Washington
Square only to be bounded by the po-
lace and get back to SO Washington
until a dead body. believed to be that
of Mrs. De Peyster, is shipped to her
home, when the plot is forced to the
has kept "33 Washington Square" clean.
wholesome and ridiculously funny
throughout. Not even once does he
suggest risque situation or line. But
each new situation and each new
speech and action of the unfortunate
Matilda, who is at her wits ends con-
stantly to save her mistress from rec
oenition, furnishes cause for more
laughter-not smiles, but hearty laugh
ter.
Miss Trwin's company is ideal sup
port. The difficult role of Mrs. De
Peyster is played with tact and dignity
by Frances Gaunt, while Aldrich Bow
ker and Lark Taylor. as Judge Harvey
and the coachman, are fine. Clara
Blandck as Olivette Harmon. cousin to
Mrs. De Peyster, who impersonates her
in the trip abroad. only to lose her
pocketbook with all her money and
letters of credit. and whose penchant
for losing things causes Matilda to sug
gest that she use adhesive plaster to
keep her hairpins in, is also notable in
the corps of good actors.
But Leonard Hollister as the mock
clergyman is perhaps one of the most
striking figures of the cast. His work
is splendidly done. But that is true of
all the players. who include George
Clark. as Jack de Peyster; Julia Ralph,
as the boarding house keeper; Char
lotte Carter. Jacks wife; Joseph
Woodburn, Richard Collins and Max
Meyers. representing the police force.
Miss Irwin and her company arrived
yesterday afternoon and were rendered
a reception at the National Press Club.
They returned to New York at o'clock
this morning. well pleased with the
success of their trip.