The Washington times., 1915-04-11

ready to respond to the absence Oh
mind OF the gentleman in the pitchers
box and the call of the outdoors being
whispered in the soft tones. Nature as
sumes when the spring pianissimo has
turned the winter winds into balmy
breezes the theatcrs seem to have taken
a new lease on life
The winter season that Is said to have
been one OF the most disastrous in the
history OF the theatrical business has
given place to a spring of real promise.
The Washington theaters all report
better business than the average Of the
regular season last week and the hope
ful tones Of the patrons indicate that
the business will continue to be good
| whatever the lure the soft zephyrs
might have to get people out in the open
and keep them there.
The same condition seems to hold
throughout the country-reports OF good
business In the theaters. In New York
the seasons successes have received
new life and the new productions have
been given special encouragement. The
all-star casts of "Trilby' and "A Cele-
brated Case" are reported to have given
unusual satisfaction.
The best proof Of a sense of humor Is
the ability OF the mind to compel a
smile when the heart impulse is to weep.
And one OF the very best definitions of
this, in a very literal sense. Is Marie
Dressler. The fairy godmother that at
tended the birth Of Miss Dressler en-
dowed her with a capacity for tears and
laughter in equal proportions but early
In her youth II became evident that
when she started tear and a laugh on
even terms. the laugh always reached
the surface first and the tear was com
pelled to retire. beaten. to the place
from whence IL came.
At least this Is one of the explana-
tons Of why Marie Dressler isn't the
the stage. We say one of the explana-
tons. There might be a lot of others
there probably are others-but this one
| su1hces for present purposes. And be-
cause of her storage capacity for tears
which. when you come to think of it.
isn't such a bad idea. to store them
rather than turn them loose as many
people do-Miss Dressler thinks she has
great capacity for playing big emo
tional roles
She has long wanted to play Ophelia:
She admits now that she probably will
never have the chance. But Ophelia was
big thing OF her life when she started
| out to amuse and instruct the public on
| the stage. She applied to Richard Mans
nsld rst for ,, joSh9Png ing that ,ns
room in his company for her. Then she
asked Creston Clark for job.
and Consequently thought he inherited
right to play Hamlet-only he didn t
really come by the, Hamlet he played
by inheritance, but by his own SCHOLAR
thought Miss Dressler too large for the
part OF Ophelia. Then application was
made to Margaret Mather for chance
at Shakespeare. Miss Mather looked
Miss Dressler over and evidently thought
shakespeare wouldn't have any chance
at all. as she rather discouraged the
I young woman.
And SO, after repeated attempts, the
Della FOX company. playing comic opera
was the only asylum Miss Dressler s
talent could find. She committed 1t to
| that institution on temporary warrant,
tence, and Miss Dressler has been a
| igure in comic relief ever since.
1 The Larry Anhalt. who can usually
| be trusted to do the unforeseen at reg
ular intervals. has promoted the drama
10 the hosiery and non-skid tire class.
He Is the only regular theatrical man
ager who ever dared to promote a
| moneys worth or money back poncy
in a temple OF Thespis. Success IN the
| theater Is almost as elusive as LOIS
! Weber has made the eerie figure OF
truth in "Hypocrites." and there has
never been white robed monk to leao
her around and make her hold up her
golden mirror where he viii: Ihat is
unless one excerpts The arrv An
| halt. He might be called the little
| white robed monk of the theatrical pro,
| fession. who appears to be able 10 icao
success into the most unheard OF places.
"Polygamy" Is the enterprise which
ter. in New York where the Harvey
O OHiggins- Harriet Ford drama has been
playing ever since II was first produced
in this city, the prospective patron l.
politely informed by the manager ina.
II he doesn't think he gets his money
worth Of dramatic entertainment in the
play the price of his ticket will he
cheerfully refunded. Anhalt STANDS pre-
pared to hand out the money TO any one
who will demand 1t. Up to the present
there hasn't been single demand made
upon the theater treasury for refund!
A stock company is said to be a very
important thing in the education OF the
actor and actress. 1t frequently proves
a rather important thing in the educa
ton of its patrons in the drama as
well. One OF these occasions presented
itself last week in the production OF
within the Law" by the Poll Players
The performance OF Robert Lowe In the
| character of Joe Carson. the master
crook. educatiVe to the public in tina
il was one of the most finished anc
carefully balanced presentments of a
difficult role that has been seen in this
city for a long time-in stock com
pan'es or by visiting productions.
Carson is a difficult part for anyone
to present, because the qualities that
are emphasized in it are so very human
and the changes that are rung by stress
of plot circumstance are so very i'm
portant the average actor playing II
: cannot resist the opportunity to give
them emphasis by making them eX'
tremelv theatric. Mr.. Lowe possessec
not only the ability but the good judge
! ment to utilize that ability in making
his changes so subtle that they seemed
to be almost without effort, and Yet sc
apparent that no one In any of his
| audiences failed to grasp the s'Gnih'
cance of every movcment-for every
, one OF his movements. careless thougi
they seemed to be. had very deer
significance. In a remarkably evenly
balanced and carefully PLAYED per
rormance OF a very difficult play by tho
entire company. Mr.. Loves work was
probably the most artistic and compel
ing.