The Washington times., 1915-09-25
MAY IRWIN KEEPS
AUDIENCE CONVULSED
Caricatures Social Absurdities
in Complimentary Perform
ance to Press Club.

Since America after all Is a nation
just one generation removed from
moustache cups. folding beds. and cray
on portraits of husbands with hang
garden" whiskers, May Irwin, at the
National Theater last night dashed the
audience to her chariot wheels early
In the course of the evenings presen-
tatlon Of her current New York success.
33 washington Square," and through
constant references to horrors OF the
past. and social absurditics Of the pres
ent kept them there convulsed. The
play Is taken from Leroy scott's novel.
'13 Washington Square"
This one-night stand was a compli-
mentary performance given to the Ma
tional Press Club. and the audience was
made up almost entirely Of newspaper
folk and other busy people including
President Wilson and many others
prominent in official life.
They were intent upon following the
marvellous adventures Of Mrs. DePeys-
ter; and her faithful housekeeper. Ma
tlioa. whose recourse, wit. and ingenuity
discovering that fna ancially- embarrassed
MRS. De Peyster was summering in her
own home.
The course Of the action allowed for
the transportation Of the proud and
naughty Mrs. De Peyster, from her own
impeccable home. to second-rate
boarding house in the disguise OF a
housekeeper, where her social obsession
was thrust down her throat and she
was made to "eat crow"
May Irwin was the doughty and
truth loving Matilda. but before the end
or the performance she had proved
herself the most fluent Of liars, and
had In consequence saved Mrs. De
Peyster from social disgrace. In
deed. In the face Of black mischance
and circumstances. she would have been
able to keep the reputation Of her en-
ployer intact. had 1t not been for the
fact that corpse presented itself.
unwilling to go abroad unless she
could uphold the same standard as
before. Mrs DePeyster elected to re-
main In her own home secretly She
sent friend. Olivia, instead
but OhVia was hair-pin scatterer
and prone to lose this and that. so
me most natural thing In the world
This made 1t necessary for some OF
the gowns of Mrs. DePeyster to be
sold. woman who wore them
drowned herself In the Seine. and 10!
INTO the plot. already complicated. was
precipitated the would-be corpse of
Mrs DePeyster herself.
May irwin Is herself. never over
doing the comedy, yet bringing ont
70 the FULLEST every opportunity for
funny situations. At the beginning
or the second act she gave several
songs.
An excellent company supported Miss
irwin, including Leonard Hollister, as
Dr. Pyec oft; Frances Gnunt. who
paved the role OF Mrs. DePeyster: Lark
Iaylor, who as William NniIH:.'t &c
me coachman was excellent. and Clara
Blsndick.
Among the guests of the Press Club
az the performance were Miss Helen
woodrow Bones and Colonel Housc
who Is guest at the White House. in
The Presidents box. Others in the boxes
were the Secretary of the Treasury and
his son. William Gibbs McAdoo. ir.: ,hc
Secretary Of Agriculture and Mrs.
Houston. the Attorney General, the Sec.
retary Of he Interior and Mrs. Lane,
Mrs Josephus Daniels. Among others
iE the audience We're. in addition to the
members Of the Press Club. who occu-
pi d The orchestra seats the Solicitor
General and Mrs. John w Davis. Mrs.
John b. Henderson. John Henderson,
the secretary to the President, Miss
Flora Wilson Mr.. De Frees Critten,
Miss Critten, Mrs Tn mas Ewing, Miss
Alexandra Ewing. Newbold Moves.
Walter Penfeld. and Mr.. and Mrs. Fred
bennett.