The Washington herald., 1915-10-12
Poli's-"Believe Me, Xantippe."

At the hands Of the Poll Players, with
A. H. Van Buren in the leading role
Washington yesterday received its first
introduction to Believe Me. Xantippe," {"
the Harvard prize comedy by Frederick
Ballard. which. despite highly sue
cessful life in New York. Boston and
elsewhere, had never reached Washing
ton until Director Harry Andrews pre-
sented it yesterday.
A light, witty comedy, chock full Of in
teresting situations. and rapid-tire dia
logue. Believe Me, Nantippe'' should
prove the most popular of Polls many
successful productions this fall Mr..
Van Buren, finds in the part of George
Macfa rland. a wealthy. If rather harem-
scarcm voting New Yorker. who thinks
he is smarter than the police-and ap-
par. utly is-a part whic: suits him ad-
mirably. He carries the piece along
with ease and grace. being ii. st
whimsical, and cock-sure: then tired.
hungry and pathetic: later cowed and
humble, then brave and strong-he goes
through the entire gamut of emotions
but first, last and all the tim. he Is
funny. and The audience acknowledges
it generously.
The story concerns Il wealthy Young
New Yorker who waeered two
friends. one a chief of detectives,
that he could commit a felony and
evade the police for year. il
forges check. escapes fiom h"w
York. and at the end OF eleven
mon lbs turns up in lonely mountain
cabin ir Colorado. tired. footsoro .,..I
hungry. To this appa"enil" Unin
habited cabin returns Dolly kamm",,.
daughter of the county slcriG. VIII"
has received permission from her
father to remain in III: cabin alone
over right in the hope of bar@.I,c Il
deer tGe following morning. Mactar-
land discloses his identity as , forGer
wanted by the police by using his ia
vorite expression Believe Me. Nan
tippe." Dolly Immediately covers him
and takes his rifle from him not
noticing a revolver which he hrd
carelessly left under his hat on he
table. Macfarland tew minutes
later catches Dolly off guard ana
holds her up, taking ava" h1r guns,
Dolly in turn. by a trick, RECEIVERS
both her guns and her control Of the
. situation.
Enter then a bad man, also wanted by
the sheriff. With Macfarlands help
Dolly captures him. too. then takes them
both to the county Jail has herself sworn
in as her fathers deputy and is left in
command Of the Jail while the father
taxes n tIlD OIL Ndlui any eIe
falls In love with her handsome pris-
oner. and when he sees Sing Sing staring
him in the face she forces him on a
horse with sailing orders for Arizona
Just as New York officers arrive for their
prey. But the prey doesn't go to Ari-
zona The New York officers turn out
TO be the men with whom he has made
the wager. which Macfarland wins on
the technicalitv that Dolly at the time
She arrested him was not an officer of
the law. Dolly and Macfarland plight
their troth. and. as far as our informa-
ton goes. live happily ever after.
Miss Rittenhouse as Dolly kammon is
vivacious. Ben Taggart. who appeared
ve sterday for the first time with the Poll
company in the part of ''Simp" Galloway.
the bad man. was excellently cast and
made the most OF his opportunities.
Miss Cameron as Violet portrayed a
frontier siren with well-placei comedy
relief Mark Kent as the sheriff had lit
tie to do, but as usual made the most OF