Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-27
ACTING Of AMATEURS
SC0RESA TRIUMPH
Drama League Players Present Con-
trasting Plays to Capacity
Audience.
Presented Under the Direction of
Bertram Bloch, New York, and
Mrs. Glenna Smith Tinnin.

A distinct triumph, not simply sue
cess. was scored by the players in their
initial presentation of four one-act
plays at the Mckinley High School last
night under auspices of the Washing
ton Center Of the Drama League Rang
ing the gamut of the pathetic, the
tragic, the comic and fantastic. the
players gave such smooth. well rounded
performances that the capacity audi
ence did not need to be "lenient." but
left the auditorium feeling convinced
that G. A. Lyon. chairman of the Drama
League players group, was more than
right when, as prologue. he declared 1t
his belief that Washington has enough
capable amateurs to supply the city
with real plays throughout a season.
For true drama, in the highest and
best sense of the term, was what the
Drama League players presented last
night under direction of Bertram Bloch
Tinnin.
All four plays were simply but eff
fectively set. with no overdfsplay
either in scenery or costumes, focus
ing the attention of the audience upon
the plays themselves as works of art.
That the actors in the various offer
ings succeeded SO admirably in bring
ing out this spirit of the plays the
thing" and getting it across the foot
lights to the audience, speaks volumes
for their ability.
Alice Browns Joint Owners in
Spain," a comedy with a pathetic un-
dertone, opened the bill. Then came
Synges Riders to- the Sea-, bit of
tragedy, which received such splendid
handling last night that it was diff
cult for the spectators to conceive how
1t could be presented more effectively.
In contrast to the first half of the
program. The Lost Silk Hat and
Maiden Over Wall" followed. the
sophisticated style, and the last a
fantasy.
Tragic Note of Entertainment.
Riders to the Sea" sounded the tragic
ing.
And there were those in last night
audience who saw. in the tragedy of the
old hsherwoman and her loss of all
her sons at the hands of the sea- the
mother-heart of stricken Europe and
the great loss of her brave sons at the
hands OF ruthless war. The lament of
the old Irish mother, that in most lands
1t Is the old that die first, but that here
1t was the young and brave who passed
away first, seemed applicable to all
those who ride away in the flush of
youth to face relentless fate.
To the slightest detail the work of
the players in this offering was stand
ard. and the staging and general at
mosphere created under the direction of
Mr.. Bloch and his assistants entirely in
keeping with the high character of the
tragedy and the work of the players
Miss Edna Ellis. as Maurya, gave a
| Characterization convincing to a degree.
Splendid assistance was given by Miss
Aimee Truan and Miss Louise Wood, as
the two daughters. and by Graham
Hughes as the last son, BARLEY.
Laura Vessels, Miss Kathryn. Mrs,
George A. Mosshart and Miss Sara
lkoenigsberger in the roles, was a
pleasant comedy. with enough pathetic
undertone to form an admirable prelude
to Riders 20 the Sea- The little
| story of the Home for Old Women re-
ceived most capable embodiment by
the cast. and this offering. as all the
four plays. was distinguished by care
and smoothness in the slightest detail.
Dunsany's Effective Comedy.
G. A. Lyon. as the caller who had
left his silk hat behind him. had the
stellar role in Lord Dunsanys eff
fective comedy. Mr.. Lyon was suavely
naive. handling the part with sense
of proportion which made the charac-
ter of the Londcner. who really thought
a silk hat an essential of life, at once
human and delightful.
Contrast is the life of such playiets,
and the author secured this by his in
PRODUCTION of a clerk, laborer and a
poet. each one of whom the man with
out hat tried to get to secure his hat
for him, he having left 1t behind after
a quarrel with his lady love. W. Bow
yer Pain. Willis 3. Rice. DR.. Paul D.
Merica and Richard de Wolfe fully met
the demands of the contrasting roles
Mr.. Bloch. the man" in his own
romantic fantasy. Maiden -Over-the-
Wall" received an ovation He was
ably assisted by Miss Dorothy Keen as
the maiden under spell in the garden
out of the world" Miss Mildred Ander-
son made winsomely ferocious drag
on. indeed. The whole, told in flowing
verse. formed charming close to a
well balanced evening of true drama.
All four plays will receive a final
presentation at Mckinley High School
tonight.