The Washington herald., 1916-06-11
BY JULIA CHANDLER.

A new comedy, effecting the re-
turn of Henry F. Dixey from the
vaudeville boards to the Legitimate"
theater, keeps the ball of dramatic
production rolling in our midst this
week, the piece being on exhibition
at the Belasco Theater, where its
metropolitan premiere will be given
tomorrow evening.
A telegram from its publicity pur-
veyor states that "Mr. Lazarus,
this latest work from Harvey O'Hig-
gins and Harriet Ford, had a most
successful try-out at the Shubert
Theter in New Haven, Conn, on
Thursday evening, where Mr.. Dixey
would seem to have scored triumph
commensurate with his unquestion-
ed ability as a facile comedian.
We know enough about the happy
understanding between the two
playwrights responsible for "Mr.
Lazarus" (not an appetizing title)
to have our expectations concerning
the new comedy keenly whetted.
Mr.. O'Higgins and Miss Ford have
done some things together that re-
dound credit to themselves as well
as to the theater. In "The Argyle
Case" they dramatized the adven-
lures of William J. Burns in a man
ner that made the little cold shivers
chase up and down ones spine, so
exciting a melodrama was 1t.
Then there was "The Dummj," a
mystery story of a very different
type, teeming with laughter and
heart interest. In the expressions
of opinion Of this clever little COM
edy I have never heard derogatory
word. Everybody liked it. And it
brought fame to its authors as we'll
as the establishment of reputation
for a new producer-Helen Tyler,
who later stood sponsor for the
propaganda play from the same au-
thors ('Polygamy'') which had its
premiere here, and afterward ran all
last season in New York. Miss Ty-
Ter brings us "Mr. Lazarus" The
story is something or other about a
man who lost his identity in a rail-
road accident in which it is pre-
sumed by his friends that he has
also lost his life.
Henry E. Dixey visualizes the
fellow. He sounds like an unfor-
tunate in the little Whit of plot
vouchsafed me in advance. Maybe
he isn't. can imagine circum-
stances that would make one thank
ful for the loss of identity. Maybe
~Mr. Lazarus" was so situated. Ger
tainly such an idea suggests all sorts
Of laugh-provoking opportunities.
Some important folk went to New
Haven to have peek in at the new
comedy last Thursday, among them
Miss Tyler the producer, Miss Ford,
and Mr.. O'Higgins; James Mont
gomery Flagg, Mr.. and Mrs. Grant
land Rice, and a score of others.
For its first offering to the public
"Mr. Lazarus" is fortunate in the
playerfolk engaged, for there is no
comedian on the boards whose deft
methods and delightful personality
so engages an audience as Henry E.
Dixey.
@ Mr.. Dixey will be best remem-
bered for his thoroughly human and
appealing performance in Mary
James Pa" although he scored a
personal triumph in "The Naked
Truth" not long ago; the all-star re-
vival of "Pinafore," at the Casino
Theater, New York, and as the
harlequin in the Shubert produc-
ton of "A Thousand Years Ago"
Supporting Mr.. Dixey are a group
of clever folk, including Florine Ar
mold, who gave US a splendid char
acter study in "The Things That
Count" Eva lie Gallienne, daugh-
ter of the poet; Tom Powers, VIII
liam T. Clarke, and Marie Ascaraga.