New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-31
Washington Square Folk
Start First Full Year
at the Comedy.
FOUR HANDBOOK PLAYS
ARE TRANSPLANTED
miracle of ST. Anthony
and Literature" Are
Preeminent.

Beginning their first full season down
among the ticket spectators and the
traffic policemen, The Washington
Square Players, erstwhile OF the BAND
box. last night revived four OF their
one-act plays at the Comedy. Although
an early summer season had ALREADY
been played there, it was not until last
night that The Players formally TOOK
possession OF the theatre as the sole
lessees. For these preliminary weeks
they are reviving three excellent plays
and one Indifferent one-the serious
business of producing being deferred
until the cool weather.
For the most part, The Players are
the same who have become familiar 10
patrons of the Bandbox during the last
two seasons. Josephine Meyer, TO De
sure, has graduated to an executive
post. and Frank Conroy is among the
missing. Margaret Mower, also, VINO
was briefly a Player, was IN the auu'-
ence last night instead OF upon 'he
stage. Those who remain to act, how
ever. include Helen Wesley, Florence
Enright. Roland Young, Ralph Roeder
Robert Strange and Walter Frank. Inc
only conspicuous newcomer is Arthur
Hohl. said to have been reared IN MI
Belascos school, whose WORK III wv
diverse roles last evening gave ricN
promise. us
BY dipping back into their previous
offerings The Players have found II
simple manner to construct All 49,.
lent programme. Three or the preseIIS
offerings aeterlinck's 1.-THE Miracle
~ e. Anthony" Tchekhov's "A Bear
and Director Edward Goodman
"Eupenicallv Speaking played
during tho first year of The Players
existence. Schnitzler's Literature
was seen more recently.
The best of the current programme
If course, is the Maeterlnck play
This cynical and singularly un-Mae-
terlinckian episode, you VIII remem-
her. is concerned with the WISH OF
the Blessed st. Anthony to the nome
of the deceased Laody Hortensla ior
purposes of resurrection, and with Ihe
manner of his reception by the Dene-
fciaries of the estate. 1t is pIayleV
rich in satire and in contrast, ana IS
quite capably handled by The Players
Ralph Roeder's peculiar manner Is
we'll adapted to the role OF the SAINT
IL Mr. Roeder is wise he will leave the
modern roles alone. Roland Young
was a delight as Gustavus, his original
role and Elinor NJ. Cox, as the SCRUB
woman. replaced Josephine Meyer sat
isfactorily. arr.
One new face did wonders for Lit
erature" Schnitzler's sparkling play
let. The poetic Gilbert is now played
bv Roland Young. who last night vital
iled the whole piece. This is a play
let which has to be handled just So
and in their previous production Inc
pIavers allowed a great deal to escape
them. Neither Mr.. Roeder nor MISS
Westley. as a matter of fact, did
great deal for the piece last ,nlght,
but with the entrance OF Mr.. iouhg
the situation changed. Lines and even
situations took on life that they
had never possessed before.
DESPITE the extent 10 when the SUD
ject has been banded about IN the IN
term. Mr.. Goodman's skit, "Eugen-
ically Speaking" still retains its power
10 amuse It's humors would have Deeh
even more obvious had the piece been
PLAYED with a little more sedateness3,
for it is fact that many line when
will score it's point when seriously
spoken will lose it when uttered with a
laugh. Florence Enright, for whom the
piece is practically monologue, was
the principal offender in this respect.
Arthur Hohl, however, does good work
as the experienced conductor.
The Tchekhov playlet, "A Bear" is
a farce cut along somewhat conyen-
tional lines. Much of it is highly en-
ioyable. however, and it was we'll
nlaved by Mr.. Hohl and Miss Enright.