The times., 1898-05-19
THINGS THEATRICAL.

That one-ha1f of large audience can be
made to laugh for three hours simply be-
cause the other half Is doing the same
thing was demonstrated last night at the
Columbia, when John Stapleten's first
farce A Bachelors Honeymoon, was
given q presentation. 1t is seldom that
amusement is 50 apparent and yet 1t is
extremely doubtful if, after the play was
over. anyone in the house had the faint
est idea what he had so 'hilarfously en-
joyed.
Mr. Stapleton has made quite a reputa
tion for himself in this country as pro-
ducer of plays. Naturally. therefore. he
has a very considerable idea of correct
construction. though ii cannot be said that
he evidenced his knowledge TO any great
extent in "A Bachelors Honeymoon"
But unfortunately Mr. Stapleton. knew
also great many plays, and so, after the
established method of dramatic hacks,
when he arrived at the stage where every
man fondly imagines that he can write
valuable contribution TO stage literature
ne took something from each of several
farces and began the work of knitting
! these something's together. Had he
stopped here all might have been Wen.
| but he did not. Having gotten thus lar
he attempted TO work in at least one sug-
/ gestion from every other piece he had ever
seen or heard of, and the result is most
.
! tion of more or less ancient farces. Char
acters that plainly belong to range of
productions beginning with THE Girl
] From Paris and ending only in 'Niobe.3
and a generality of comedies In whith
| harsh sisters inquisitiye maids, punctil-
/ ious men servants, German specialists
abused but sinful old men. actresses. po-
| lice departments and newspapers figure
prominently. Then there Is one scene OF
more from at least a dozen successes, in
Guiding My Friend From India" "A
Parlor Match 1.-The SNOWFALL ''The
! Marquis OF Michigan" " "a Gay Old Boy
and 'Niobe." There is little or no at
/ tempt made to conceal the source of these
situations. and after noting them all one
arrives at the conclusion that Mr.. Sta
| pleton must have used an American Ora
matists' Club list of recent presentations
| in compiling his farce.
| OF course. such a mixture cannot in
| clude the best of each and the result is
/ far from pleasing. Mr. Stapleton has an
abundance of complications-so many, in
| fact, that one loses all track of every
/ thing long before the first act is over
! but only one situation. His plot is badly
involved and hopeessly entangled with
| the hundred and one side issues begun
| without reason and ended without mean
| ing. The absolute imDossibilicy of the
! greater part of the piece might be eX-
cused in an opera bouffe, but hardly in a
farce comedy. Indeed. about all that is
needed is a pain plot and little music
to make of "A Bachelors Honeymoon"
| an excellent comic-opera. And this state
of affairs is not benefited by the authors
effort TO build the piece on the most
tablished lines. The fact that a thing is
| customary seems 10 have been sufficient
| reason for him to drag il in by the heels.
a bit Of maudiin pathos having been
| brought into the third act without any
other excuse in the world.
In defense Of the play IL may be said
that some bits of il are. whatever the
justice of the provocation, very funny in
deed This is true OF the target practice
scene in the last act and also of one or
two other situations. Some if the dialogue
is very bright though frequent repetition
/ hurts it, and a limited number of the
characters are well drawn
The best part of the humor gotten out
of the production, however. comes from
the cast presenting il. Robert Patton
Gibbs. last seen here with the Marquis
OF Michigan" contributes one of the best
German dialect parts ever given in this
city. His accent business and entire in
| depreciation were inimitable and his work
saved the piece. whenever he was the
stage. from every vestige of stupidity.
John T. Sullivan. generally associated
with villainous roles. came next I'm the
snare OF hOuOf with a very Caable
character study. and George Nash was
an interesting, If absurdly young and
active, father of family. Horace
Thrum got the most possible out of a
low comedy role. which was not much
when il is considered that a moment 8
thought over the man made him unnec-
essary. Nita Sykes was fair Minerva
of the ''Niobe' kind-and John Mitchell
an exceptional servant, June Scofield
| paNr1li Ash
sonatiOns of very unlike twins. and Vir-
gtnia jackson was so good a maid ser
want that one could excuse her for wear
ing short skirts without reason, Vella
Macleod gave most decidedly anna
teurish and unmeritorious performance
of the role of June Joyce. Her voice,
manner and stage presence were alike
| disagreeable The entire entertainment
was far from entertaining. "A Bachelor s
| Honeymoon will be given for the re-
mainder Of the week, with matinee today
and Saturday.