The times., 1898-10-09


known TO fame, presented in Detroit a
comedy, entitled "A Domestic Skirnish.
The play was reasonably We'll done,
but did not suit the public taste, and
scored one of the most profound fall
ures ever known to occur in that city
Mr.. Broadhurst laid his manuscript aside,
wrote What Happened to Jones'" and
then brought the initial effort TO light
again. This time it was carefully re-
dressed, well advertised, and produced
under !, the title OF why Smith Left
Home" Its success was complete, and
the prospects are that in his former oe-
feat the author will ind considerable
profit and reputation.
"A Misfit Marriage was put on the
road some time before III. A. DuSoschet
had written The Man From Mexico" 1t
was then known as MY Wife's step
Husband" and was the venture of Mart
Hanley, at that period also manager for
Robert Man:eu. First offered in one OF
the big Eastern cities, the farce was un-
mercifuily scored by the critics and so
carefully avoided by the pubic that Mr..
Hanley closed the company after Few
weeks trial. The author reconstructed
his effort sold it to the producers Oh MS
first success and row finds in II the
chances OF long run in New YORK ana
a paying provincial tour. Both offerings
are, however. far below the standard SCI
by the writer's themselves. "A Misnt
Marriage" is in no way the equal OF MY
Friend From India and Why Smith
Left Home" does not deserve comparison
with What Happened to Jones. Thc
two comedies are anti-cimaxical. and
are. therefore, hardly creditable TO their
creators. As initial efforts they would oe
excellent-as successors TO the ventures
that made the regulations Of the two men
they are altogether unsatisfactory.
Taken separately. the best of the three
productions was undoubtedly the newest
one ION and on Despite the fact that
Monday night marked its first perform
ance in this country. and that cohSlueIa-
BILE cautious pruning remained To De
done, the play had been so crafply con-
structei and so smoothly put together
that II ran with all the finish of Daily
concoction. There were in its embodi-
ment two or three clever situations,
dozen enjoyable incidents. and some of
the brightest dialogue one could wish 10
hear Then the plot afforded couple
of differences from the general line. and
was, withal. so simple and uniform that
one might follow 1t wShout checking ms
laughter in the effort "On and Oi1
abourded in separate and distinct themes
Dut All D4euucQ NEiis anu AoAhSA 80
gested relief TO one tired of their individ-
ual explanation than complexity in any
degree.
AS seen early in the week, there were
a few suggestions that might have been
made with excellent effect on the offer
ing. A number of useless tete-a-tetes ex-
listed. and some repetition, that served TO
tire one without strengthening his knoT!-
edge of why and wherefores. Then the
Al hill \ to-
sadly But. as a whole. Bisson's work
was a remarkably clever one. Audi
ences smiled all the way through it. and
left the theater with a pervading sense
of the delicacy and refinement Of that
which they had witnessed. The piece
had in II so little of the rough-and-tum-
BILE order that one could remember after
it was finished what he had enjoyed with
out wondering shamefacedly If any OF
his acquaintance had seen him laugh.
ION and or will not create a sensation
because 1t is not sufficiently a novelty
but it will succeed as Number Nine
succeeded at Daly's-in pleasing a Sc
lect class of patrons-the very class Mr.
Frohman should want to secure as his
clientele at the Madison Square Thea
ter.
"Why Smith Left Home" was bright.
too. in more usual fashion than it's ri
val at the Lafayette Square Opera House
While neatly presented, this virtue lay
more with the players than the play. and
one could not help shuddering at the
thought of what the production might
have been in the hands of an inferior
company. Moreover there was a cursory
an indescribably superficial atmos-
phere about the whole affair Like many
other things that lack substance. "why
Smith Left Home" seemed infinitely
lighter than 1t could have been intended
to be. Mr.. Broadhurst's effort lacked CO.
hesiveness in a painful degree-with few
er themes than were possessed by "On
and OFF" it spread over an indefinite sur
face. lessening in thickness and effect all
the while. The dialogue was brilliant to
be sure but it appeared to be forced and
bore unmiStakable marks of mental
strain. The story was written round sit
uations and lines rather than were the
situations and lines injected into the
story. ,1f
The first act ended without prom Sc or
interest," the second without understand
ing OF reason and the third in manner
that made one think of the one-night-
stand actor who had bargained for play
to be called Revenge is Sweet" who
billed the offering, was disappointed in
its failure to arrive, and finally carried
out his promise to the public by present
ing .'Still Waters Run Deep under the
title of the piece contracted for with the
words Revenge Is sweet injected just
before the final curtain. This last scene
in "Why Smith Left Home by the way
was very reminiscent of some of the
Hoyt ventures and gained nothing there
by.
Still the comedy was funny in most
places and laughable all through fact
that assures it's financial result. Many of
the situations surprised the audiences
thoroughly and fairly startled them into
mirth, while the eccentricities of some of
the characters and the complications
into which all were led, afforded plenty
of hearty amusement. "Why Smith Left
Home is good-though not the best.
Probably the least promising of the
three efforts was "A Misfit Marriage"
What the farce needs most however, is
careful polishing, and the present man
ayers may easily make such changes in
the presentation that it's run will be long
one New situations and new develop
ments are needed, however, with num-
ber of new people in the cast AS in Mr..
Broadhursts venture, "A Misfit Marri-
age" Is marked and marred by a con-
tinual straining for effect. There Is not
enough material to make an entire pro-
gram, and hence the scenes are prolonged
beyond all patience in order that a GER
tain. amount of ground may be covered
Though there are no opportunities of
which advantage Is not taken, additional
matter is sadly needed to filf out and
without 1t the production must be an ir-
revocable failure,
"a Misfit Marriage" Is, in places, very
horsey, and the continual roaring of Max
Fi.yman gave SO little opportunity for