The evening world., 1903-04-07
4
HERO N PLAY.
Is a Man, Alas, but He Jumps
Overheard and Saves the
Heroine from Ceath in Stage
Waves.
ZEAL OYSTERS PLAY A PART.

Real oysters and real %cocoanuts are
ppened In "A Modern Crusoe," which
n having It's Introduction to New York
at Proctor's Fifth Avenue Theatre.
Sydney Resented. ESQ.," IL you
please. calls the piece a comedy. He
might have hit 1t better II he had
dubbed 1t a delcatessen drama.
The oysters and the %cocoanuts are
the best part-or parts-of the piece.
These, at least. are genuine. Every
thing and everybody else are artificial.
Even worse things might be said Of
them. but It would be rank ingrattude
20. find fault with a play which has
oysters. c%ocoanuts and vaudeville on
che side.
A Dellcatessen Drama.
Who. for instance, would be mean
enough to complain Of a hfty-cent table
d'hote. with wine? lack to the two
dollar houses and the atter-theatre sup
pers with criticism!
We merely wish to subscribe to the
apparently s%ucculent quality OF the
oysters and the sweet milk Of the cocoa
nuts In "A Modern Crusoe." Anybody
modern is lucky to get sweet milk. and
SutH, LOO, the COCOdTut OOeST I grow
on every stone doorstep.
Let US therefore accept Mr.. Rosen-
field. ESQ.," and his quick-lunch offer
ing, In the submissive Lenten spirit. It
isn't every day there's something to eat
In a play.
"A Modern Crusoe" blazes the way for
the actor prone to worry about his meal
tickets. 1t takes "a multi-millionaire"-
quoting the play bill. not. Bradstreet-
and wrecks him on a desert isle, where
cocoanuts are to be had for the shaking
and oysters bask on the sunlit shore.
Before starting on his voyage around
the world in his fool ship the Morgan
OF the Proctor circuit is what might be
termed a chesty chump. At home he
has run things to suit himself.
Typewriter Given a Drop.
He even has a mechanical arrange
ment whereby his typewriter-a mascu-
line one. alas!-is dropped, machine and
all, through a trap In the floor.
The typewriter is a theorist, likewise
the hero OF the play. He Is discharged
because he discovers the niece OF his
employer to be an old sweetheart. How
ever. he keeps in the play by shipping
on the Shine" ship As a stoker.. And
when a saucy wave gives the bum boat
Q poke and puts 1t down n out the
humble hero swims ashore with the
hysterical heroine embodied in his strong
left arm. On the desert Isle he proves
himself not only the equal but the
superior OF the mult-milionaire and
various other poor excuses Of the male
gender. and bosses the job OF bringing
In kindling wood and lighting the IRE.
By his sterling worth he wins the
heroine. and finally goes back to civillza-
tion with honors n fortune.
Only Oyster I'm the Soup.
In other words, he 10 all the cocoa
nuts n the only oyster ia the melo-
dramatic soup.
Paul McAllister contributed a ine head
Of hair M q vrile voice to the part
Of the hero: Frederic Bond ate oysters
and his own words as the multi -million-
ARE: Beryl Hope, In the role OF a wom-
an doctor, displayed breezy talents OF
the Blanche Ring order and a rood ap-
petite; Florence Reed, who was the
herodne. seemed to prefer cocoanuts tc
"a Modern crusoe" is the last play n
which Roland Reed appeared. =
After seeing the play. we're inclined
20 Imagine 1t may have had somethins
g. do with Mr.. Reeds untimely taking