The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-10-12
THEATRES
"PlayinE the Came"


role Of stage history. last night made
their first appearance before IA Mont
gomery audience in playing the
Came" the new comedy from the pens
of Cleveland Moffett and Hartley Davis.
which was offered at the Montgomery
Theatre.
That they did so, in the particular
play in which they last night enacted
their roles was their misfortune. Not
that both the scions of the noted race
did not create a favorable impression.
but that their really high class work.
together with that of the other mem
hers Of the company was overshadow-
ed by the defects of the play which
overcame any efforts they might have
put forth.
1t is a matter for conjecture that
two men so talented as the authors II
the comedy should have staged a pro-
duction so pointless, and defective as
Playing the Came" with such arts
tic taste, with such an expenditure OF
money and with so pronouncedly good
people in the cast For. no pains. have
been spared on the part of the Jencr-
sons to make everything out OF Tn"
play that could be made. Magnificent
ly staged. withs handsome and expen-
sive scenery, costly costumlng' ana
brilliant talent. the result was as cred
table as possible. But the possibili-
ties of the play were limited. and limi-
ted by the book"
It would be too severe to say tnat
Playing the Game" is without merit
IN certain portions, notably the sec
ond act, a complication of situations
produces comedy that rs real comedy
and clever comedy. IN this act Is
brought out to the full the sense OF
the ludicrous which appeals so strong
" to the American audience. But. ex-
cept for this act the pay 10 wear
ana de1ects' apparently "i'"o0'
are frequent.
FOR an example IL " no, soy nle W.
much TO register crit'cish
.ne cohse, sa'1on. $780, tha an
.oeue' ~ 'n 49,, o,or 90 aiaIoene most
IRE ACT IL eHen i've. ~ va oIthn',oh
OF II long Drawn Out, anu antrousn
m1, eh ~ - &C. Nv and withont interest
s ~, CO.. 700 Long orawn ont An
ath.r critic,sm of tSis act which fol-
ioy-s &c coro1larv Of the conyersa-
ZION Is that action is 1acking-that is
,e.i action. Under the handling of
actors less talented tnan those which
nortrayed the roles last night. the
first act W Guild be absolutely fiat.
perh,ns the most glarine defect in
tho cntire production, however, comes
a. tba rIosa of the third and last. act
During tho second MARI of the play
tho diferent characters had succeed
"a in falling into a state of confusion
Iaugb,hle ,nj so COMPLICATED as to be
,nrriavin, n was the function Of
~, No., aot to str.iehten the tangle
Nv. e,.,'sa,, Iown had refused his
49, 49, ~ har ardent admirer. Percy
Cha,,.o ma il hecame necessary. in
Nhaii 'on 60 49,, eno1n 70 force
.luel ~ h.ot,,ar tn rhange his mind.
.,le sl.ln ~ ~ ahnnso NJ heart
10 plihs apu 1900 ,,,hicb hrouebt
device was au'p,eu ra,,inrs Min
mo pay, Wl'"ou' a.. ,,a of wo-
atoh' me use ., ~" TO- his decis-
man TO iorce now 90 ., n,ar was
ION. Inc name vi tne su,
used as cruz an" 'ut 49,
apart from the u'ih'n" t,amt
agency was Desired u " o,har
tn" chahse OF hc"i' ~ ;,,,.oduo
there was no excuse lol '"e '"' ia
ton of the device IL was ".an'
brought into the play lta'u'e
terly foreign 1" every "tnrl f''
ton Of the plan OF the colieus' ,,
1t is only fair to say that 'l' W.
of the individuals OF inc casr a.