Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-28
At the Theaters

/
'GirIs'' at the lloyd.
Girls" a farce comedy in three acts, BY
Clyde Fitch; under direction OF the Shit
berts. The cast;
Pamela Gordon. secretary and stem
ographer ....-....... Bessie Toner
Violet Lansdowne, illustrator ........
Ethel Grey Terry
Kate West. a FREQ lance writer $50.
Lucille Purceile, elocutionist "......."
Mr.: p.nnstt Msr Csr,o'n Esm monde
Edgar w. Holt, junior partner Of the
law firm Of Sprague & Holt ...."...
""......".""...:.... n. s. Northrup
George H' sprague. his partner
Frank Loot, clerk with sprsgue g Holt
....".".".....-....... Heylyn Benson
Augustus bennett ..,.......... Il. A. Locke
The Janitor ................ Fred r. stanton
The IOstmeny ...'............. Pierre 1ouhs
Messenger Boy ................ Karl KNAPP
Clyde Fitch was in a merry mood when
he wrote Girls" He did not put a
somber thought in it, nor a touch OF
pathos. save one or two bits of irony that
might have a pathetic turn IL pursued far
enough. but the bubbling laughter that
follows the course Of the play from first
to last Is so steady in it's flow as to wash
away anything like a thought, and only
| tue luH Is TeCdlieu Wlen one SIT uoNh
to review the proceedings. As a farce It
IL a success. but not such as to outshine
other successes achieved by the author.
II doesn't deserve criticism, and will get
none here. 1t is frankly making fun of
the suffragette, and yet in a good humored
way, so that even the most ardent cham
pion Of woman and her rights can hardly
find fault with It.
Miss Pamela Gordon is a dear, and
doesn't know II. She has a foolish notion
that she hates men, and tries to prove II.
Around herself, she draws Miss Kate West,
and Miss Violet Dandsdowne, and organ
lies a triumvirate bent on the eNtermina-
ton of mere man. And so they work for
their daily bread, and go without 1t part
Of the time. and resort to various make
? shifts, such as using a Morris chair for a
/, bed. and cooking their chocolate over the
flame of an alcohol lamp. and pretending
they are happy. incidentally, an intimate
glimpse OF a "hen roost," as the %ianitor
calls the place, is given. when the girls
get ready for bed. Much taking down OF
hair and removal Of shirt waists and skirts
9 and DOMINIC Of 'niglities" and removal OF
; stockings, and finally the exposure of a
: pair of daintiest. plnkest ~tootsies to the
full view OF the audience. gives a Dit Of
realism TO the performance. without the
which II would not be a Clyde Fitch farce.
It is deftly done. and modestly. and &C.
casions not a little merriment among the
feminine portion of the audience, and close
n attention from the masculine. supposed 10
know little or nothing of such doings in
'e real life.
h And right into the midst of this prepare
a ton for bed on tho part of the three,
comes the man. He darts In through the
lie unbolted door to the studio, just a youns
IN cub who has been dining with a young
married woman in the absence of her hus.
n, band. And the husband. an aged friend OF
is the young mans father, comes home quite
Unexpectedly, and flight is all that saves
c. the youngster from a serious situation
He explains to the girls and they finally
st send him across the air shaft on an i'm.
m provised bridge. The rest of the story Il
tn easy, IL 1t does take two acts to tell II
~ Pam weds the young man who invaded tn.
studio; Kate weds a theatrical manager
~ who is going to make her a star and al
be actress, II possible, and vi gives over he
at maiden independence 10 become the guard
rl ian angel to a lawyers clerk with
ly crouch and a dislike for a cold hall bed
m room.
Bessie Toner is pretty enough to nor
than deserve all the compliments paid he
during the progress Of the play, and sh
AK enacts her role with good taste. Etht
rs Grey Terry is beautiful and makes
us charming picture en- deshabille, and Suzett
Jackson is simply pretty or prettily simpl,
Just as you will, as Kate West. Miss Loo
adds a Fitch character in her usual auair
CD way. and Mr.. Stanton's Janitor is up to III
al popular idea of that functionary, Th
ar others are good, and the whole farce
played with spirit that makes it enjoyable
~ Two great holiday audiences laughed hear
lily and applauded warmly at the Boyd yeI
/. terday. The engagement continues through
. out the week, with another matinee Q
Saturday.