The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-08
10 HOLE ENGLisH FARCE.
weldon Grossmish's .teainx Canses Pleas
ure at Naxtmssa'< Theatre.


The delightful acting Of Weldon Gree
smith IN X. {. Carton tAres -Alr. Preedy
ana IN. Countess won for this little play
last night a, Naz.mova Theatre a recep-
tion that its somewhat slender fabric
would not otherwise have received
After the various adapt ions of French
and German farces with which New York
Is familiar this leisurely moving English
pi"c" was something Of a novelty IL
was plainly farce the programme said so
and events proved IT, but at the same time
ther" were moments when nothing IN
particular happened and when tn. various
people simply sat around and talked
things over. There were times par
ic'Ilarly IN the first act. when this leis-
ur-ly manner threatened CiIilness hut as
has been said the acting OF MIR Grossmith
bridget the difficulty and saved the
sltua ion
The source Of much of the humor of
the little play il somewhat incompr.-
hen-ihl- To IA. av.rag. American mind
for II can hardly understand how "A man
~ Pr',dps evident sense. -bounder-
that D.. was. could he thrown into such
sr.asms Of cnnfI+Ion hy IN. mer. sound or
little When tins idea - dressed out with
many more or less painful J.uns u will
h.- seen that Mr.. Gro-smiih more than
once had hi- hands fIll He played the
part nj Hamilton PrssSy with such per-
feet simplicity and made him such
lovable little -bound.r" that amusement
AZ hrs predicamen, was often turned into
sympathy.
Poor Pr"sdy had ius' gov himself en-
gagged To young woman from Manchas-
ter when his shabby London fat was
invaded ny his partner and benefactor.
who vas conducting a plitouIc elope-
meni with the Countess. The partna-
one RouPsdH. was Obliged tn leave the
fo"risss. who f"r reasons ~ her own was
avoiding publicity. On Pr.'dy's hands
while ne wen, to tn. deathbed Of rela-
tive from whom he had large expecta-
tons. The difficulties IN which the next
twenty-fn'ir hours plunged the pnfortu-
nat. Pr.'Tp make up the principal part
Of the rlay
H. servant are Mortified and lie sert
him. Ni- ftncee hears III the situation. the !
fouH''"ES relatives come in search Of !
he.. ana his oni" recourse - to take her
10 luncheon at a confeCtIoHerS and la
dr!V" ~ Il four wheeler 10 Kew Ga rriens /
- after all. as ne assured h"r with a
seraphIc smile they had good time
Nh"I BOunsGN finally tIITns M with the /.
news that the platoniC elopement must !
he abandoned. because he has improved !
tn" opportunity by taking a wife. Prssdy |
proves that "A hounder IL not necessarily +
a worm. and cheerfully forces th. rellc- |
tant BOunsIN to an eXpiana ton. not only |
with tn. Countess but with her husband
and other male relatives.
AS the CoE 1ioss Miss Charlotte Gran
villc was large and stately and very.
very English. Like the rest Of the cast.
her acting was thoroughly finished. ard
she was 80 thoroughly at home in the
role that one wondered IL she ever got
out Of II. During the first act she was a /
bit nervous. but she was much more com !
Portable after abe took on an exceedingly
unbecoming hat. so long a. she wor"
that first act costume. and particularly |
the hat she WAS entitled To be nervous
So completely did all the members Of the
cas- 10 into the piece that while some Of
Thorn NAV not have been necessary TO the
telling OF the story their presence was a
most material aid in giving its English
atmosphere. This was especially true Of
the three representatives Of the British
nobility. PLAYED nv Wslter Heweison.
Edward Bonfeld and ". l.. Branscombe.
The parts II Biison Presdy's man
servant. played by Arthur b Murray,
and Of Reginald !Soupitrs a provincial
dentist. plsved by Cyril Ashford. afforded
combination OF broad comedy and good
makeup that Afforded much amusement
Miss Siberia Hasaltine played EmUu.
t'rrcdg's sweathslrt Herbert Maule and
Miss LYDIA Rachel were her parents. and
Niss LYNN" kCntann" was "A new type 81
lady's maid