The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-18
THEATRICAL GOSSIP
 FROM NEW YORK

h1RNOf-t~~-
 English s., .ty .adies who prefer bridge to babies do not make desirable wives
 according to W. Somerset Vaughan s
 latest comedy, Smith. which was re-
 cantly produced at the Empire theatre.
 Ol cnurse, there is no obvious connec- ton tetween bridge and babies, but MT.
 Maughams play. nevertheless, provides good material for he opponents of race suicide
 As an evenings entertainment, it has It's dull srots, but these are enlivened by the excellence of the cast-for sel-
 dom has New York seen 6 more artistic
 group of players.
 At the head stands John Drew who is
 undoubtedly the most popular actor on
 the American stage today. His name has proved a drawing card for many years, and, although he has at times appeared in weak plays he has generally managed to achieve a personal triumph. In smith, however, MT Drew ap- pears in one of the best roles In which
 he has been seen in years. His work
 Is not only subtle, but highly artistic
 and this, If nothing else, should make
 Smith" one of the most successful pro- ductions of the season.
 The play itself however, is one of the
 best that has come from pen of that prolific young author. The lines are
 bright and witty, and the play at the
 same time teaches a moral
 The principal part is not Smith" It is Thomas Treem a returned colonial.
 Tom, according to his lines, was a husky feliow from Rhodesia. After eight years of pioneering he visits London where he was of old time a prosperous stock broker and a person of fashion. He is
 In quest of wife. Rhodesia has made
 man of him." It is carefully explained hot hn .n-1,r Anyhow, he is now a farmer, and his
 honest soul reYolts at the shallowness and selfshness of the smart set" in which he spent his six weeks holiday. And so he falls In love with Smith, Smith being pretty housemaid. | She shines by comparison with the women above her. The farmer from | Rhodesa finds her quite indifferent to | her middle aged husband and vaguely
 involved with a juvenile tame cat who, | in return for his attentions to her re- | ceives his food from the family table. l The two other women posed as con-
 trast to the ancillary heroine are hard
 ened girl of society once betrothed to | the returned farmer and almost prepared | to marry him again, If she is assured of | his wealth. and the youthful wife of a
 Jewish millionaire who loves bridge so
 much better than her baby that she | sticks to her place at the table while, | unknown to her. the child dies at home. | It would take even less unsympathetic | types of femininity than these to drive | man to the choice of pretty. pure
 minded servant as the girl best adapted | to become the wife of a South African l farmer.
 | But, despite the fact that one of the | best catches" in that particular set | Smith does not fall promptly Into his arms by any means.
 | It takes a better part of two acts to | bring things to that pass to change a proposal of convenience into one of hon. 1 est affection, and to overcome the girls scruples about marrying above her sta ton. Incidentally, Freeman has had a | rival in the porter, and the porter is | not quite out of the running until the returned farmer proves himself the bet | ter -physically-by inducing re- | fractory cork to leave it's happy resting | place In the neck of the claret which Smith means to serve for dinner. | As has been said, MT. Drew plays in | his best manner and with great sin cerity as well as humor. He is especially | happy in conveying the impression of | genuineness and earnestness In the char | acter. There are suggested depths of | feeling In the man which are difficult to | convey while still maintaining then light | CT mood of pleasantness into which the l character for the most part falls. but MT. Drew accomplishes them most ad-
 miraby. Miss Roland makes most comedy maid, and her performance of | the role is altogether delightful.
 | Miss Irving has never done the shall low, heartless type. which she usually
 does so well, any better than she does | 1t here An excellent figure Is provided | by Sibyle Thorndike, who Is especially
 successful in the latter scenes. and Miss
 Jane Laurel, looking possibly more love-
 ly than ever, plays gracefully and when
 the occasion permits, very sweetly. | Mir Morton Seltch and MT. Hassard | Short could not be better in their respec-
 tive roles and Lewis Casson does his
 bit satisfactorily.