The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-06-21
POLL STOCK co,
 SCORES SUCCESS
 IN ''HYPOCRITES''

The Hypocrites," in which the Pol Stock Company scored, last night, the artistic triumph of their season. is 6 play written by Henry Arthur Jones and 1t deals with discrepancies be- tween theoretical and practical morals Two time worn themes are touched upon with a heaviness not too great The first is the code which for cer tain offenses not to be mentioned lays a heavy hand upon the woman, and even upon her child, but let's the mar escape with less than the social equiv. alent of a reprimand. And the second is the difference in the morality which ruling members of our society believe in for themselves and that which they permit to their humber brothers and sisters.
 MT. Willmore, lord of the manor, is a type pretty we'll known in New England, Naughty, harsh, convention al. religious, overbearing, cold and cruel, he is inedeed the friend of nor. ality.
 An error takes place in which two o1 his tenants are concerned, man and a woman. The woman is unworthy the man the victim of a sudden temp tation. Stern is the demand of the Lord of the manor for retribution, by the wedlock of the pair.
 But when the son of the manor is discovered, though about to marry, as having been the principal in a similar escapade the actual code of the hypo- critics is contrasted with their real code.
 Violent are the means employed to keep the son from following the na- tural tendency of his heart. These means extend even to the attempted destruction of Rev. Edward Linnell, the curate in the play, who stands as symbol of the private conscience lodged in every sane man, crying make restitution for his wrong.
 At any rate Joseph Eggenton, in the part of Mr. Willmore, has found a part in which he shines. His work as the arch hypocrite left, last night, little to be desired.
 It can indeed be said that the com pany, especially in the striking climax of the third act, reached a high level of average excellence. MT. Ince as the curate and Miss Fleming as Ra- chel Neve fully satisfied the most ex- acting demands, and one would scarce ly have supposed Tommy Williams capable of a character in which the lines of an unctuous and snug self sa tisfaction are so subtly drawn as in the play that portion of the church which would be at peace with the world and "do as the world does"
 And something in compliment should be said of the efforts of J. Hammond Daley, gas Leonard Willmore, and of Arthur Buchanan's vivid characterize tion of Mr. Viveash, the lawyer.
 The flaw in the play was the audi ence. Sprinkled through the house were some young women who had nev- CT learned the simple rule, ''When in doubt do not giggle."
 There was a new member of the company. Miss Florence Harrison James She is a Bridgeport girl, one of Miss Clarke's student players, and she made an excellent showing in the small part given to her, Patty, servant at the Linnell's. But her name took up lots of room on the program. Did any great actress ever come through with three names2 No! Then let Miss James profit by their example. It will be noted that MT. Daley uses but two names and letter.
 "The Hypocrites." as given by the Poli stock, will be found satisfactory, even to the exacting. It is recom- mended to the attention of those who like a sound lesson embodied in a exciting and intellectually stim- ulating play.