The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-23
ADJUSTMENTS
"The Country Boy

Edgar Selwyn wrought extremely we'll when he wrote "The Country Boy,' even il the story is chopped off rather sud- denly before it seems to be quite fin- ished. He has transferred to the stage some interesting types who are true to life and prompted by human impulses. The play was acted at the Jefferson theater last night by a well balanced company. Although there are quite a number of strongly accentuated and in- dividualzed characters, each without ex- ception was intrusted to a capable play er and, as a result, the performance was smooth from beginning to end. The company at the Jefferson, by the way, is the No. 1 organization, as now ar ranged, and even the minor parts, to which were allotted only few lines, were effectually presented. Each member of the company seemed to look as well as act the roles essayed, and the result was highly satisfactory.
 ''The Country Boy is a play of Ameri- can life, and it's theme is youth, egotis- tical and featherbrained, who goes to New York for the purpose of speedily doing great things. Needless to say he receives some severe jolts, chief among them his awakening from a little &C., quaintance with one of those young the atrical persons of the female sex whose chief aim in life is to find the sort of man she considers a Tive one" Discour- aged without money and on the point of being elected from a cheap boarding house, the boy is making his plans to commit suicide. when he is saved by crusty newspaper man, rheumatic, mis- anthropic and disappointed in life. The two decide to go back to the boys home town, confess their inability to conquer New York, and start little paper. Of course they succeed, and the girl, who has been waiting for the country boy, in that little village of his birth, and has been estranged from him, is led back to the arms of her lover, thanks again to that world worn newspaper man, whose bitter experiences in the past help him to help others.
 There is much that rings true in the play The characters stand out boldly and strongly. vididly drawn and accurate ly depicted. Life in a fifth-rate New York boarding house Is portrayed with all it's humorous possibilities laughably set forth. The boarding house mistress, the star boarder, the cheeky boarder the young woman with stage aspirations, the young woman who is already on the
 
 number of other types, participate in the comedy, which is at times extremely di- vertng.
 Ida Glenn, as doting mother of the country boy, played the part with a great deal of sympathy. H. Dudley Hawley, as Tom Wilson, the country boy, gave an excellent and forceful delineation. Helen Hilton as the girl" proved to be sweet and womanly with a quiet Of l,lf aff ap. tive. Joseph Kaufman, as Joe Vein sten a ticket speculator. and type pc cuar to New York's white light district acquitted himself extremely well. His worldiness was quite patent, and his devotion to Broadway almost pathetic Ethel Clayton looked and acted the shal- low, almost immoral rather than immoral show girl, with realistic results. Mrs Charles c. Craig, as a corpulent land lady, played that part in a rich comedy vein that left nothing to be desired George N. Wright had what may be called the heavy" part, as Fred Meflxle broken down newspaper man. MT Wright easily dominated the scenes ir which he took part. and succeeded in presenting a rather unique stage type in vivid and effective manner His dry observations never failed to hit the mark He had many opportunities, and over- looked none.
 1.-The Country Boy will be repeated al a matinee this afternoon and again to- night, concluding the engagement.