The Washington times., 1911-10-17
Burgess New Play the Most
Original Of Satirical
Farces.
ROBERT EDESON AS
SMAGG, COAL HEAVIER
Piece sparkles with Wit and
Delightful Situa-
tons.

u
want to see more than once must have
these qualities-a rich entertaining
charm, q strong love interest, gooi
character drawing. varied settings.
many laughs and vivid originality, and
THE Cave Man." which opened with
Robert Edeson last evening In the Ma
tional Theater might be pointed out as
n model
whether he goes to be stimulated o,
amused. Geiett Burgess first attempt
at playwriting IL like his FIRST try at
nonsense: like the Purple Cow, which
never found the tune to die on, his
"satirical farce" makes a hit at the
very beginning. Are you tired Of matri-
monial infelicity7 Are you tired of the
inanity Of musical comedy? Do you
want good laugh with something ser,-
GUS to think of besides3 Do you want
something direrent?" Thy the cave
gentleman.
Having dipped his pen heavily into
satire. Burgess has drawn q vivid and
scintillating picture Of New York So
ciety. its foibles and its follies. Th,u
subject has always offered material for
writers, but never before has II been
uJshs 1rsassd ciI' IN exactly this fashion. One
u
of red meat in It" as It has been labeled Si
ny the author. Robert Edeson is noth.
Ing II not red meat" No one would
ever ever accuse him Of effeminacy. II he
ly, rather than more subtle methods.
one forgives him
AS Haulic Smagg. the. coal beave,
ne has opportunity for pottraying three
his best In the second act, where. inii.
ated into Society,"" he pierces the
shams Of the drawing room Act three
shows Edeson after retiring to his
The result is super-mentai, a philosopbi.
cal. almost spiritual evolution. The
part might be played In Il dozen difrer-
,y ent ways Physically E,leson is wci
longs for him to brIrg out the under.
current o. wonder. pathos. symbolism
that the lines were evidently meant to
suggest. At times his "smagg" is a
at tines--and too seldom a man aght.
Ing for the real thing"
Heroine of the
English Nobility.
Burgess has taken his heroine, Lady
Mechanic" from the British peerage
and placed her in the American me-
tropolis. To prove that Mrs. Grundy
Is easily fooled, she selects by chance
a coal HEAVIER, trains him, and palms
him of as a gentleman. Her protege
develops. becomes a man Of real force
and originality. and, reacting on her.
makes out of the butterfly a woman.
Grace Elliston. in the part of Lady
Mechanic. is so thoroughly American
IN speech and looks than one can hardly
accept her title. There seems a lack
OF the dainty, graceful mischief in her
composition. that one looks for who
has read the book but she has moments
OF rare charm and. with little talent to
spare. an Intellectual appreciation of
the part that preserves the illusion,
She has openly boasted that she can
toss calling card out of the window
into New York street, and make a
social lion out OF the first man who
ton. II the man will but wear frock
coat, and follow twelve rules Of con-
duct The dare Is taken, the card
tossed out OF the window, and the
comedy begins. never tagging until the
final drop Of the curtain. The card
falls into Smagg's hands. Smagg is a
primitive man almost. In mentality. ap-
pearance and instincts. Lady Mechanic
accepts the task and starts upon her
lump of clay by having him thoroughly
barbered. cleansed and groomed. She
then furnishes him with the twelve rules
OF conduct and turns him loose on So
ciety. He enters the portals through
the Van Dream home in upper Fifth
avenue, and roaming amidst Million
aires. he startles them by his naive
manner. his plain speech and his open
criticism. He is, heralded as a socialist