The Washington herald., 1911-11-05

New York, Nov with the theatrical
season well on it's way toward age, an
other heavy week OF play-producing has
been recorded. 1t seems that the temer-
ity of the theatrical managers loses none
of its vitality with the passage of time
and that as the season natures they are
more determined than ever to air their
dramatic repertoire and gamble for pop
ular favor. Nor do these astute gen.
tlemen of the managerial office lose
their faith in comedy, for the past seven
days again shows laughter easily in the
lead.
This week The Cave Man" had its
premiere at the Fulton Theater, with
Robert Edeson in the stellar role; Tom
Wise and John Barrymore appeared in
Uncle SAM a farcical comedy at the
Liberty; Nine. Simons, after an illness
of some days, presented the second play
Of her repertoire, THE Whirlwind,' at
Days: May Robson starred in The
Three Lights" a comedy, at the Bijou:
THE Price" a drama by George Broad
hurst, opened at the Hudson, with Helen
Ware in a stellar role, and a new mu-
steal comedy, The Wife Hunters" is
running at the Herald Square.
"The Cave Man"
Some startling situations, clothed in
sparkling repartee, interlard the action
of THE Cave Man." now playing at
the Fulton Theater, once the Folies
Bergere. 1t all depends upon idiosyn-
cratic New York, whose tastes theatrical
are apt to be captured by the bizarre in
diction and situation, despite faulty con-
struction.
THE Cave Man" is branded as a farce,
and judging by the number of laughs
accorded it, amply bears out the label. 1t
is a drama tization of Lady Mechanic"
Gelett Burgess more or less popular
novel. In the first act Lady Mechanic,
a society debutante, drops half of a hun
dred-dollar note out the window with
few scribbled words intimating that the
finder can have the other half by calling at
her apartment. The note is picked up by
a coal HEAVIER, Haulick Smagg, better
known to lovers Of the drama as Robert
Edeson. Smagg INDUCES in a 15-cent hair
cut with bay rum, and betakes himself
to Lady Mechanics fiat. Here, ii seems,
she has adopted this novel method of Sc
curing q subject to exploit whim to
work a metamorphosis in a member of
the proletariat-a. change from the coal
pit to the ball room.
Haulick is shaved, massaged, groomed.
and introduced to society, where his Ninth
avenue dialect makes a tremendous hit.
So deuced odd, y'know: The action works
through a number Of comedy situations
to q climax where the coal holster swells
UP his chest-a fine cnest is one Of Ede-
sons chief assets-and tells society just
what he thinks of it, and Lady Mechanic
that he loves her.
The curtain falls on the erstwhile coal
handler in a garret busy manipulating
a drawing pen. This shift from the pick
to the pen, with all the implied latent
gentlemanliness or rather manliness,
awakens the spark Of love in the breast
of the society butterfly and brings her
to the garret for a pleasing finale.
Edeson makes an excellent coal HEAVIER,
but plays his part with too little shading.
Grace Elliston easily carries on the hon.
ors as Lady Mechanic, while the rather
impossible plot is carried to a doubtful |
success on the crest Of brilliant repartee.
''UncIe SAM"
Uncle Sam" is awfuIIy funny, Oh!
awfully. Even Anne Caldwell admits It |
and she wrote 1t, you know. That is,
she wrote part OF 1.-THE rest came from
the versatile pen Of James o'Dea stiIl |
there must have been some doubt in the |
minds OF this pair as to whether the play |
would produce tears or laughter, for a |
neat little sentence attached to the L. /
berty Theater programme informs the /
render that Uncle SAM was written |
solely % amuse." This information Is