New-York tribune., 1911-10-11
THE DRAMA
Pulls the Strings at the
Comedy Theatre.

Let's gee: There's Tammas Biggar one
of the most important personages OF LIN
tiehaugh. Scotland in the year 1850. ana
Tammas has a daughter. Bunty; younger
SON. Rab. and an older son. 'Ieerns'
who is a disgrace because ne went ana
emhezzled and cost his father fl2O whlch
did not belong 20 him in order 10 Keep
"Jeems" out Of jail. The fl20 belonged
to Susie Simpson-Tammas was holding
IL in trust for her-and Susie. now
that Tammass daughter. Bunty. is about
10 marry her nephew. sprunt, the joiner
thinks II would be both kindly ana
advantageous to her 10 marry Tammas
Biggar Besides she is worried about her
fl20. She has a feeling that an is not weh
with the money. So she puts II 10 Tam
mas. Marry me or give me back my
fl2O." or words 10 that effect about as
short and crisp as possible. Just about THIS
time one Eelen Dunlop, whom Tamnas
promised 10 marry once upon a time and
then went back on his word. turns ND with
her niece Biggar prefers her TO Susie. and
tells her about the fl20. Susie overhears
and is Jealous. besides outraged. she
threatens 20 denounce him I'm Kirk. stern
Tammas Biggar. the pillar Of the klrk o4
Lintiehaugh. denounced and made public
shame Of, They all 20 TO the Kirk on the
Sabbath eve and the denunciauon Is Just
about to happen. but the minister does not
come susie summons the police. The VII
lage gossip faints or makes believe she
does. and when the police arrive they
all. but you can see from this much
which is only about half and probably not
consecutive or anything. that Bunty was
BADLY needed 10 pull the strings and set
things 10 rights. Among her manPuvres
she accomplshes the marrying Of her father
20 Eelen Dunlop. the paying Of Susie
money back 20 that wrathful and revenge
ful spinster. her own marriage 70 Sprunt
the saving OF her brother, Rab. from a
thrashing his departure from the frantic
p.ety of his fathers house for free ana
untrammelled career I'm Glasgow and, and
but memory refuses 70 yield another
detail. The story Is a delightful maze.
made up Of the little haps and mis-
haps Of a Scottish village and its people
And that's whore the play lies, in the
people Graham MOnat who has written
this play his done the unusual thing. he has
gone deeu into human nature In his first
real play Before "Bunty' he had writ
ten nothing for the stage but short va
riety sketches. Choosing comedy for his
means Of putting humanity on the stage.
he has managed 10 keep 20 natural humor
without letting farce creep IN. not even 70
win gallery laugh. And humanity there
fore. walks upon the scenes with all its
dignity and its simplicity and complexity
and depth and foolishness. II is all
genuine. There is not a stacy thing
about H.
The play has a strong tang Of Scotland
and Of 1850. and no details have been for
gotten which could make stronger the feel
ing OF either The unconscious grace Of
the costuming the design OF the wall paper
IN the home sitting room, even the sub
merged Scotch music and the wreath Of
thstles and green's that framed the stage
were all there 10 make the picture more
complete But. OF course. these were only
externals. and were not relied upon %
create the atmosphere Of the play. The
plavers did that with their deep burr OF
voice and their manner Of walking. stand
ing. sitting. lookng-everything that they
did.
Buntv was so completely in character
that it is almost a wrench 20 speak OF
Miss Molly Pearson in connection with her.
Yet Bunty was really Miss Pearson. II is
seldom that a character on the stage is not
perfectly frankly two people himself ana
his assumed part. Miss Pearson is wholly
and undoubtedly Bunty Just as she was
completely the slavev when she was with
Forbes robertson I'm The Passing Of the
Third Floor Back" She presents one OF
the finest delineations OF character that
has been seen In New York for a long
time and there is hardly anyone who
would not be as glad as Weelum was 20 be
heapecked by such a one.
The company Of Scotch Players were all
good Edmond Beresford as Rab was as
fresh as spring Jean CadeN as Susie
sinpson gave a finished study Of a revenge
f,il vet not wholly despicable spinster. Amy
Singleton. as Eileen Dunlop, had the whole
house with her in her good cheer. while
Margaret Nyblock as Teenie Dunlop, struck
such highly original note that she scored
a personal triumph
The picture was finished In broad and
in detail. and for those studying acting is
particularly we'll worth seeing. Whether
they had lines 20 speak 1r not. these play
ers were always In their parts and in the
NAV and even when they took their en-
cores TO the delight and puzzement ~ the
audience. they still stubbornly and artfuily
stuck 10 their parts and never so much as
bovad the slightest ghost OF bow 20 an
enthusiastic house.