The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-29

Charming Comedy Well Played.
1t has become almost II habi; with
some dramatic critics TO speak OF what
they call - John Drew part" With a
If they mean BY that phrase part
requiring for Its proper presentation
4 man who can dress we'll. walk we'll.
and thardest OF alb stand ut ease. who
telllBibly. and who can play II With a
light certainty. an easy poise. sure
sense OF comedy and q polished meth
cd. then. they unwittingly dignity the
part and tha actor. for such a part Is
Infinitely harder to play successfully.
requires Infinitely more finished art
than your strong" roles. aboundinE in
big scenes. or your epigrammatIca!ly
amusement Of which are supplied by
the wit o. the author.
So then. in ~ Single Man" Hubert
Henry Davies has provided John Drew
skilled ability as a comedian withou,
buffoonery and g. straight" actor
without pose or pomposity. who al
ways plays easily. entertainingly and
move, nor ever dlsappoints those who
care for the little details that go to
make the finished actor.
The play ~ charming comedy OF
to-day, with enough OF tho serious 10
make 1t also pretty bit Of sentiment
without sentinsntallty.
Robin Worthlngton tMr Drew, n
bachelor OF fortythrec. becomes so
OF his brother. Captain worthinston
tIvan SIMPSON,. his wife tLoulse
Drew. and their kiddic (almost hm-
man dolD. that his own fancy lightly
as the, spring has como lie engages
himself Ia . very young girl, Maggie
Cottrell Carrot McComas). simply be-
cause she. happens to bo running in
ine. his secretary. Miss Heseltine tMary
Roland(, except to persuade her to
act as his special nIcader
At the very outset It In seen that
the secretary has had other thoughts
Of her employer than those concern
appears that the young girl is infn-
itely happier and more at home ches-
Ing her reluctant feet" over a tennis
court than In sitting quietly before a
soon: too, Worthineton leans that
playing hide and seek rather tires him,
ana, when his secretary tells him that
she must leave. great light brenks
complicated by the presence of Louise
Parker fThais Lawton). who laws siege
to his unwilling heart. but is definitely
settled by the same Shavian woman
when she enters Just after Worthing-
ton and his "typlst" have discovered
their mutual love and are. naturally,
telling each other about 1t con amorc.
and she. Just as naturally. tells every
body else what she has seen. OF
course. the very young girl has mean
while found out that Worthinston Is
not the dream lover she had pictured,
and the story ends haroily and cheer
fully.
AS has been said, the play ia a
Charming comedy, but Mr.. Drew, Miss
Boland and very competent company.
gave it a performance that displayed
its charm as only actors Of their class
are able to offer.
Miss Boland is not only one OF the
loveliest women that we have seen,
but she played the secretary IN man
ner that made every man and woman
In the house wonder how her employer
could have been such blind idiot as
to have seen her constantly for FIVE
years without having discharged her
from his service and taken. her on as
his welded suzcrainc lady forever and
n day And she captivated not alone
through her personality, but through
her sincere, restrained and convincing
performance OF part that might so
easily have been overplayed.
To bark back TO her personallty--in
the third act she had been on,the stage