New-York tribune., 1912-12-31
CHEER UP D|SAPPO|NTS
New Rinehart Farce Fails TO
Make Hit at Harris.
HAS BRISK FIRST ACT
Situation Is Something Like
Seven Days" but Not So
Well Carried Out.

II was Mary Roberts Rinehart who in
vented the situation out of which grew
the endless complications of that highly
successful farce OF two seasons ago,
Seven Days" In her new play. Cheer
Up" written by her without collaboration
and produced last night at the Harris
Theatre. she has retained this fundamen-
tai idea-that of the enforced isolation OF
number OF people under one roof-but
has changed it's locale from a city house
10 a sanatorium on a mountain top. \
blizzard has cut off the institution and
its inmates from communication with the
outer world. To make conditions worse
the house physician has run away with
the head nurse. The housekeper is brave
ly trying 10 run things, but the patients
are crying for the doctor and are threat
ening TO leave. The young owner Is eX-
pected at any momentum fact, under his
grandfather's will he must take posses
sion by o'clock or lose his inheritance
the alternate heir has already arrived
But the loyal housekeeper. determined to
save the day for her beloved Master Dick,
induces two stranded actors, who drift
in through the snow, to impersonate the
young man and the much needed new
physician.
No sooner have these impostors begun
to play their parts than the real owner
arrives. accompanied by the young wife,
with whom he had eloped only the day
! before She is the daughter OF -
millionaire. who. as matter OF course.
is even then taking the cure at the sana-
torium. The bridegroom must be hidden,
| for the millionaire has a terrible temper.
so has his older daughter, who is also Of
the company in consequence o. another
love affair, frowned upon by the stern.
ascible parent To make matters siili
worse for the hidden husband. tho actress
who is suing him for breach OF promise
also reaches the sanatorium through the
snow and begins to suspect his presence.
| He on his side. seeks 10 steal from hc~
| the letters on which her suit Is based.
The guests furnish further complications,
| hold and makes these self-indulgent. rich
| imaginary invallds take exercise. plain
| food and plenty OF fresh air. He cuts OF,
the spring water. which the housekeer"r
has been doctoring far too strongly since
the original recipe was lost
| Here. then. IS abundance Of material for
rafting farce. And. indeed cheer Up"
starts well. with promise of even
brisker doings 10 come. But the first act
IL the best. the second is only fairly well
maintained on the level set ny II. and In
, the third the author forgets her humor al
/ together too much for the sake OF the
triple love interest Many points she
might have made are unaccountably lost
a. the farce proceeds. Nothing comes for
/ instance. OF the terrible tempers OF the
millionaire and his elder daughter. on
/ the other hand. The verge OF yulearity rs
occasionally approached for the sake Of a
| laugh
The large cast did It's best with thr ma
| terial given a. Walter Hampdeu gives a
debonair sketch OF the actor resort man
ager. Alan BrOokss impersonation OF a
man OF the verge Of dellnum trsmeus was
much appreciated by the audience For
some reason or other part Of this Kind
always is a thankful one with the public.
/ Frances Nordsstrom was "a busy house
b keeper indeed. Sybilla Pope looked stun
Z ming as the millionaire's elder daughter
and Fayette Perry was q cliugins. lisp
/ ing bride LOtta Linthicum handled the
part OF the actress with easy capability.
and in a fetching negIige % was she who
spoke brief rhymed prologue before the
| curtain