New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-17
THE GREAT ADVENTURE"
Charming Comedy Opens the
New Booth Theatre.
JANET BEECHER SCORES
Arnold Bennett Play Of Art
and It's Appre citation Well
Received.

Wintbrop Anes embarked on happy
adventure when he selected The Great
Adventure TO open his new Booth Thea
ire last night. Nothing could have put
the audience in better humor TO appre-
ciate the suspicious occasion. The play
house itself is a splendid tribute TO the
memory OF the great actor whose name
II bears. as well as to MT Alnes : soou
taste It's seating capacity might easily
be greater. but fortunately Is relatively
small and comfortable, ana the interior
decorations are beautifully done in
French grays i'm woodwork and subdued
tones of mulberry velvet. all under
softened light that will delight the femi-
nine patrons for, as we are assured
will positively set off and harmonize with
gowns Of any color whatsoever
To have read Arnold BENEFITS Buried
Alive" the novel from which The Great
Adventure" was adapted proves 10 be
no benefit whatever as an aid to proper
appreciation OF the play The author mas
handled his dramatic material regardless
but as the results are a charming comedy.
with all the cleverness of the book ana
none OF ltS rather ItHElHS "SS'''P''N'S' ~
much the better.
Ham Carve. a painter, who Is affected
with a shyness so profound that he VIII
so to any length rather than face the
world in general and an admiring art
circle in particular. takes advantage OF
the death Of his valet TO impersonate the
dead man and live "A life of seclusion and
peace. Complications In the form of the
Wallets amours arise. however. and lead
the shrinking painter into an interesting
love affair with an extremely capable
woman, who has correspondent with the
valet through matrimonial agency.
The painter finds his ideal in the bOssy
but charming lady. Janet Cannot, and
they marry. The peace so much sought
by the harassed painter does not descend
upon this hasty union, but the Wallets
relatives do. and they kick up consider
able trouble. which Is further heightened
by an oily picture dealer. who discovers
the identity OF the painter. and whose
discovery leads to a publication Of the
astounding fact that valet, instead of
the great painter has been buried in
Westminster Abbey.
Finally. after a clever adjustment OF
the whims OF the artistic temperament 10
the stolid tradition Of the British sense
Of propricty. the difficulties are smoothed
over ard the artist and his triumphant
bride are left 10 depart on deferred
honeymoon.
Janet Beecher as the rather cockney
Janet Cannot was an unalloyed delight.
and has never appeared TO better adj
vantage than In this role OF the self
possessed woman who knows exactly
what's what in the way Of managing
husband and means TO have Ter way.
She may be different Janet from the
sympathetic and rather subdued one or
the book. but she Is even more interest
ing and attractive In the play. Lyn
Harding as Ham Carve. the SHRINKING
painter. played his part conscientiousIy'
but with rather more unevenness In
manner than was desirable. and too
much staccato In his delivery. Edward
Martin died well as the valet, although
DIR. Pascoe CT Wigney PercyyaD and his
assistant threw him into bed rather UNI
ceremonously Frank Goldsmith made
n good Cyrus Carve the tiresome type
OF English cousin. and Walter Creighton
and Edward Connolly, as Lord Alcar and
Tcxel. gave good performance. The
cast as whole was remarkably well
selected. and sustained the English
air admirably RoXane Barton hoated
haughtlly nn az the daughter OF n bishop
or something. with gown or two. thar
the programme tells us was designed
especially for the production by Paul
Ioirct
Outside Of what aright be called the
legitimate laughs in the comedy. the au-
dience extracted a great deal Of mirth
from the electrically lit signs announc-
ing Two days pass" and the like, which
flashed between scenes.
Altogether The Great Adventure
seems as safely and successfully
launched in this country as II has been
abroad. and should mako the Booth
Theatre popular one from the very
start.