New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-15
By ARTHUR RI HI

one has strange adventures IN the the
atre. A fortnight ago, az the Maxine
/ Elliott Theatre. appeared Miss Eleanor
! Gates's delightful farce about the Young
woman who was hunting for a 100 per
cent eueenicany perfect husband for
seven children. OF which she was. In
imagination already the mother II was
q farce taken right out OF the air that
people who read newspapers and maya
zines are at the moment breathing, writ
ten with cleverness and the oreeziest
hunor. vet with warm human feeling
and complete good taste, and 10 was I'M
usually we'll acted by all concerned.
II was. I'm short AS genuinely entertain
ing American comedy as has been pro-
duced this year.
! ANY one who wanted 10 see we Are
Seven" last evening for the second time,
however. and this must have included
most OF those who saw II once, wculd
/ have found. 10 his complete dismay' mat
! II was no more 10 be seen. Il had fed the
! Maxine Elliott. and in its place was
niece bv Mr.. Walter Hackett entitled
I Don't Weaken" and calculated TO make
even more viscous and opaque the mys-
/ terry Of an always my sterious world.
! Don't Weaken" is based on the not
unpromising idea that II you but think
/ thing hard enough it will become true.
/ Also that the way 10 make money Is TO
act as IL YOU had 1t and presently you
will The latter idea was used with very
amusing effect in the clever farce Ready
! Money" OF year or two ago. IN tnis
niece. also. there is a Young man who IL
down and out and he gets on his feet ana
eventually wins the girl he wants through
the confidence originally inspired by be-
ing told that he has inherited two million
dollars. which will be paid TO MN "heh
he is thrty-hve years old. This idea u
handled with a crudity and ciumsiness
which might pass, perhaps IN pieo'
written on the spur Of the moment ior
amateur theatricals at some house party
IN a rainy holiday in the country. but
scarcely meet the standards-not very
exacting. to be sure-of grown-up 'ne-
atre in the heart OF New YORK. bspe-
ciallv was this felt In the theatre whlch
had so lately harbored the intelligent ana
we'll written 1--WE Are Seven
!
was provided by the use or the don
| weaken" idea IN a subsidiary plot a
voung husband was absurdly henpecked
nv his bride OF a few months. His friends
wished TO cure him. They were all col
lege mates-the lifting OF the flrst curtain
had revealed them at the home or one or
the young men. eight years out or COL
lege. all gladly singing their college Giees
and in a thoroughly ridiculous scene
they threatened the henpecked husband
that he must assert his manliness or lose
their friendship. There was cheer whlch
they used 10 give in those dear, dead
DAYS v hen the score was tied with Yale
and they repeat IL from time TO time
through the play-that went as follows:
D-o-o-on't weaken
D-o-o-on't weaken,
You're lighting for your mother.
You're lighting for your brother.
You're lighting FOR your pal.
You're nghting for your gal
D-o-o-on't weaken
D-o-o-ou't weaken.
This astonishing production, given from
time TO time with complete apparent
seriousness by the faithful SURVIVORS OF
bright college years, while "Juanita' or
something Of the sort, is played IN the
distance, is delivered as a parting al
monition TO the trembling husband. IL
appears 10 have the desired effect ana
he successfully defes MS wife In scene
from which the audience seemed TO be
able 10 derive some amusement.
The deaduness Of the main story was
however. almost unillumined by even 20
faint spark-unless { were That pro-
yided by the agreeable personality Oh
Miss Renee Kelly. as the young girl MT
Earle Browne was tie leading spirit IN
This sad event. lie was the reed IN the
wind whom nothing could stop in the emu
Wallace Worsley. as the husband ROBERT
Kelly AMI Charles Lane we're otherS'
Don't Weaken must be one of those
pieces which, we are told are 10 III u"
ever-yawning NAV Of the road.